Ravens Waive Stephen Houston
- The Ravens have released RB Stephen Houston, per Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
Ravens Sign 15 UDFAs
The Ravens have signed the following undrafted free agents:
- Quincy Adeboyejo, WR (Mississippi)
- Kenny Allen, P/K (Michigan)
- C.J. Board, WR (Tennessee-Chattanooga)
- Bam Bradley, ILB (Pittsburgh)
- Omarius Bryant, DE (Western Kentucky)
- Carlos Davis, CB (Mississippi)
- Daniel Henry, S (New Mexico)
- Brandon Kublanow, C (Georgia)
- Taquan Mizzell, RB (Virginia)
- Ricky Ortiz, FB (Oregon State)
- Tim Patrick, WR (Utah)
- Patrick Ricard, DE (Maine)
- Maurquice Shakir, OG (Middle Tennessee St.)
- Zach Terrell, QB (Western Michigan)
- Tim White, WR Arizona State
After neglecting to draft a wide receiver last week, the Ravens have added four WRs in White, Patrick, Adeboyejo, and Board. The Ravens currently project to have Mike Wallace and Breshad Perriman as their top two WRs with Chris Moore, Michael Campanaro, Vince Mayle, Chris Matthews, and Keenan Reynolds pushing for supporting roles.
On Friday, the Ravens officially signed first-round cornerback Marlon Humphrey and four other draft picks.
Ravens Sign Rookie CB Marlon Humphrey
The Ravens announced that they have signed first-round cornerback Marlon Humphrey. In addition to the Alabama product, linebacker Tyus Bowser (second round), guard Nico Siragusa (fourth round), offensive tackle Jermaine Eluemunor (fifth round), and safety Chuck Carr (sixth round) have also inked their deals. 
Humphrey was widely ranked as one of the top three cornerbacks available in what was a very deep class for the position. Depending on who you asked, some talent evaluators had him as the second-best corner on the board, behind Marshon Lattimore but ahead of Gareon Conley and Adoree’ Jackson. Humphrey wound up becoming the second cornerback drafted when the Ravens selected him at No. 16, though Conley’s draft week incident might have had something to do with that.
Humphrey, a 6’1″, 196-pound athlete, had 36 total tackles, two interceptions, and five passes defensed in his final year at Alabama. One of those interceptions was a pick six in the season opener against USC.
With those five under contract, only two Ravens draft picks remain unsigned. Baltimore will look to finalize things with third-round defensive end Chris Wormley and third-round linebacker Tim Williams in the coming days.
Top 8 Fits For RB LeGarrette Blount
In the last couple of weeks, we’ve seen veteran running backs Adrian Peterson, Jamaal Charles, and Marshawn Lynch find new homes. However, LeGarrette Blount is still without a job. 
The Lions and Giants are known to be in on Blount, but we can’t help but wonder if there could be other potential fits out there for the player who I consider to be the best running back currently on the market. The PFR staff huddled up on Wednesday to run down possible landing spots for the power back:
- Giants – The Giants have been connected to Blount for some time now and the interest is said to be mutual. The Giants are looking for a bruising running back to complement Paul Perkins and Blount, presumably, wants to join a potential contender, so it’s a solid match. Eli Manning‘s 2016 struggles are well documented, but a well-balanced offense would help him find Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall as much as possible.
- Lions – On paper, the Lions should have had a strong running game with Ameer Abdullah and Theo Riddick leading the way. Unfortunately, injuries cost both players significant time last year and rookie Dwayne Washington didn’t set the world on fire when given the opportunity. Zach Zenner had some flashes of brilliance, but the lesson learned here is that you can never have enough depth. Blount would be a great counter balance to Abdullah’s speed and Riddick’s reception focused game and he could be called on as the No. 1 guy if the injury bug strikes again.
- Packers – Running back was a clear need for the Packers heading into the draft, but they did not select a top RB from this year’s deep pool of talent. Now, they need running backs even more after releasing Christine Michael and Don Jackson earlier this week. WR-turned-RB Ty Montgomery figures to be the lead guy in Green Bay, but the Packers could use some experience behind him. It’s not clear if the Packers have reached out to Blount’s reps yet, but they should.
- Ravens – You might have missed it in the midst of the free agency frenzy, but the league suspended Kenneth Dixon for the first four games of the season after a PED policy violation. The Ravens can use free agent pickup Danny Woodhead as their lead back in the opening month, but it would make sense to add some depth along with Javorius Allen, Lorenzo Taliaferro, and Terrance West, particularly since Woodhead missed the majority of last season.
- Dolphins – The Dolphins aren’t an obvious fit, but it’s possible that they could be in the market for a running back if Damien Williams continues to stay away from the team. The downside here is that Jay Ajayi is the clear No. 1 guy and Blount would have to fight Kenyan Drake for carries. In a scenario where Miami signs Blount and Williams is eventually brought back into the fold, there would be even less work to go around.
- Chiefs – After moving on from Charles, the Chiefs might want to add some veteran help to a depth chart featuring Spencer Ware, Charcandrick West, and rookie Kareem Hunt. C.J. Spiller currently projects as the RB4, but he hasn’t been able to stick with a team in some time.
- Redskins – The Redskins are shopping Matt Jones and that could free up a spot for someone like Blount. The Redskins have four other backs in Rob Kelley, Chris Thompson, Keith Marshall, and Mack Brown, but there are no superstars in the bunch.
- Eagles – Ryan Mathews is scheduled to carry a $5MM cap number in 2017 and the Eagles can wipe $4MM of that off of the books by cutting him. Releasing the speedy but aging Darren Sproles would also yield $4MM in savings with zero dead money. At this stage of the offseason, Blount would represent a much cheaper option than either guy. Beyond Sproles and Mathews, there’s not much experience between Wendell Smallwood, Byron Marshall, Terrell Watson, and fourth-round pick Donnel Pumphrey.
Connor Byrne and Dallas Robinson contributed to this post.
Former Ravens RB Justin Forsett Retires
Justin Forsett is retiring. The longtime NFL running back is hanging up his cleats after nine seasons. 
“It’s time. I’m officially announcing my retirement from the game I love,” Forsett wrote. “Its been an amazing ride and I’m grateful for every moment. My career has brought so many great people into my life, and I asked some of them to join me in saying goodbye. Against all odds, critics, and naysayers, I accomplished something great. Scouts measured my height and said I was too short. They measured my 40-yard dash and said I was too slow. They looked at my build and said I wouldn’t last. But they couldn’t measure my heart, my faith, and my perseverance. I am living proof that dreams come true and God answers prayers, and I thank God everyday for the opportunity to live out my dream.”
Forsett was a backup for the first six years of his career until 2014 when he got his big opportunity with the Ravens. As Baltimore’s lead back, he ran for 1,266 yards and eight touchdowns en route to his first Pro Bowl selection.
After being held back by injuries in 2015, the Ravens cut him loose early in the 2016 season. In 44 combined carries for the Lions and Ravens in the fall, he posted just over 3.0 yards per rush on 44 tries. When he later hooked on with the Broncos, he averaged a mere 3.6 yards per carry on 43 attempts. Entering what would have been his age-32 season, it was clear that Forsett’s best football was behind him.
Forsett will be fondly remembered for his impressive 2014 campaign and his positive locker room influence. PFR wishes Forsett all the best in retirement.
Ravens Likely To Add More Free Agents
The Ravens wrapped up a productive draft on Saturday, finishing the process with new additions such as cornerback Marlon Humphrey, edge rushers Tyus Bowser and Tim Williams, and interior defender Chris Wormley. Baltimore isn’t finished tweaking its roster, however, as general manager Ozzie Newsome the club’s makeup can still change over the next few months.
“You know there are going to be players that are going to be released after the draft,” Newsome said, according to Garrett Downing of BaltimoreRavens.com. “There are going to be players that are going to be released in training camp. We are not done. The draft is a big part of it, and we are not done with the 53-man squad that we are going to play with when we open up against Cincinnati.”
While the Ravens upgraded several layers of their defense through the draft and free agency — they added safety Tony Jefferson and cornerback Brandon Carr during the latter — Baltimore could still use help at wide receiver. Surprisingly, the club didn’t use any of its seven draft picks on a pass-catcher, and is now projected to start the 2017 campaign with Mike Wallace and Breshad Perriman as its top two wideouts. Perriman, a former first-round pick, missed his entire rookie season in 2015 and managed only 33 receptions last year.
Baltimore still has nearly $6MM in available cap space, so it could afford to bring in another receiver in the coming weeks. Head coach John Harbaugh recently said he’d “obviously” be open to reunion with veteran Anquan Boldin, while Victor Cruz, Michael Floyd, and Andrew Hawkins are also available. May 11 could be a key date to watch, as any unrestricted free agent signed after that day won’t affect the 2018 compensatory pick formula.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/2/17
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: CB Brian Dixon
Baltimore Ravens
- Waived: LB Cavellis Luckett
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: CB Tyler Patmon
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: K Brett Maher
Detroit Lions
- Waived: CB Ian Wells (failed physical)
New England Patriots
- Claimed off waivers: WR Devin Street
Philadelphia Eagles
- Waived/injured: DT Aziz Shittu, WR Dom Williams
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Waived: RB Brandon Brown-Dukes, RB Gus Johnson, WR Canaan Severin, CB Al-Hajj Shabazz
Washington Redskins
- Waived LB Steven Daniels,WR Reggie Diggs, LB Rufus Johnson, OL Quinton Schooley
Department Of Defense Changes Policy
Last summer, the Department of Defense changed its rules to allow graduates going into professional sports to fulfill their requirements in the reserves rather than active duty. Now, the DoD has changed its mind. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis signed an order to rescind the pro sports policy, meaning that athletes will be required to fulfill their active duty requirement before joining a professional sports team (link via Nicki Jhabvala of The Denver Post). 
This year, the rule change burned Air Force wide receiver Jalen Robinette. Robinette had a chance of being taken in the late rounds on Saturday, but the Air Force disclosed just prior to the draft that its athletes would have to serve in active duty. The rule change does not apply retroactively to Ravens wide receiver Keenan Reynolds, however (Twitter link via PFT).
The DoD’s flip-flop may hurt the ability of the service academies to recruit high-level football players going forward.
Ravens Exercise C.J. Mosley’s Fifth-Year Option
The Ravens have picked up linebacker C.J. Mosley‘s fifth-year option for 2018, reports Field Yates of ESPN (Twitter link). Head coach John Harbaugh indicated in March that the Ravens would do so, calling the decision a “formality.”
Mosley is now in line to make in the neighborhood of $9MM in 2018, though the Ravens will likely attempt to work out an extension before then. Harbaugh wants Mosley “to be a Ravens for many years,” which isn’t surprising considering the success the ex-Alabama standout has had in Baltimore.
Since going 17th in the 2014 draft, Mosley has started in all 46 appearances, totaling 360 tackles and six interceptions. The 24-year-old pulled in a career-high four picks in 14 games last season, when he also notched 92 tackles and ranked as Pro Football Focus’ 11th-best linebacker out of 87 qualifiers.
While Mosley’s near future is squared away, there are still several 2014 first-rounders whose fifth-year option fates aren’t yet known. Those decisions are due by May 3.
Ravens Ordered Gareon Conley Polygraph
- The Raiders were not the team to request a polygraph test from Ohio State cornerback Gareon Conley. Instead, it was the Ravens who ordered the test, as Peter King of The MMQB writes. Once the results came in, Conley’s camp forwarded them to teams around the league, but the Raiders would not say whether the results impacted their evaluation of what happened. Conley will meet with Cleveland police on Monday and he’s “very confident that it will be resolved” (Twitter link via Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Journal Review). First, however, the 24th overall pick is headed to the Raiders’ facility on Friday to meet with team brass.