Ravens To Sign Shareece Wright
The Ravens will sign cornerback Shareece Wright, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Wright will fill an immediate need for Baltimore and, as an added bonus, he can probably give the team intel as they get set to take on the 49ers.
Wright, 28, asked out of San Francisco and over the weekend the 49ers obliged. The fifth-year cornerback was inactive for the 49ers’ first four games and he quickly decided that he wanted to go somewhere where he could get playing time. Wright signed a one-year deal with the 49ers for a base salary of $850K, along with a $1.5MM signing bonus, but forfeited $100K (four $25K in-game roster bonuses) by being inactive in the 49ers’ initial four games. Wright carried a $3.2MM cap figure and will count $1.5MM against the 49ers’ cap in dead money this season.
Wright started the past two seasons for the Chargers, where the former 2011 third-round pick out of USC drew a league-high eight pass interference penalties in 2014. The 28-year-old rated 105th out of 108 corners in Pro Football Focus’ 2014 grades (subscription required) and 103rd out of 110 graded performers the year prior.
The Colts hosted Wright on a visit Monday afternoon, but he has been taken off the market by another AFC team.
Ravens’ Will Davis Tears ACL, Out For Year
Just three weeks after he was traded from the Dolphins to the Ravens, cornerback Will Davis has seen his 2015 season come to an early end. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Davis has suffered a torn ACL, an injury that figures to land him on Baltimore’s IR list.
Davis, a 2013 third-round pick, also tore his ACL last November, prematurely ending his 2014 campaign. While he made an impressive recovery from that injury, Davis didn’t have a real role in Miami, leading to the trade that sent him to Baltimore last month. The 25-year-old had been impressive in the early going for the Ravens, so his season-ending injury figures to be a significant blow to the team’s secondary.
Cornerback Lardarius Webb also sustained an injury during yesterday’s loss to the Browns, and while his thigh issue doesn’t appear to be as serious as Davis’ ACL tear, the injuries are starting to pile up for Baltimore. It’s the second consecutive season that the Ravens’ secondary has had a hard time staying healthy.
Extra Points: Lions, Mexico, Titans, Ravens
A look around the NFL as the fifth Sunday of the season draws to a close:
- The Lions dropped to 0-5 with their 42-17 loss to Arizona, but head coach Jim Caldwell said afterward that there won’t be any changes to his staff (Twitter link via Josh Katzenstein of the Detroit News).
- A regular-season game in Mexico in 2016 is a strong possibility, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reports. “It’s going to happen next year,” one high-ranking club official said. “We just don’t know which teams it’s going to be yet.” The Raiders are candidates to play there, per La Canfora, who writes that those in league circles believe a series of games in Mexico would be highly successful from a financial standpoint.
- Titans receiver Kendall Wright caught three passes for 29 yards in the team’s 14-13 loss to Buffalo. After the game, the fourth-year man was indignant about his role in the Titans’ offense. “I’m beyond frustrated,” Wright stated, per John Glennon of the Tennessean. “I don’t feel like I’m being able to do what I can do until late in games. I feel like I’m a good receiver and I feel like I’ve been open and I can beat the DBs or whoever is (covering) me, but I haven’t really been given the opportunity I’ve been looking for.”
- The Ravens fell to 1-4 after losing to Cleveland and Clifton Brown of CSNMidAtlantic provided reasons as to why it’ll be too much for them to overcome. Among them: the difficulty of the AFC North and the Ravens’ lack of home-field advantage.
- Three injured Cardinals – linebackers Alex Okafor and Kenny Demens and defensive back Chris Clemons – will get MRIs during the upcoming week. Head coach Bruce Arians isn’t optimistic about their statuses. “I do not feel good,” he said, according to Darren Urban of the team’s website (via Twitter).
Ravens Sign Jeremy Ross
Former Lions wide receiver and return specialist Jeremy Ross joined the Ravens’ 53-man roster when the receiver-depleted team promoted him from their practice squad, Jeff Zreibec of the Baltimore Sun reports.
The Ravens waived defensive tackle Christo Bilukidi in a corresponding move. He was inactive during the first four weeks.
Ross will become Baltimore’s primary kick returner, Zreibec tweets. Injuries deprived the Ravens of both of their return men, with punt returner Steve Smith out for at least Week 5 and kick returner Michael Campanaro shelved for the season.
This makes two additions to the Ravens’ receiving corps, with Chris Givens arriving via trade last weekend, and they’ll be replacing the aforementioned injured performers.
A 2011 undrafted free agent, the 27-year-old Ross is on his fourth team after stints with the Colts, Packers and, most notably, the Lions from 2011-14. He served as Detroit’s primary return man in 2013-14, taking a kickoff and a punt back for a touchdown in ’13.
He caught 24 passes for 314 yards and a score that season as well, becoming the only player in 2013 to score on a kick return, punt return and reception. Ross averaged 15.5 yards per punt return that season and posted an 8.9-yard average on punt returns last year in a full season returning punts in Detroit.
The Lions cut him before the start of this season.
Bilukidi was also on his fourth team after entering the league as a sixth-round pick of the Raiders’ in 2012. He played in 24 games from 2012-14 for the Raiders, Bengals and Ravens.
Extra Points: Ravens, Mallett, Colts, Campbell
The Ravens completed a trade over the weekend, acquiring Chris Givens from the Rams for a future draft pick, and Peter King of TheMMQB.com wouldn’t be surprised if that’s not the last deal for a wide receiver Baltimore makes this season. Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun agrees that the Ravens will certainly monitor the market, but notes that GM Ozzie Newsome isn’t the type to panic and trade future assets for a short-term fix.
Here’s more from around the NFL..
- Texans coach Bill O’Brien told reporters that Ryan Mallett is still the team’s starting quarterback heading into Thursday’s game against the Colts, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Mallett completed 12 of 27 passes for 150 yards and one interception with a passer rating of 46.8 on Sunday against the Falcons.
- Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (on Twitter) wouldn’t be surprised to see the Colts re-sign quarterback Josh Johnson on Wednesday.
- Dolphins players “love” the newly-appointed interim head coach Dan Campbell but there’s concern about whether the play-calling will improve, Rand Getlin of NFL.com tweets.
- After punter Thomas Morstead suffered a leg injury, the Saints are bringing in four punters for tryouts on Tuesday, a source tells Alex Marvez of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Steve Smith Suffers Four Broken Bones In Back
6:28pm: Smith will miss next week’s game against the Browns, John Harbaugh confirmed while attending Saturday’s Maryland-Michigan game (via CSNMidAtlantic.com). The eighth-year Ravens coach characterized Smith’s ailment as multiple microfractures but expressed confidence he could return in time for Week 6.
10:31am: Ravens Senior Vice President of Public and Community Relations Kevin Byrne released a statement (via Twitter) regarding the injury:
“While the Ravens do not give specifics about injuries out of respect to the men on our team and HIPPA laws, we want to dispel rumors and stories currently being reported about Steve Smith Sr.’s injury. He does have a back injury. It is not a surgical issue. His status is currently week-to-week.”
10:07am: Ravens wideout Steve Smith Sr. has been diagnosed with four broken bones in his back, reports Chick Hernandez of CSNMidAtlantic.com (via Twitter). The injury was sustained during Thursday night’s victory over the Steelers. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets that the veteran may be able to play through the injury due to his high pain tolerance, although his status going forward is uncertain.
Smith wasn’t particularly happy about the hit from Lawrence Timmons during the third quarter of Thursday’s contest, although he wrongly attributed the dirty play to former teammate Mike Mitchell.
“The best thing I could do without threatening him and saying, ‘I will assault him when I see him’ is I will say, ‘I look forward to playing him again, and he’s on my lifetime hit list,'” the receiver said (via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com).
The 36-year-old’s second season with the Ravens has been outstanding through the first quarter of the season, as he’s caught 29 passes for 373 yards and two touchdowns. ProFootballFocus.com (subscription required) has been particularly fond of his performance, as Smith has earned the third-highest rating among wideouts in 2015. The 15-year veteran is planning on retiring following the season.
The Ravens depth at receiver took another hit today, as Michael Campanaro was placed on the injured reserve. This followed news that rookie wideout Breshad Perriman is out indefinitely following surgery on an injured PCL. The team has already added one replacement, acquiring Chris Givens from the Rams earlier today.
Ravens Acquire Chris Givens From Rams
5:20pm: Givens did not fetch much in this trade, with the Ravens set to send the Rams a seventh-round pick in 2018, ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley reports (on Twitter).
9:20am: The Ravens have announced (via Twitter) that they’ve acquired Givens and placed Campanaro on the IR.
9:02am: The Ravens have acquired wide receiver Chris Givens from the Rams, reports ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). Albert Breer of the NFL Network tweets that the Rams will receive a future seventh-round pick in return. St. Louis will also presumably have an open roster spot for the time being.
The Ravens finished Thursday night’s contest with only three healthy receivers, so it’s not a surprise that they were looking to add more depth at the position. The Rams inclusion in the deal isn’t a surprise either, as Brian Quick is back in the picture for the Rams. ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner opines (via Twitter) that Givens could have been inactive going forward.
Givens, a fourth-round pick in 2012, had his best season as a rookie, compiling 42 catches for 698 yards and three touchdowns. Since then, the 25-year-old has caught 46 passes for 735 yards and one score, including only one seven-yard pass this season. While Givens returned 23 kickoffs in 2012, he’s only returned five in the past three seasons.
Regardless of the stats, the Wake Forest product will be welcomed in Baltimore. Despite reports that wideout Michael Campanaro would only be week-to-week with a herniated disk, Zrebiec tweets that the second-year player will actual be placed on the injured reserve.
Meanwhile, rookie receiver Breshad Perriman is out indefinitely following arthroscopic surgery on his PCL, while veteran Steve Smith‘s status is uncertain after he sustained a lower back contusion on Thursday.
AFC Notes: Browns, Ravens, Jets, Texans
Some assorted notes from around the AFC…
- Wideout Dwayne Bowe has yet to take the field after having joined the Browns this offseason, but the veteran is confident that he’s ready to make an impact. “People in this building know in practice from watching every day the plays I make, and I’m just waiting for it to be called in the game,” Bowe told Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com. “I’m getting back to where I need to get, and it’s going to happen. Just have patience.”
- The Browns worked out a handful of players yesterday, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). The attendees included defensive tackle Davon Coleman, offensive linemen Reese Dismukes, Vince Kowalski, Ron Patrick and Aundrey Walker, and defensive ends Joe Kruger and Julius Warmsley.
- Former USF wideout Andre Davis told Jenna Laine of Sports Talk 1040 The Team that he has a workout with the Ravens this week. The receiver spent this past preseason with the Bills.
- Jets linebacker Demario Davis was fined $8,681 for his hit on running back Darren Sproles last weekend, reports Dom Cosentino of NJ.com.
- A pair of Texans linebackers were fined for their actions during last weekend’s game against the Buccaneers, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle: John Simon ($17,363) and Akeem Dent ($8,681).
AFC Notes: Mohamed, Steelers, Davis, Pats
The Texans placed linebacker Mike Mohamed on injured reserve this week, despite the fact that he says he has almost recovered from his calf injury. Mohamed tells Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle that he’ll talk to his agent, Ken Landphere, to determine what happens now — they may pursue an injury settlement with Houston, allowing the linebacker to reach free agency.
“I want to play this season,” Mohamed said. “It won’t be here, but I want to play somewhere and get back on the field. I’m almost back from the injury, so it’s kind of frustrating to go on injured reserve, but I understand that they didn’t feel like they could wait.”
While the Texans would like to bring back Mohamed when he’s healthy, an injury settlement prevents a player from re-signing with his old team for at least six weeks. During that time, Mohamed is a good bet to find a new job with another team.
Here’s more from across the AFC:
- After missing a pair of field goals in the Steelers‘ loss last night, Josh Scobee has now missed four field goals and an extra point through four games with his new team. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk suggests that finding someone who can convert kicks on a consistent basis should be a top priority for Pittsburgh moving forward. Meanwhile, longtime Steelers kicker Jeff Reed, who hasn’t played an NFL game since 2010, still wants to make a comeback and says he’d love a shot to try out for Pittsburgh (link via CBS Pittsburgh).
- Less than two weeks into his stint with the Ravens, cornerback Will Davis already looks better than he ever did with the Dolphins, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. As Salguero outlines, it’s the latest case of a player becoming more productive with a new team after leaving Miami, a worrisome trend for the Dolphins.
- The Patriots have been active on the trade market during the last few weeks, and acquired two more defensive players this week. With the November 3 trade deadline just over a month away, Andy Hart at CSNNE.com wonders if Bill Belichick will look to land some help at cornerback as well.
North Notes: Perriman, Browns, Bears
Rookie wide receiver Breshad Perriman has yet to make his regular season debut for the Ravens, and it sounds like that probably won’t be happening anytime soon. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), Perriman re-injured his PCL over the weekend, and underwent arthroscopic surgery, performed by Dr. James Andrews. Perriman will now be sidelined indefinitely, says Rapoport.
While there were a handful of exciting young receivers selected in the first round of this year’s draft, many of them have yet to make an impact on the field — Perriman and Kevin White are battling significant injuries, and DeVante Parker, Phillip Dorsett, and Nelson Agholor have combined for just 13 overall receptions through three weeks. Among this year’s first-round wideouts, only Amari Cooper, who has 20 catches for 290 yards, is off to a fast start.
Here’s more from out of the league’s two North divisions:
- The Browns are bringing aboard former Falcons and Texans offensive line coach Paul Dunn, according to Alex Marvez of FOX Sports, who reports (via Twitter) that Dunn is expected to replace Andy Moeller as the club’s main offensive line coach. Per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link), head coach Mike Pettine stressed that George DeLeone is acting as the Browns’ OL coach for now, so we’ll have to see how the roles play out.
- Having signed a two-year extension with the Browns, quarterback Austin Davis views the new contract as a sign of the team’s trust in him, as Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal details. Ulrich also notes that the base salaries on Davis’ deal are $1.35MM for 2016 and $1.7MM for 2017.
- As first reported by Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link), the Bears brought in punters for a tryout today, with Pat O’Donnell having missed Wednesday’s practice. Punters Spencer Lanning and Steve Weatherford, along with long snapper Patrick Scales, participated in the workout, tweets Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com.
- After the Bears jettisoned multiple defensive players this week, a number of veterans on the team may be wondering if they’re next, writes Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. One player who spoke to Finley, tight end Martellus Bennett, acknowledged that the possibility of being traded or cut is always present, and it’s just part of the business. Earlier today, I asked whether we’ll continue to see Chicago make more moves in advance of the trade deadline.