Ravens Sign QB Thad Lewis
The Ravens announced that they have signed free agent quarterback Thaddeus Lewis. To make room, fellow QB Dustin Vaughan has been shown the door. 
Vaughan was hoping to make the cut as a third-string quarterback behind starter Joe Flacco and primary backup Ryan Mallett. But, given Flacco’s back injury and Mallett’s struggles in practice, the Ravens are taking an especially look at their reserves. Vaughan apparently didn’t do enough to practice to assert his spot, prompting the team to look elsewhere.
Lewis, 32, signed a one-year deal with the 49ers last year, but a torn ACL ended his season before it could begin. The good news is that Lewis was medically cleared in May and he was able to hit the workout circuit starting in late July. An audition for the Rams did not yield a deal, but the Ravens apparently believe that he is 100% healthy and ready to contribute. It seems likely that the Ravens will allow Lewis to compete with Mallett for the QB2 role, though it could be challenging for him with only a few weeks to go before the start of the season.
The signing of Lewis may not sit well with those around football who were hoping the Ravens would sign Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick is coming off of a decent season in which he spearheaded a less-than-decent offense. Lewis, meanwhile, hasn’t seen the field since 2013.
Ravens Interested In Jeremy Zuttah
The Ravens traded Jeremy Zuttah to the 49ers this offseason, but now that he’s a free agent again, Baltimore has interest in re-signing the veteran center, according to Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link), who reports talks between the Ravens and Zuttah are “heating up.”
The injury bug has struck the Ravens at multiple spots along their roster, and the interior of the club’s offensive line has not been spared. Alex Lewis and Nico Siragusa are both sidelined for the entirety of the 2017 season with injuries, while John Urschel opted to retire at the age of 26. As such, Baltimore is now projected to start James Hurst and Ryan Jensen alongside All Pro right guard Marshal Yanda.
Zuttah, whom was sent to San Francisco in exchange for a swap of sixth-round draft choices, could offer improvement at center, and would likely come at a cheap price, which is essential for a Ravens team that ranks dead last in available cap space. In 2016, the 31-year-old Zuttah played nearly every offensive snap for Baltimore, grading as the NFL’s No. 13 center in the process, per Pro Football Focus. If Zuttah is re-signed, the Ravens would likely shift Jensen to left guard, tweets Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.
Of course, Zuttah isn’t the only interior lineman who might appear on Baltimore’s radar. The Ravens met with former Jets center Nick Mangold in April, while other available free agents include Austin Pasztor, Orlando Franklin, and Tre’ Jackson.
Ravens’ Alex Lewis Done For Season
Ravens offensive lineman Alex Lewis suffered a shoulder injury that will require surgery, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter) has learned. The operation will rule him out for the 2017 season. 
Lewis is no stranger to injury as a high ankle sprain cost him a good chunk of the 2016 season. This year, he was slated to return as the team’s starting left guard. For a team that has been decimated by injuries all summer, this is a crushing blow.
The Ravens have lost three key interior linemen in recent months. Center John Urschel opted to retire this summer while rookie guard Nico Siragusa was shut down with a torn ACL.
The advanced numbers at Pro Football Focus painted Lewis as a below-average guard last year, ranking him 61st out of 75 qualified players. The loss still stings, however, since the team is already pretty shallow on the O-Line. The Ravens will likely look into signing a guard to replace Lewis, but they could alternatively add a center and slide Ryan Jensen over to guard. Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun (Twitter link) suggests that moving tackle James Hurst to the interior could also be an option. The Ravens also have fifth-round rookie guard Jermaine Eluemunor on the roster, but he may be too green for the first unit.
Ravens, Jimmy Smith Restructure Deal
The Ravens and cornerback Jimmy Smith have agreed to a restructuring of his deal that will open up some cap room for the team. Smith will now have $7.725MM of his $8.5MM base salary converted into a signing bonus, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. The adjustment will create $5.15MM in cap space for Baltimore. 
[RELATED: Austin Howard Hasn’t Practiced With Ravens]
After suffering a rash of injuries this offseason, the Ravens likely wanted the extra breathing room so that they could explore reinforcements. For example, if Joe Flacco‘s back does not improve and Ryan Mallett continues to struggle in practice, the Ravens may want to look into adding a free agent quarterback. The Ravens may also want to look into tight end depth in the wake of Crockett Gillmore‘s injury (which followed Dennis Pitta‘s injury/release) and they could still use some offensive line help even after adding Austin Howard to the mix.
Smith also restructured his contract last offseason, so this marks the second time that he has adjusted his four-year, $48MM extension since signing it in 2015. Last year, the cornerback’s season ended in mid-December after he suffered a high-ankle sprain against the Patriots. In 11 games, the 29-year-old racked up 32 tackles and four passes defended.
The defensive back joined the Ravens as a first-round pick in 2011, and he’s started each of his 51 games over the past four seasons. This year, he returns as a starter alongside free agent addition Brandon Carr.
Austin Howard Hasn't Practiced With Ravens
- Newly signed Ravens offensive tackle Austin Howard hasn’t practiced with the team since inking a three-year, $16.5MM deal last Friday, and it’s unclear why, per Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. Howard underwent offseason shoulder surgery, so his recovery from that procedure could be at the root of the delay, notes Zrebiec. For his part, head coach John Harbaugh is content to leave Howard’s fate “in the trainer’s hands.”
Latest On Joe Flacco's Recovery
- There’s no comeback date for Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, who’s dealing with a back injury, but a second opinion last week yielded news that was “positive for a slow return,” a league source told ESPN’s Dan Graziano (via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com). The Ravens can afford to be patient with Flacco because he’s a 10-year veteran who has a full understanding of their offense, noted head coach John Harbaugh. “Every play we’ve run, he’s run before numerous times,” Harbaugh said.
Ravens Sign CB Trevin Wade
The Ravens have signed free agent cornerback Trevin Wade, the club announced today. In order to create roster space, Baltimore has waived/injured fellow cornerback Al-Hajj Shabazz.
Baltimore’s secondary hasn’t escaped the injury bug that has afflicted the Ravens’ roster, as second-year slot corner Tavon Young will miss the 2017 season after tearing his ACL, while another sophomore defensive back, Maurice Canady, may also be sidelined after suffering a potentially serious knee injury. At present, the Ravens are expected to start Jimmy Smith and free agent addition Brandon Carr at cornerback, with rookie first-round selection Marlon Humphrey in reserve. Other defensive backs on Baltimore’s roster include Brandon Boykin, Sheldon Price, and Lardarius Webb, who can moonlight in the slot despite having converted to safety.
Wade, 28, will add to the Ravens’ secondary depth, and he offers a decent amount of experience: 47 total appearances, including 32 over the past two seasons. A former seventh-round pick of the Browns, Wade spent 2015-16 with the Giants. Last year, he started two contests and played on roughly a third of New York’s defensive snaps and another third of the club’s special teams snaps.
Shabazz, meanwhile, had just joined Baltimore’s roster in June. If he clears waivers, he’ll revert to the Ravens’ injured reserve list. At that point, the 25-year-old could either spend the year on IR, or be released with an injury settlement.
Harbaugh: No Definitive Date For Joe Flacco Return
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said yesterday there is no definitive date for Joe Flacco to return to the field, as Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes. Flacco, of course, has been dealing with a back injury, and we heard at the end of July that he was preparing to miss three to six weeks, though more optimistic reports had him returning within one week.
Harbaugh said, “We know he’s getting better every single day. Obviously, we have a plan for him, football-wise, when he gets back. But we haven’t been told when yet.”
Harbaugh’s statement should not be surprising in light of Baltimore’s highly-publicized dalliance with free agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick. If the Ravens were truly convinced that Flacco would only be out a short period of time, it is unlikely they would be entertaining the notion of signing Kaepernick as seriously they have, as Kaepernick would not compete with a healthy Flacco for the team’s starting job.
The Ravens have been ravaged by injury in the early stages of training camp, and while they may yet have enough talent to make a playoff push with the talent they currently have at their disposal, they need Flacco to be 100% to have a real chance at being competitive in 2017.
In his only public comments about the injury, which he made on July 28, Flacco said he was unsure of when he would return to practice. He said, “It is just one of those things where you have to be patient and not let your competitive nature get the best of you. I am talking about everybody — myself and, really, everybody.”
Ravens Make Two Moves
Baltimore Ravens
Ravens Waive TE Crockett Gillmore
The Ravens announced that tight end Crockett Gillmore has been waived to make room for the newly signed Austin Howard. Gillmore, of course, is out for the year after suffering a knee injury in July. 
[RELATED: Ravens Sign OT Austin Howard]
Gillmore, 25, had 33 catches for 412 yards and four touchdowns in 2015. Unfortunately, injuries have hampered him ever since. In 2016, he appeared in only seven games thanks to back and knee issues. Now, he’ll have to wait until 2018 to see the field again.
By exposing Gillmore to waivers, the Ravens run the risk of another team swooping in on him and planting him on the roster. If Gillmore clears waivers – probably the most likely scenario given his current status – then he will revert to the team’s injured reserve. From there, the Ravens can either park him on IR or release him with an injury settlement.