Ravens Coach, GM Pushing For Kaepernick?
Both Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and GM Ozzie Newsome support the idea of signing quarterback Colin Kaepernick, sources tell Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Russini hears they have met resistance from owner Steve Bisciotti, but Newsome issued a statement on Wednesday to try and counter those claims:
“We are going through a process, and we have not made a decision. Steve Bisciotti has not told us we cannot sign Colin Kaepernick, nor has he blocked the move. Whoever is making those claims is wrong,” the unusual statement read.
Recently, Bisciotti and team president Dick Cass publicly acknowledged their trepidation in signing Kaepernick, with Bisciotti adding that he wasn’t sure the QB would help the team “win games.” The team’s coach and GM apparently feel that Kaepernick can be a difference maker.
Recently, some of the team’s locker room leaders also voiced their support for adding Kaepernick.
“Hell yeah, if he’s going to help us win,” linebacker Terrell Suggs said. “We have no issues. Not in the locker room. Hell yeah, we want him.”
The Ravens are taking a hard look at their backup quarterback situation as Joe Flacco deals with a back injury and Ryan Mallett struggles in practice. There is some good news on that front, however. A source with knowledge of the situation tells Mike Florio of PFT that he is feeling better, with the “arrow [pointing] up.”
Photo via Pro Football Rumors on Instagram.
Ravens OL Nico Siragusa Done For Season
The injury curse has struck the Ravens once again, as rookie offensive lineman Nico Siragusa will miss the 2017 season after tearing his ACL, MCL, and PCL today, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Siragusa becomes the seventh key player Baltimore has lost for the season since June 1, as Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun indicates (Twitter links). Tight ends Crockett Gillmore and Dennis Pitta, running back Kenneth Dixon, and cornerback Tavon Young have all suffered serious injuries, tight end Darren Waller was suspended for the season, and offensive lineman John Urschel retired. This string of bad luck is beginning to cause a roster crunch for the Ravens, as injured non-vested veterans can’t be placed on injured reserve without being risked to waivers, tweets Zrebiec.
Siragusa, a San Diego State product, was selected with the 122nd overall pick in this year’s draft. Despite his rookie status, he’d been projected to start on a Ravens interior offensive line that is extremely short on talent aside from right guard Marshal Yanda. Baltimore’s remaining options at guard are nearly all as inexperienced as Siragusa, as players such as Jarell Broxton, Jarrod Pughsley, and Jermaine Eluemunor are all either rookies or second-year pros. Alex Lewis, a 2016 draft pick, currently looks like the favorite to take over at left guard.
If the Ravens decide to scan the open market for interior solutions, they’ll find a number of veterans who could offer serviceable play. Nick Mangold has been linked to Baltimore for some time, and could conceivably play either guard or center, allowing the Ravens to configure their line with flexibility in mind. Other free agent options include Austin Pasztor, Alvin Bailey, Tre’ Jackson, Khaled Holmes, and Austin Howard, the latter of whom reportedly piques Baltimore’s interest.
Harbaugh: We're Looking At All QBs
After talk of the Ravens considering Colin Kaepernick and Robert Griffin III dominated the news cycle, coach John Harbaugh is trying to reel everything in.
For what it’s worth, RG3 has reportedly fallen off of the team’s radar after the team considered giving him a tryout. The possibility of adding Kaepernick, meanwhile, still looms large after the Ravens’ owner and team president both confirmed their interest in him. The Ravens are looking carefully at their backup quarterback situation in light of Joe Flacco’s back injury, but they’re also dealing with an increasingly dire situation at tight end.
While the Ravens scramble for answers on offense, here’s a look at the latest from around the NFL:
Ravens’ Crockett Gillmore Done For Season
Ravens tight end Crockett Gillmore had surgery on his MCL and is likely going to miss the season, the team announced. Gillmore’s recovery timetable is five months, meaning that he cannot realistically think about getting back on the field until 2018. 
[RELATED: Ravens No Longer Considering RG3?]
The Ravens were hoping that Gillmore would only need a “trim” to his meniscus rather than a full repair. A trim could have allowed Gillmore to return mid-season, but the severity of his tear left him with only one option.
The Ravens signed former Giants tight end Larry Donnell earlier this week, giving them a bit of extra padding at tight end. So far this offseason, the position has been ravaged by injuries and other events. Dennis Pitta was cut after suffering a likely career-ending injury and Darren Waller is suspended for the full season. Maxx Williams and Ben Watson, meanwhile, are recovering from injuries of their own.
Gillmore, 25, had 33 catches for 412 yards and four touchdowns in 2015. Last year, back and knee injuries limited him to just seven games.
Ravens No Longer Considering RGIII
Although the Ravens considered bringing in Robert Griffin III for a workout, the free agent quarterback is no longer on Baltimore’s radar, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. The Ravens are still assessing other signal-callers, including Colin Kaepernick, per Hensley.
Baltimore is on the hunt for another option under center while starter Joe Flacco deals with a back injury. Head coach John Harbaugh recently labeled Flacco “day-to-day,” but the Ravens still want another quarterback on the roster, especially given the struggles of incumbent backup Ryan Mallett. Although Baltimore swapped out David Olson for Josh Woodrum earlier today, that move isn’t expected to affect the team’s search for a more established quarterback.
For Griffin, meanwhile, his dalliance with Baltimore marks the second time in the past week he’s been unfruitfully linked to a club with a quarterback need. RG3, who’s reportedly been generating “minor interest,” worked out for the Chargers last week but is unlikely to sign after Los Angeles acquired Cardale Jones from the Bills. The Seahawks also considered Griffin earlier this year, but ultimately went with Austin Davis instead.
As the Ravens continue to seek another quarterback, free agent options such as Christian Ponder, Shaun Hill, and Zach Mettenberger could potentially come into play.
AFC North Notes: Ravens, Kaep, Browns
Ravens decision makers aren’t sure about whether to sign Colin Kaepernick, but some of the team’s most vocal veterans say they’d welcome the quarterback, as ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley writes.
“Hell yeah, if he’s going to help us win,” Suggs said. “We have no issues. Not in the locker room. Hell yeah, we want him.”
Defensive back Lardarius Webb, who is in his ninth season in Baltimore, also says that he’d like to see Kaepernick join the team and spice up the backup quarterback competition. While sponsors and fans of the Ravens might not be crazy about Kaepernick, it doesn’t sound like the players would have any issues with the QB and his political activism.
Here’s more from the AFC North:
- Browns left tackle Joe Thomas isn’t necessarily thinking about retirement, but it’s something he’ll consider after the 2017 season. “It’s hard to say [how much longer I’ll play],” Thomas said (via ESPN.com’s Tony Grossi). “I’m lucky enough to be standing here after completing 10 years in my career, which was longer than I expected to play when I was a rookie. “I’ll re-evaluate things after the season. To me, the questions become do I still love it, am I still good enough to have a spot, and am I still healthy enough. Those are always the things I ask myself and if those are all yes I’ll keep playing, and if for some reason they’re no, then I’ll stop playing.” Thomas is signed through 2018 and due to make non-guaranteed salaries in each of the next two years.
- Browns head coach Hue Jackson says safety Ed Reynolds will miss significant time with a knee injury, though he did say that it is not a torn ACL (Twitter links via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal). Reynolds currently projects as Cleveland’s starting free safety, so the Browns may want to look into signing a defensive back if he has to miss regular season games.
- Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger says he could retire after the 2017 season.
- The Bengals‘ kicking competition is starting to take shape.
Ravens Sign QB Josh Woodrum
Well, that was fast. The Ravens have released quarterback David Olson just three days after signing him. In his stead, the team has signed Josh Woodrum.
Woodrum, who spent a chunk of the offseason with Buffalo, is Liberty University’s all-time record holder for career passing yards. While Joe Flacco heals up from injury, he’ll be the team’s new No. 3 quarterback in practice behind Ryan Mallett and Dustin Vaughan. Unless he really impresses or Flacco’s injury is more severe than previously thought, his stay might not be much longer than Olson’s.
On Sunday, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti told fans that the team is carefully weighing the ramifications of signing Colin Kaepernick while also thinking about bringing in RG3 for a workout. While today’s shuffling of QBs probably won’t mean much for the team’s 53-man roster, we could see more significant changes on the QB depth chart in the coming weeks.
Ravens Interested In RG3, Colin Kaepernick
On Sunday, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti confirmed that the team has interest in Colin Kaepernick. He also said the club is looking into auditioning Robert Griffin III. 
[RELATED: Ravens’ Crockett Gillmore To Undergo Knee Surgery]
“We’re very sensitive to it, and we’re monitoring it and we’re still, as [general manager Ozzie Newsome] says, we’re scrimmaging it,” Bisciotti said. “We’re trying to figure what’s the right tact. Pray for us.”
Naturally, the decision of whether to sign Kaepernick involves considerations that go beyond just football. Team president Dick Cass said that the team is reaching out to fans and sponsors as they think about inking the polarizing athlete (Twitter links via Jeff Zrebiec). Cass says that the organization has spoken directly with Kaepernick, so their interest certainly seems legitimate.
The Ravens aren’t certain about whether they want to kick the tires on Griffin and they will first evaluate the health of Joe Flacco and backup Ryan Mallett before moving forward (Twitter link). Of course, it doesn’t cost anything to work a player out, so one has to wonder how real the Ravens’ interest is in Griffin. It’s possible that Baltimore is looking to first light a fire under Mallett before giving serious consideration to an outside arm.
Crockett Gillmore To Undergo Knee Surgery
Ravens tight end Crockett Gillmore will undergo meniscus surgery on Monday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Baltimore will be able to further assess Gillmore’s condition once the operation is complete, per Rapoport.
Meniscus injuries typically require one of two treatments: either a trim, or a full repair. A trim will typically allow a player to return much more quickly following the surgery. A full repair, meanwhile, is better for the long-term health of the player’s knee, but often requires a season-long absence. Ravens running back Kenneth Dixon, for example, recently underwent a repair, meaning he’ll miss the 2017 campaign.
Baltimore’s tight end depth has already been reduced this offseason, as Dennis Pitta was released after suffering a possibly career-ending injury, while Darren Waller is suspended for the entire season. Maxx Williams and Ben Watson, meanwhile, are recovering from injuries, leading the Ravens to sign veteran tight end Larry Donnell earlier today.
Gillmore, 25, was last productive during the 2015 season, when he posted 33 receptions for 412 yards and four touchdowns. In 2016, Gillmore appeared in only seven games, while dealing with back and knee injuries.
Ravens Sign Larry Donnell
The Ravens have signed free agent tight end Larry Donnell, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). After Crockett Gillmore sustained a potentially serious knee injury Friday, Baltimore suddenly found itself without three tight ends it opened the league year with (Gillmore, Dennis Pitta, and Darren Waller), leaving Ben Watson, Maxx Williams, and Nick Boyle as the only TEs with game experience on the roster. All have talent, but Watson is 36 and missed all of last season with an ACL tear, Williams has struggled with injuries in his brief professional career, and Boyle is one positive PED test away from a year-long suspension.
Enter Donnell, who worked out with the Colts last month. The Grambling State product first made a name for himself in 2014 when he had a breakout season with the Giants, catching 63 passes for 623 yards and six scores. Since then, however, he has been hampered by his own injuries and has been unable to reprise his 2014 performance. He missed half of the 2015 season and found himself with a lesser role in the offense in 2016, catching just 15 passes (22 targets) for 92 yards and one score.
As Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun tweets, Donnell could be a quality redzone target, though his blocking prowess leaves much to be desired.
To make room for Donnell, the Ravens waived UDFA wide receiver Tim Patrick.