Ravens Rumors

Ravens To Re-Sign OLB Kyle Van Noy

April 4th, 2024 at 2:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Ravens expressed interest in re-signing Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy, after both became surprising contributors despite signing late in the year. After Clowney bolted for a Panthers proposal, Van Noy is staying in Baltimore.

Van Noy will stick with the Ravens on a two-year deal, according to ESPN’s Pat McAfee. After signing in late September last year and ripping off a nine-sack season anyway, Van Noy will be back to help out the defending AFC North champions’ edge-rushing corps. Van Noy’s second Ravens deal will be worth $9MM, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets. He will see $5.25MM in Year 1, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo adds.

A productive pass rusher — as more of a hybrid player who has spent plenty of time as a traditional linebacker — Van Noy had never topped seven sacks in a season prior to 2023. Although he did not suit up for the Ravens until October, the former Patriots cog established a new career high with nine sacks. Van Noy got there in 14 games, teaming with Clowney to form a free agent-driven OLB crew. Clowney totaled 9.5 sacks but had a head-start, having signed with the Ravens during training camp.

This will be Van Noy’s first multiyear deal since a two-year, $12MM Patriots pact in 2021. The Pats bailed on that accord after one season, leading Van Noy to the Chargers. Filling in for the again-injured Joey Bosa in 2022 (as a May signing), Van Noy continued his string of five-plus-sack seasons by registering five. Van Noy also has not played with the same team in back-to-back seasons since his first Patriots stint (2016-19) ended.

The versatile veteran now has six seasons with at least five QB drops. While the Ravens will probably keep looking for edge help, the team has one box checked via this re-signing. Clowney was a bit more consistent than Van Noy last season, notching 19 QB hits to Van Noy’s nine. He is now tied to a $10MM-per-year deal. But the 33-year-old vet provided strong supplemental work for a Ravens team that led the NFL in scoring defense.

Certainly benefiting from the Ravens’ offense creating leads for most of the season, Van Noy notched two-sack games in Baltimore blowouts over Detroit and Seattle. He rejoins recent draftees Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo. Neither of the homegrown players has panned out yet, with injuries slowing Ojabo. The Ravens also cut the injury-plagued Tyus Bowser earlier this offseason, which still makes it likely the team makes another move — perhaps early in the draft — for an edge.

At worst, Van Noy profiles as a quality rotational rusher. But he started 13 Ravens games last season. Baltimore has relied on mid- or late-offseason signings here during Oweh’s tenure, using Justin Houston and Jason Pierre-Paul in prominent roles following Matt Judon‘s 2021 free agency departure. It will be interesting to see if another veteran will be en route or if a homegrown option will join the 2021 first-rounder.

Draft Notes: Barton, ’30’ Visits, Wilson

April 1st, 2024 at 12:47pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 2024 tackle class has drawn rave reviews in the lead-in to this month’s draft, but Graham Barton is among those expected to play on the inside upon entering the NFL. The Duke product has nevertheless helped his draft stock recently.

Barton was already gaining steam as a rising prospect before his Pro Day, as noted by ESPN’s Jordan Reid. He battled injuries during the 2023 season and was forced to miss the Senior Bowl as a result, but the two-time All-American managed to take part in the Blue Devils’ Pro Day last week. Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda reports Barton’s performance was highly impressive, and it secured his status as a Day 1 prospect.

Following up on the strong workout, Reid notes Barton could now work his way into the top 15 come draft night. Many NFL teams view the first-team All-ACC selection as a center, but he could also see time at guard at the pro level. Wherever he lines up as a rookie, Barton will face high expectations and no doubt draw the attention of many teams near the top of the order in need of reinforcements up front.

Here are some other draft-related notes from around the NFL:

Missouri’s Darius Robinson has also seen his stock rise in the wake of the Senior Bowl, and NFL teams are keeping an eye on him. The Steelers recently hosted him on a ’30’ visit, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. He adds Robinson has 20 meetings with teams on the books, making him one of several potential first-rounders who will remain busy as the draft approaches. O-lineman Taliese Fuaga is among the prospects who also met with the Steelers, as noted by Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Staying in Pennsylvania, the Eagles hosted Laiatu Latu on a ’30’ visit, Geoff Mosher of Inside the Birds reports. The UCLA product is one of the best edge rushers in the 2024 class, having earned Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2023. His college resume includes a medical retirement, however, so there will be risk involved in selecting him. Philadelphia and all other prospective suitors will no doubt have a vested interest in Latu’s medical examinations. The Eagles traded Haason Reddick to the Jets, creating the need for a new investment along the edge.
The inside linebacker class is not believed to have a Day 1 prospect, but Edgerrin Cooper is among the top options teams will have to choose from. The Texas A&M product had a strong Pro Day showing, and he has a number of ’30’ visits lined up. Per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, the list of interested teams includes the Texans, Eagles, Cowboys, Panthers, Chargers and Buccaneers. Cooper was a consensus All-American in 2023 after racking up 84 tackles (including 17 for loss), eight sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.
Pittsburgh, Dallas, Carolina and Tampa Bay are among the teams also set to host Western Kentucky wideout Malachi Corley, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo notes. Garafolo adds the Browns, Ravens, Seahawks and 49ers have also booked a visit with the small school standout. Corley is a member of a very deep receiver class, but his 180 catches, 2,279 yards and 22 touchdowns over the past two seasons along with a strong pre-draft process has put him firmly on the draft radar.
Marshawn Kneeland has also drawn considerable pre-draft attention. The Western Michigan defensive end has either already met with (or plans to visit) the Eagles along with the Chiefs, Saints, Jaguars, Jets, Vikings, Colts and Commanders, per Pauline. Kneeland spent four years with the MAC program, totaling 12.5 sacks and 28 tackles for loss while establishing himself as a power rusher and strong run defender.
While a number of prospects have helped their stock recently, the opposite is of course true of others. Michigan receiver Roman Wilson appears to have fallen into the latter category, per ESPN’s Matt Miller. He notes Wilson is in danger of falling to the late second round or early in the third, something which could become increasingly possible if a run on the draft’s other pass-catchers takes place. Wilson averaged 16.4 yards per catch and scored 12 touchdowns on a run-heavy Wolverines offense last season, but his size (6-0, 180) and mediocre statistics from his three other campaigns could make him less appealing than other WR options.

Panthers Sign OLB Jadeveon Clowney

March 27th, 2024 at 10:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

After five seasons on one-year agreements, Jadeveon Clowney will land a deal that covers more than one season. The Panthers will provide it, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports.

Carolina is giving Clowney a two-year deal worth $20MM, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The contract can max out at $24MM. The Panthers have announced the signing, one that will send Clowney back to the region where he grew up. The Rock Hill, South Carolina, native — who became a No. 1 overall pick after a standout career with the Gamecocks — will be tasked with helping a Panthers team that is starting over at edge rusher.

The Jets and Ravens were in on Clowney as well, but the Panthers may well have edged the AFC squads out with a better offer. Clowney will collect a far better deal compared to his 2023 Ravens pact — a one-year, $2.5MM agreement that came to pass during training camp — and has scored his first multiyear agreement since his Texans rookie contract back in 2014.

Panthers GM Dan Morgan said this week the Panthers had not given up on Clowney, despite a report of aggressive Jets interest. The 31-year-old edge defender will join D.J. Wonnum and K’Lavon Chaisson as Carolina free agency pickups in the wake of the Brian Burns trade. While none of these players is a Burns-level pass rusher, Clowney is coming off a 9.5-sack season — more than Burns totaled in 2023 — and has been productive for multiple teams.

Although Clowney is not a lock to play for the Panthers beyond 2024, this agreement will end his string of one-year accords that stretches back to his 2019 franchise tag season. The Texans tagged Clowney but traded him to the Seahawks, with the trade terms preventing Seattle from tagging the former South Carolina phenom a second time. That did not turn out to be an issue, as Clowney has never checked in as a high-level pass rusher. He then signed a one-year deal with the Titans, two one-year pacts with the Browns and landed with the Ravens on a low-cost accord just before last season.

Not exactly a consistent pass rusher, Clowney has offered plus run defense at points and has been a player capable of providing pressure inside. In addition to coming off a career-high sack total, Clowney posted 19 QB hits and forced two fumbles to help the Ravens lead the NFL in scoring defense. The Ravens were interested in keeping the 6-foot-5 defender, with Clowney’s wife (via CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson) confirming he had spoken with the AFC North team about another deal. Baltimore was probably not as interested at that price. Baltimore is still interested in re-signing Kyle Van Noy, who nearly matched Clowney by reaching nine sacks despite joining the team in late September.

Clowney has battled injuries, with knee trouble a particular issue in Houston. He missed eight games for the Titans, completing a sackless season, and clashed with Browns coaches during his second Cleveland season — a two-sack campaign. Opposite Myles Garrett in 2021, however, Clowney reached nine sacks. Despite Clowney’s low sack total in 2022, Pro Football Focus graded him 27th among edge rushers — ahead of an 18th-place assessment last season. PFF ranked Clowney as a top-20 run defender in 2023 as well. While Clowney’s three Pro Bowl nods all came during his Texans tenure, he has remained a productive performer into his early 30s.

Two of the three edges that trekked to Charlotte on a visit early in free agency have signed. Chase Young did not, opting for a Saints deal amid neck concerns, but Clowney and Wonnum will be key parts of Ejiro Evero‘s defense in 2024. Burns anchored Carolina’s edge rush for five seasons, with Yetur Gross-Matos — who landed a 49ers deal early in free agency — providing inconsistent supplemental work. Hybrid pass rusher Frankie Luvu also left, joining the Commanders.

The Panthers probably are not done staffing their edge positions, with a draft choice seemingly prudent considering the free agency-heavy makeup at the position. But Clowney gives the team a versatile piece to deploy as it attempts to recover from last season’s 2-15 debacle.

Chargers Host RB J.K. Dobbins

March 27th, 2024 at 5:39pm CST by Ben Levine

After adding former Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman, Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers were quick to sign Gus Edwards. Now, the Chargers are eyeing another former Ravens running back in J.K. Dobbins, with Howard Balzer reporting that the free agent visited the organization today.

After letting Austin Ekeler walk as a free agent, the Chargers didn’t waste time adding Edwards to their RBs room. The veteran is the most accomplished player on the positional depth chart, a grouping that also includes Isaiah Spiller, Elijah Dotson, and Jaret Patterson. Considering the overall lack of experience, it’s not a surprise that the Ravens are targeting more reinforcement at the position, and they’re continuing their trend of eyeing contributors from Roman’s former offense.

Dobbins was a second-round pick by the Ravens back in 2020 and contributed immediately. Despite splitting carries with Edwards, Dobbins finished his rookie campaign with 925 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns. An ACL tear and a subsequent knee injury wiped out his entire 2021 season and half of his 2022 campaign. He averaged an efficient 5.7 yards per carry following his return, not a huge drop from his six yards per carry in 2020.

The 25-year-old was eyeing the most significant role of his career in 2023. However, he suffered a torn Achilles tendon in Week 1, ending his season after only 10 touches. It’s been relatively quiet on the Dobbins front since he hit free agency. The Ravens seemed to shut the door on a potential reunion by adding Derrick Henry to a room that already included Keaton Mitchell and Justice Hill.

Dobbins’ injury history certainly makes him a question mark in free agency, and he’ll likely have to settle for a prove-it, one-year pact to show he’s back to full strength. For a Chargers RB corps that lacks top-end talent, that wouldn’t be a bad gamble for the organization.

Ravens Rumors: OLBs, Mitchell, Dobbins

March 26th, 2024 at 9:57pm CST by Ely Allen

The Ravens defense saw a number of surprise contributors in 2023. From backup safety Geno Stone leading the AFC in interceptions to Justin Madubuike, Jadeveon Clowney, and Kyle Van Noy exploding to help the team lead the NFL in sacks, Baltimore excelled thanks to contributions from players other than All-Pros like Roquan Smith, Kyle Hamilton, and Patrick Queen.

All four of the surprise contributors mentioned above had expiring contracts when the Ravens fell short of their Super Bowl aspirations. Madubuike received the franchise tag before ultimately signing a massive four-year, $98MM extension after his 13.0 sack-season. Stone earned a nice deal of his own, branching out to the division-rival Bengals as he searched for an opportunity to start full-time, instead of sharing the stage with Hamilton and Marcus Williams.

Clowney and Van Noy, on the other hand, remain free agents on the open market. Clowney saw a bounce-back season following a disappointing exit from Cleveland. Despite joining the roster in the middle of the preseason, Clowney would start 15 games for the Ravens, matching his career-high in sacks (9.5) while tallying nine tackles for loss, 19 quarterback hits, five passes defensed, and two forced fumbles. Despite early reports that both sides were interested in a new deal, the Panthers and Jets have swept in as teams with massive interest in signing Clowney.

Van Noy exploded for the rare career-year at 32 years old. Despite only starting three games as a rotation player, Van Noy finished third on the team with a career-high nine sacks. Van Noy hasn’t been nearly as active in free agency visits, but his stellar 2023 season all but ensures that he will earn at least one more NFL contract.

Head coach John Harbaugh recently claimed to be optimistic about the prospects of bringing one or both of Clowney and/or Van Noy back in 2024, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. If they aren’t able to do so, though, the Ravens continue to have faith in former first-round pick Odafe Oweh and former second-round pick David Ojabo. According to Harbaugh, Ojabo, who has only appeared in five games over his first two seasons, is healthy. The long-time head coach predicted a breakout season for the 23-year-old in 2024.

Here are a few other rumors coming out of Baltimore, where our thoughts and condolences are after the tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge:

The Ravens certainly lost a massive offensive chess piece when J.K. Dobbins suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon injury in Baltimore’s season opener. Their losses compounded late in the season when, in the midst of a run towards the No. 1 seed in the AFC, Keaton Mitchell, an explosive undrafted rookie who was helping to replace Dobbins’ lost production, suffered an ACL tear in Week 15. General manager Eric DeCosta spoke on his recovery recently, saying that the team feels Mitchell is on track “to come back this season,” per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.
Speaking of Dobbins, though he’s not currently a Raven after the team allowed his rookie contract to expire, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network informs us that the 25-year-old rusher has been cleared for football activities. His surgeon, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, said in a letter to select teams today that Dobbins looks “outstanding” coming off his torn Achilles. Dobbins is expected to begin taking visits soon, though the Ravens have not been mentioned much as a candidate to land his continued services.

Jets “Highly Motivated” To Add Jadeveon Clowney

March 23rd, 2024 at 10:32pm CST by Ben Levine

Following Jadeveon Clowney‘s visit with the Jets earlier this month, the team is focused on getting a deal finalized. According to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report, the Jets are “highly motivated” to sign the veteran edge rusher to a contract. Schultz notes that the two sides have been in “constant contact” since their in-person meeting.

Since losing Bryce Huff to the Eagles, the Jets have been hunting for some reinforcement on the edge. As Schultz notes, the Jets were in the running for Shaquil Barrett “until the very end,” but they lost out on that sweepstakes when the pass rusher signed with the Dolphins.

Now, they’re shifting their focus to Clowney, who is coming off one of the most productive seasons of his career. The former first-overall pick got into 17 games (15 starts) for the Ravens in 2023, finishing with 9.5 sacks, 19 QB hits, and a pair of forced fumbles. For his efforts, Pro Football Focus graded Clowney 18th among 112 qualifying edge defenders.

In New York, Clowney would slide right into the rotational pass-rush role previously held by Huff, who finished last season with 10 sacks. While Huff didn’t start a game last year, he still got close to 500 defensive snaps playing alongside Jermaine Johnson and John Franklin-Myers. For comparison’s sake, Clowney garnered 654 snaps with the Ravens in 2023.

We heard previously that the Ravens were looking to retain the veteran, and Clowney also met with the Panthers during his free agency tour. According to Schultz, both of those teams remain in the hunt for the free agent, but it sounds like the Jets have been especially active in finalizing a deal.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/22/24

March 22nd, 2024 at 7:23pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor transactions heading into the weekend:

Baltimore Ravens

Signed: CB Ka’dar Hollman

Los Angeles Rams

Re-signed: DT Larrell Murchison

The Ravens don’t lack depth cornerbacks on their roster, so Hollman will be competing throughout the summer with several others for an eventual roster spot.

The Rams bring back Murchison, who started three games for Los Angeles last year as a rotation lineman. Perhaps with Aaron Donald retired, Murchison will be looking to feature more heavily in the rotation.

Ravens To Host WR Josh Reynolds

March 21st, 2024 at 4:41pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Ravens continue to seek out options on the veteran wide receiver market. Josh Reynolds will head to Baltimore for a visit tomorrow, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

Reynolds began his career with the Rams, operating as a secondary receiving option for much of his first three years in Los Angeles. He took on starting duties in 2020, though, and he posted a career-best 52 catches and 618 yards that year. The former fourth-rounder joined the Titans in free agency off the back of that production, but things did not go according to plan in Nashville.

Playing on a one-year, $1.75MM pact, Reynolds was unable to carve out a role in Tennessee. He asked for and was granted his release, leading to a waiver claim by the Lions in 2021. With Detroit, the 29-year-old found more consistent playing time and earned a two-year, $12MM deal during the subsequent offseason. Reynolds remained a key member of the Lions’ attack over the past two years, totaling 78 catches, 1,078 yards and eight touchdowns in that span.

The Ravens will not have Odell Beckham Jr. in the fold for 2024, and the team is in search of a replacement for his complementary production from last season. Fellow veteran Nelson Agholor was retained earlier in the offseason, and former first-rounders Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman are on their respective rookie contracts. With tight end Mark Andrews also in the fold, any WR addition will be joining the Ravens in a bid to serve in a rotational capacity and fill a depth role in the pass-catching pecking order.

Reynolds – who has averaged 13.3 yards per catch in his career – could fit the bill. The Lions have Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Kalif Raymond in place at the WR spot; the team also signed Tre’Quan Smith to a futures deal in January. Reynolds could thus be on the move for the third time in his career this offseason, and a Baltimore deal would make sense. The Ravens (a team which added offensive lineman Josh Jones earlier today) entered Thursday with just under $14MM in cap space.

Ravens Sign OL Josh Jones

March 21st, 2024 at 10:10am CST by Adam La Rose

The 2024 offseason has seen three starters from the Ravens’ 2023 offensive line depart. Additions up front will thus be a priority for the team, and a move in that regard has been made.

Josh Jones has signed with Baltimore, the team announced on Thursday. The 26-year-old has seen time at both guard and tackle spots between his time in Arizona and Houston. That positional versatility could could lead to him seeing at least depth usage on the inside or outside with the Ravens.

A third-round pick in 2020, Jones made 47 appearances during his three-year Cardinals tenure. That stretch included 21 starts, most of which came in 2021 when he played primarily at right guard. Arizona then used him on the blindside the following year, and Jones drew strong PFF reviews. He earned a 75.8 grade on the back of strong play both in the run game and with respect to pass protection.

Jones was traded to the Texans last offseason as Houston aimed to find quality depth amidst multiple injuries up front. He wound up starting three games in 2023, splitting time at left tackle, left guard and right tackle. The Houston alum surrendered one sack and nine QB pressures in that limited action, which led to his PFF evaluation (49.3) landing in line with that of his first two seasons. This Ravens agreement will no doubt represent a short-term, low-cost investment as a result.

Still, Jones could find himself occupying a notable role in 2024. The Ravens have lost both starting guards from last season (Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson) to free agent departures; the team also traded away right tackle Morgan Moses in a cost-shedding move. None of those developments came as much of surprise, but they have added urgency to the need on Baltimore’s part to bring in replacements via free agency and next month’s draft.

Adding another blocker early in April will remain a priority even with Jones’ arrival. The latter will nevertheless likely have the chance to compete for the swing tackle role or playing time on the inside. At a minimum, Jones will be capable of serving as depth and a spot-starter at multiple positions up front. Considering the turnover Baltimore has experienced on the O-line, that could make this second-wave free agent addition an effective one.

Ravens To Meet With WR Michael Gallup

March 20th, 2024 at 4:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

Odell Beckham Jr. has already bid farewell to Baltimore, though he remains unsigned. While the Ravens have their other top receivers from 2023 under contract, they are looking at free agents.

Michael Gallup will pay a visit to Baltimore to meet with Ravens brass Thursday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets. A recent Cowboys cap casualty, Gallup has already met with the Panthers.

Spending six seasons with the Cowboys, Gallup was unable to rival the production he showed on his rookie contract. Dallas re-signed the former third-round pick on a five-year, $57.5MM deal in 2022 but saw him fall short of 500 receiving yards in each of the past two seasons. Gallup suffered a torn ACL near the end of his contract year, and while he was still able to score a decent payday, the team did not observe him as a reliable CeeDee Lamb complement on that contract.

Gallup, who turned 28 earlier this month, does have an 1,100-yard season on his resume (2019); he followed that up with an 843-yard, five-TD offering in 2020. Gallup missed a chunk of the 2021 season due to a separate injury, returning before ultimately going down with the ACL tear. In 17 games last season, the 6-foot-1 target totaled 418 yards and two TDs.

The Ravens saw Zay Flowers become an instant contributor last year. Beckham contributed 565 yards and three scores — second on the team. While Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor stayed healthy and enjoyed moments, neither surpassed 400 yards. More than two years after his knee injury, Gallup could certainly be viewed as an upgrade as an auxiliary target alongside Flowers. One season remains on Bateman’s rookie contract and the deal Agholor signed last year.

This year’s higher-end receiver UFAs have signed, and Mike Williams committed to the Jets on Tuesday. Some other talented options remain available. Gallup and Beckham join Tyler Boyd, Hunter Renfrow, Michael Thomas, Marquez Valdes-Scantling and DJ Chark as available pass catchers.

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