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Minor NFL Transactions: 8/17/23

August 17th, 2023 at 7:07pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: OT Trevor Reid

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: WR Tyler Adams

Las Vegas Raiders

  • Released from IR: WR D.J. Turner

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Players placed on injured reserve during training camp or the preseason can’t be activated during the 2023 campaign. However, if they’re released from IR (often via an injury settlement), they’re free to sign and play elsewhere. For instance, Anthony Averett will surely be a player who can catch on with a new squad. The cornerback has seen time in 51 games (27 starts), collecting 114 tackles, three interceptions, and 23 passes defended. He had a career season in 2021 with the Ravens, starting all 14 of his appearances while chipping in 54 tackles, 11 passes defended, and three picks. He spent the 2022 season with the Raiders, starting six of his seven appearances while dealing with a pair of IR stints. He caught on with the 49ers earlier this month.

Among today’s signings, Davion Taylor is an intriguing addition to the Bears linebackers room. The former third-round pick spent the first two seasons of his career with the Eagles, including a 2021 campaign where he started six of his nine appearances while compiling 41 tackles and a pair of forced fumbles. A knee injury ended that breakout campaign early, and he spent most of the 2022 season on the Eagles’ practice squad.

CB Ronald Darby Visits Titans, To Meet With Ravens

August 17th, 2023 at 10:42am CST by Sam Robinson

10:42am: The Ravens indeed added Brown to their workout, Anderson tweets. This marks Brown’s first known audition since his December Achilles tear.

9:01am: More than 10 months after he suffered an ACL tear, Ronald Darby continues to generate interest. The veteran cornerback will up his summer visit count to four Thursday.

Having already met with the Texans and Vikings this year, Darby traveled to Tennessee for a Titans visit this week. In light of the foot surgery Marlon Humphrey underwent Wednesday, the Ravens are set to meet with Darby today, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (Twitter links). Darby met with the Vikings in early August and the Texans in July.

Injuries have limited Darby, 29, for much of his career. He missed six Broncos games in 2021 and went down in Week 5 of last season. Last year’s ACL tear marked familiar territory for Darby, who sustained the same injury in 2018. While the former second-round pick was able to rebound from the previous knee malady to set up another Eagles deal, a Washington pact and the three-year, $30MM Broncos accord, he is running out of time to show teams he can stay healthy.

When available, Darby has generally played well. Pro Football Focus ranked him as a top-30 corner in 2020, his only career 16-game season — one that led the Broncos to authorize that eight-figure-per-year pact. PFF also viewed the 5-foot-11 defender as having a strong start to the 2022 campaign prior to the knee setback. The Florida State product has made 88 regular-season starts and operated as a first-stringer in Super Bowl LII with the Eagles.

The Titans have made a few early-round investments at corner in recent years. They have used four first- or second-round picks on this position since 2017. While Adoree’ Jackson departed after the 2020 slate, the Titans still carry Kristian Fulton (Round 2, 2020), Caleb Farley (Round 1, 2021) and Roger McCreary (Round 2, 2022). Fulton and McCreary represent key cogs for the AFC South team, but Farley has been unable to shake his injury trouble. The Virginia Tech product, who underwent season-ending back surgery to wrap a campaign in which the Titans reduced his playing time, remains on the team’s active/PUP list. Back trouble dinged Farley’s stock coming into the NFL as well.

The Ravens are dealing with multiple injuries at the position. In addition to Humphrey’s foot procedure, second-year cover man Damarion Williams underwent ankle surgery that is expected to sideline him until at least October. Jalyn Armour-Davis and recent pickup Arthur Maulet have also missed time due to injury in training camp. John Harbaugh said Humphrey should not be expected to be shelved for an extended period, but he is on track to miss regular-season games. With this quartet down, Brandon Stephens, Kevon Seymour and Ar’Darius Washington reside as Baltimore’s top available corners.

In addition to Darby, the Ravens have former Cowboys corner Anthony Brown on their radar, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson tweets. Brown, 29, joins Darby in coming off a season-ending injury. The six-year Cowboy cover man, however, suffered his injury — an Achilles tear — in early December. Brown served as a regular Cowboys slot corner, re-signing with the team on a three-year deal worth $15.5MM in 2020. His work on that contract ended a bit early, with the Achilles tear occurring in Week 13 of last season.

Despite catching on with Dallas as a 2017 sixth-round pick, Brown started 69 games with the team. The Cowboys have not been connected to a reunion with Brown this year, having traded for Stephon Gilmore in March. Dallas also rosters Jourdan Lewis, who is also coming off a season-ending injury. While Darby has been connected to a handful of teams this offseason, Brown has hovered off the radar since his Cowboys contract expired.

Marlon Humphrey To Undergo Surgery, Miss Regular-Season Time

August 16th, 2023 at 9:33am CST by Sam Robinson

While the Ravens added Rock Ya-Sin to their cornerback group this offseason, they might need more help soon. Their No. 1 cornerback is unlikely to be available for the season opener.

Marlon Humphrey has encountered an injury issue that will threaten his Week 1 availability, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com report (via Twitter). After taking part in a joint workout with the Commanders on Tuesday, Humphrey is not at practice today.

A foot injury will sideline the seventh-year corner, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, who indicates (via Twitter) he will undergo surgery Wednesday. This procedure is expected to shut down Humphrey for an extended period, with Rapoport adding the Ravens are hopeful he can return in a little more than a month. That optimistic timetable, however, will still likely involve missed regular-season games.

This is a lingering issue, per John Harbaugh (via ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley), rather than an injury sustained during the joint practice. The 16th-year HC does not expect this to sideline Humphrey for a long-term period.

The former first-round pick suffered a torn pectoral muscle late in the 2021 season but rebounded to start 17 games last year. Prior to the five-game absence stemming from the chest injury, Humphrey had missed only three games in his first four seasons. An absence to start this year would deal a blow to the Ravens, who let Marcus Peters walk in free agency.

Baltimore made a substantial commitment to Humphrey in 2020, extending him on a five-year, $97.5MM deal. That contract runs through 2026. As Peters struggled to regain his form following an ACL tear that knocked him out for all of the 2021 season, Humphrey received Pro Bowl acclaim in 2022. Pro Football Focus viewed the Alabama alum as a top-15 corner last year, and at 27, the versatile cover man is squarely in his prime.

The Ravens did not make any major draft investments at corner, though they did add Kyu Blu Kelly in Round 5. The team came into today already dealing with injury issues at the position. Second-year cover man Damarion Williams, a former fourth-round pick who played 226 defensive snaps as a backup last season, underwent ankle surgery this week and will not be ready in time for the season, Harbaugh said (via The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec). Baltimore hopes to have Williams back in October, Zrebiec tweets, pointing to an IR stay to start the season. In addition to Williams, Jalyn Armour-Davis and recent pickup Arthur Maulet were down with injuries.

Williams, who began Ravens camp on the active/PUP list, would seemingly be in play to become one of Baltimore’s IR activations. At this point, it is premature to suggest Humphrey would join him. An IR move — after the team sets its 53-man roster — would cost Humphrey four games. Given his value to the team, it seems likelier it will go week to week with its top corner.

The Ravens already entered camp with a question at slot corner, an area where Humphrey has excelled at points. Williams joined the likes of Brandon Stephens and Ar’Darius Washington in vying for that gig. The team trading Chuck Clark is set to move Kyle Hamilton, a slot player last season, to a pure safety role. With Humphrey likely shelved for the start of the season, the Ravens have another big question to answer as camp continues.

Ravens Sign DB DeAndre Houston-Carson

August 14th, 2023 at 9:06pm CST by Sam Robinson

DeAndre Houston-Carson‘s seven-year Bears tenure has officially come to an end. After going unsigned in the five months since the legal tampering period began, the veteran special-teamer agreed to terms with the Ravens on Monday.

The former sixth-round pick became a core special-teamer in Chicago upon arrival and continued to operate in that capacity throughout his career. This will, however, mark a return to the Mid-Atlantic region for Houston-Carson, a Virginia native who played collegiately at William & Mary.

From 2017-22, Houston-Carson saw action on at least 64% of the Bears’ special teams plays. He topped out at an 82% usage rate during the 2019 and ’20 seasons. This role earned Houston-Carson, 30, a number of contracts with the team. Houston-Carson signed one-year Bears deals in each of the past four offseasons.

While Houston-Carson earned a handful of starts over the past two seasons, the Ravens are likely viewing this as an addition to their special teams. During a stretch featuring nine starts, however, Houston-Carson combined for 96 tackles from 2021-22. He has intercepted a pass in each of the past three seasons. In 419 defensive snaps in 2021, Pro Football Focus rated Houston-Carson in the top 10 among safeties. In 413 last season, PFF slotted him outside the top 70.

The Ravens rostering Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton, along with Geno Stone and Brandon Stephens, offers them a solid situation at this position. But Houston-Carson should have a path to Baltimore’s 53-man roster as an ST presence.

RB Alex Collins Dies At 28

August 14th, 2023 at 7:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Ravens and Seahawks have announced Alex Collins‘ death Monday. The running back, who played five NFL seasons, was 28.

A report from Ian Margol of WPGL indicates Collins was killed in a motorcycle accident in Lauderdale Lakes, Fla. A collision with a Chevrolet Suburban caused the accident, and Margol reports Collins was pronounced dead at the scene. The woman driving the Suburban turned onto Northwest 33rd Ave., leading to the wreck, according to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office.

Collins last played in the NFL during the 2021 season, which he spent with the Seahawks. Collins went through two stints with the Seahawks and was with the Ravens in between those stays.

Collins came into the NFL after three straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons at Arkansas; his 3,703 rushing yards rank second in Razorbacks history. Collins’ most prominent pro work came in Baltimore. The Fort Lauderdale native and fifth-round Seahawks draft choice in 2016 failed to make Seattle’s 53-man roster in 2017. The Ravens picked up the SEC product but stashed him on their practice squad to start the ’17 season. But the Ravens promoted Collins early in the year and saw him lead the team in rushing, approaching a 1,000-yard season.

Collins finished the 2017 slate with 973 rushing yards and six touchdowns. He earned another opportunity with the 2018 Ravens edition; he finished that season with 411 yards on the ground, making contributions in a season that saw Baltimore return to the playoffs. But Collins’ career ended up sidetracked after a 2018 foot injury. The Ravens waived Collins in March 2019, following an arrest, and he spent the season out of football due to another injury — a broken leg sustained in July 2019 — and a suspension.

The Seahawks, however, gave him a second chance in 2020, bringing him in midway through that season. Collins spent the final two years of his career back in Seattle. Injuries to Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny led to Collins receiving extensive work in 2021; he finished his last NFL campaign with 411 rushing yards.

Ravens Activate RB J.K. Dobbins

August 14th, 2023 at 1:45pm CST by Adam La Rose

J.K. Dobbins is eligible to take part in his first team activities of the offseason. The Ravens’ lead back has been activated from the PUP list today, per a team announcement.

Dobbins missed OTAs and minicamp while dealing with an undefined injury and apparent tension over his contract status. He was also absent from the first 14 practices of training camp and the team’s record-extending 24th consecutive preseason win on Saturday, giving him plenty of ground to make up with respect to acclimating to new OC Todd Monken‘s scheme. With Dobbins activated, Baltimore does not have any remaining players on the PUP list.

A major knee injury cost Dobbins the entire 2021 season and the beginning of the following campaign. He returned for a four-game stretch in 2022, but then underwent a cleanup procedure to recover in full. After seeing the field following the second surgery, the 24-year-old showed the efficiency which was present before the injury, something which has helped put him on the extension radar.

Head coach John Harbaugh has remained optimistic that Dobbins would return to Ravens camp shortly, something which could help contract talks yield progress. An extension has been discussed recently, but nothing is considered imminent. The signficant missed time in the Ohio State alum’s career serves as an obvious factor working against him with respect to securing a multi-year commitment from the Ravens.

More generally, the running back market has skewed heavily in favor of teams over players recently, as the actions by a number of the league’s top producers at the position have alluded to throughout the offseason. Baltimore has a number of other options in the running game aside from Dobbins, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. Quarterback Lamar Jackson can be expected to remain a frequent runner despite the offensive coordinator change, while Gus Edwards, Justice Hill and Melvin Gordon are all on the books as well for 2023.

Limited usage relative to other lead backs could thus remain an element of Dobbins’ upcoming season. That, in turn, would also likely hurt his production and subsequent free agent value, though operating as part of a committee could have long-term benefits for the former second-rounder. In the immediate future, Dobbins will make a welcomed return to the fold with the regular season not far away.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/13/23

August 13th, 2023 at 6:10pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor transactions as we close the first week of the preseason:

Baltimore Ravens

  • Claimed off waivers (from Lions): CB Tae Hayes

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

Reyes retires from the sport of football after only two years in the league. A former basketball player with dreams of playing in the NBA, Reyes applied for and was admitted into the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program out of Chile. Despite spending time with three teams, Reyes only suited up for regular season action in Washington, where he played 11 games, starting one. As a tight end, Reyes mostly made an impact on special teams during his career. He retires at the age of 27.

Ravens To Extend DL Broderick Washington

August 12th, 2023 at 7:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 12: Further details on the Washington extension are in, courtesy of Wilson (Twitter link). The guarantee total includes a $3MM signing bonus, and the 26-year-old’s base salaries (1.01MM in 2023, $5.99MM in 2024) are guaranteed in full. The deal also features a $3.3MM option bonus and $250K Pro Bowl incentives each year, giving Washington the ability to boost his earnings if his full-time starting role results in a step up in production.

AUGUST 9: Broderick Washington will not play out a contract year with the Ravens. The fourth-year defensive lineman agreed to terms on a three-year extension with the team Wednesday morning, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reports (on Twitter).

The former fifth-round pick will stay in Baltimore beyond 2023 on a deal that Wilson adds will max out at $17.5MM and contains $10MM in total guarantees. In terms of base value, The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec notes the pact checks in at $15.75MM. Washington emerged as a part-time starter last season, with more being expected of him this year. The Ravens will illustrate their commitment via this through-2026 deal.

This represents a nice payday for a player who had two starts on his resume through two seasons. A Texas Tech alum, Washington stepped in as a nine-game starter in 2022. The Ravens released Calais Campbell this offseason, leading him to the Falcons. In the D-line stalwart’s place, Washington is expected to step in on a full-time basis alongside Justin Madubuike and Michael Pierce.

Baltimore frequently lets role players leave in free agency in exchange for compensatory picks, but Washington will become an exception — even as the Ravens begin building around Lamar Jackson‘s $52MM-per-year contract. With Pierce going into his age-31 season and coming off an injury-shortened 2022, Baltimore has identified one of its future D-line pillars. This could certainly become a team-friendly extension, with the AAV outside 40 among interior defensive linemen.

Madubuike, who has started 30 games in his three-year career, remains unsigned beyond this season. As our Ely Allen pointed out earlier this summer, Madubuike (5.5 sacks last year) may be slightly pricier to extend.

Washington and Madubuike (Round 3, 2020) have seen their roles grow during a period in which the Ravens had seen some veterans go down with injuries or leave in free agency. Pierce missed 14 games last season, while Derek Wolfe‘s Ravens career came to an abrupt halt after re-signing in 2021. The team did not give longtime D-tackle bastion Brandon Williams a third contract after his second expired last year.

As the Ravens’ defense has gotten younger up front, Washington, 26, has steadily grown as a contributor. After playing 283 defensive snaps in 2021, he was on the field for 483 last season. The 304-pound D-lineman totaled 49 tackles and deflected six passes. Pro Football Focus placed Washington’s 2022 season 31st among interior D-linemen.

Entering training camp, the Ravens had cogs at every other defensive position signed long term. Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Williams and Roquan Smith are tied to big-ticket veteran extensions, while Kyle Hamilton, Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo are signed beyond 2023 on rookie deals. Baltimore’s defensive line, conversely, had been fairly unsettled. Pierce joins Madubuike in being unsigned beyond this season. This Washington deal will provide the AFC North franchise some clarity along its front.

Ravens Had Zay Flowers As Top-Rated WR Prospect

August 12th, 2023 at 4:32pm CST by Adam La Rose

One of the top storylines entering the 2023 season for the Ravens is their new-look receiving corps. First-round rookie Zay Flowers will be counted on as a key member of the team’s passing game, and further details recently emerged regarding how the organization viewed him leading up to the draft.

Baltimore used the No. 22 pick on Flowers, making him one of four straight wideouts selected on Day 1. The Boston College product was the subject of trade talks with teams looking to move past the Ravens to secure Flowers, but general manager Eric DeCosta elected to remain in place. Part of the reason for doing so was his evaluation of the 5-10, 172-pounder in the winter.

After seeing Flowers in the East-West Shrine Bowl, the Ravens confirmed their thinking that Flowers was the top receiver in the draft, ESPN’s Jamison Hensley writes. That makes their decision to avoid trading down (despite not owning a 2023 second-round pick) clearer, and could add further to the expectations surrounding Flowers as a rookie. The 22-year-old has drawn rave reviews from local and national media alike, so he will be a player to watch closely once the regular season kicks off.

[SOURCE LINK]

Ravens Host CB William Jackson III

August 11th, 2023 at 3:55pm CST by Ben Levine

John Harbaugh hinted yesterday that the Ravens could be seeking some reinforcement at cornerback, and the team will take a look at a veteran defensive back to potentially fill that void. According to Josina Anderson (on Twitter), William Jackson III is visiting with the Ravens today.

[RELATED: Ravens Eyeing Cornerback Help]

It wasn’t long ago that Jackson inked a three-year, $40.5MM deal with Washington. The cornerback was limited to only 12 games during his first season with the organization thanks to a calf injury, and his 2022 campaign saw him disappoint in four games before getting benched. Jackson asked for a trade and eventually got his wish, with Washington sending the cornerback to Pittsburgh. However, he spent much of his time with the Steelers on injured reserve, and he didn’t get into a game before earning his walking papers.

We heard earlier this offseason that the cornerback was back to full health and was mulling opportunities from multiple teams. Of course, Jackson will now have to settle for a prove-it deal at this point of his career, but there’s still plenty of intrigue. Sure, the 30-year-old would have graded as one of the worst cornerbacks in the league had he played enough snaps last season, per Pro Football Focus. However, the site was much more bullish on his production during his time with the Bengals, including a rookie season where he ranked fourth at the position.

The Ravens’ current issues at cornerback could be temporary considering the team’s injuries. Rock Ya-Sin, Jalyn Armour-Davis, and Arthur Maulet are currently sidelined, and Pepe Williams has also been limited during training camp. Despite the injuries, Harbaugh seemed to hint that the organization was eyeing more than a healthy body, meaning a potential cornerback acquisition would have a legitimate shot at making the roster.

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