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.
Ravens’ Crockett Gillmore, Maurice Canady Sustain Knee Injuries
The Ravens cannot catch a break. Joe Flacco has a back injury that the team is currently downplaying but that could threaten the 2017 season, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Second-year RB Kenneth Dixon, who is probably the most talented back on the club, will miss the entire year with a torn meniscus; second-year slot corner Tavon Young, who had an excellent rookie campaign, suffered a season-ending ACL tear; longtime tight end Dennis Pitta is no longer on the club after sustaining yet another hip injury; tight end Darren Waller managed to get himself suspended for a year; and offensive linemen John Urschel surprisingly announced his retirement several days ago.
Now, tight end Crockett Gillmore — who has the most intriguing blend of athleticism, receiving ability, and blocking ability of the tight ends still on the roster — has sustained a potentially serious knee injury, as has second-year corner Maurice Canady. Per Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun, both players suffered those injuries during Friday’s practice. Canady, whom the Ravens selected in the sixth round of last year’s draft, was terrific in spring practices and figured to get the first opportunity to replace Young. Gillmore has shown the ability to be a No. 1 tight end when on the field, but he cannot seem to stay out of the training room.
The Ravens have yet to comment on either injury, and it remains to be seen if they will need to scour the free agent market for replacements (the team did sign Brandon Boykin following the Young injury, but the hope was that Canady could capably fill the slot corner role). If necessary, Baltimore could finally turn its attention to Gary Barnidge, who is easily the best tight end still on the market, and it could look to players like Brandon Flowers and Tramon Williams to fill in at corner.
In the meantime, the Ravens will just have to pray they don’t lose a potential starter every time they practice.
Ravens Interested In Austin Howard
Offensive tackle Austin Howard lost his job with the Raiders on Friday, but he might not be without a team for long. The Ravens are considering adding Howard, according to Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link).
The 30-year-old Howard would provide an experienced right tackle option to a Baltimore team that lost former No. 1 Ricky Wagner in free agency. After Wagner started 47 games for the Ravens from 2014-16, he inked a five-year deal worth more than $45MM with the Lions.
The Ravens didn’t pick up an established tackle or a spend a draft pick on a bookend in the wake of Wagner’s departure, leaving them with James Hurst as the starter opposite LT Ronnie Stanley. Hurst did appear in all 48 of the Ravens’ games over his first three years, but he only started 16 of those contests. Just three of Hurst’s starts came last year, and his performance drew an unenthusiastic review from Pro Football Focus.
Howard didn’t garner praise from PFF in 2016, either, as he ranked 52nd among its 77 qualified tackles. However, an ankle injury may have contributed to his less-than-stellar showing over 11 games, and he did rack up 10 starts for the fifth consecutive year. In all, Howard has started in 72 in 76 appearances across six years with the Eagles, Jets and Raiders. Howard signed a five-year, $30MM contract to head to Oakland in 2014, but his next deal certainly won’t come anywhere close to that – especially considering he’s recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.
Ravens Could Add Another Running Back
- Even after signing veteran Bobby Rainey earlier this week, the Ravens may not be done adding running back help, opines Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Baltimore’s running game was already among the league’s worst in 2016, ranking 24th in DVOA and 25th in yards, and is now without Kenneth Dixon, who will miss the season after undergoing meniscus surgery. Terrance West, Danny Woodhead, Lorenzo Taliaferro, and Rainey are still on the roster, but the Ravens could consider free agent signings or trades as search for another back, per Hensley, who tosses out Ryan Mathews, Alfred Morris, Matt Jones, and Carlos Hyde as potential options.
Latest On Ravens, Colin Kaepernick
The Ravens signed former Arena League quarterback David Olson earlier today, but that won’t necessarily prevent them from adding free agent Colin Kaepernick, head coach John Harbaugh told reporters, including Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link).
Staring quarterback Joe Flacco is dealing with a back injury, and although a worst-case scenario clouds his Week 1 status, Harbaugh doesn’t sound worried about Flacco’s condition. “Joe is day to day, so do we really need to make that move or not?” Harbaugh said of signing Kaepernick, per Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Baltimore has been in contact with Kaepernick, but the club is “weighing need and fit,” tweets Zrebiec.
In addition to Flacco and Olson, the Ravens currently have two other quarterbacks on their roster: Ryan Mallett and Dustin Vaughan. Mallett has struggled through eight career starts as a member of the Patriots, Texans, and Ravens, while Vaughan, a 2014 undrafted free agent, has never appeared in an NFL game.
Ravens Sign QB David Olson
The Ravens have added a quarterback to the roster, but not the one everyone was waiting on. One day after coach John Harbaugh admitted that the team has interest in Colin Kaepernick, the Ravens have signed former arena league signal caller David Olson. 
[RELATED: Ravens Have Interest In Colin Kaepernick]
Signing Olson doesn’t necessarily slam the door shut on Kaepernick given the amount of roster tinkering that goes on this time of year, but the the Ravens now have three healthy arms in camp while Joe Flacco heals up from a minor back issue. The Ravens could theoretically circle back to someone like Kaepernick if they want to push Ryan Mallett or Dustin Vaughan, but by that point Kaepernick would be late to the party with only a few weeks to go before Week 1.
Olson, a Stanford product, was buried behind Andrew Luck, Josh Nunes, and Kevin Hogan while in college. He has only three passes in live NCAA action to his credit.