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Minor NFL Transactions: 8/10/23

August 10th, 2023 at 6:11pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

  • Waived/injured: WR Makai Polk

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Following the addition of Shelby Harris, the Browns decided to let go of another defensive lineman. Michael Dwumfour got into nine games with the Texans and 49ers last season, compiling eight tackles. He joined the Browns earlier this offseason.

Logan Stenberg was a fourth-round pick by the Lions back in 2020. He saw a larger role in each of his three seasons with the organization, culminating in a 2022 season where he got into 16 games with four starts. The lineman also had a role on special teams in three seasons in Detroit, so there’s a chance he finds another gig elsewhere.

Players waived or released from IR often agree to an injury settlement with their team. Their previous placement on IR would have prevented them from seeing the field during the 2023 campaign; now that they’ve been released, they can sign elsewhere and play this season.

Latest On Ravens’ Interest In Jadeveon Clowney

August 10th, 2023 at 3:55pm CST by Ben Levine

When Jadeveon Clowney visited the Ravens earlier this week, he ended up leaving Baltimore without signing a deal. However, John Harbaugh is still optimistic that the two sides can eventually agree to a contract. Speaking to reporters today, the Ravens coach said Clowney is still a realistic option, but Harbaugh also cautioned that the organization is talking to other free agent edge defenders.

[RELATED: Ravens Meet With Jadeveon Clowney]

“I haven’t heard otherwise,” Harbaugh said of a potential Clowney signing (via ESPN’s Jamison Hensley on Twitter). “It’s ‘So you’re saying we still got a chance.’”

Clowney was in Baltimore for a visit on Tuesday, and we later learned that the front office made an offer to the veteran. Clowney will continue to consider his options, but it sounds like it’s only a matter of time before the pass rusher makes a decision.

The former first-overall pick was cut by the Browns earlier this offseason following a disappointing two-sack campaign. Clowney will be hard pressed to hit the $8MM deal he signed with Cleveland last offseason, but he could point to Justin Houston, Leonard Floyd, and Frank Clark all signing deals between $5MM and $7MM in 2023. The Ravens are currently armed with $9.5MM in cap space.

Elsewhere on defense, Harbaugh acknowledged that the team’s current cornerback depth is “an issue, no doubt” (per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic on Twitter). The head coach also noted that the cornerback position is an issue the Ravens will probably have to address, a hint that the team could be making an addition to their secondary.

Part of the team’s issues at cornerback are related to injuries. Rock Ya-Sin, Jalyn Armour-Davis, and Arthur Maulet are currently sidelined with injuries, while Pepe Williams has been limited during training camp. The team’s depth will only improve with time, but Harbaugh seemed to indicate that the front office would consider additions at the position regardless of health.

Latest On Ravens’ Patrick Ricard, LG Competition

August 10th, 2023 at 1:41pm CST by Adam La Rose

The return of Patrick Ricard to Ravens training camp earlier this week brought about a notable development. The four-time Pro Bowl fullback was used in a different capacity, one which could signal another position change for him.

Ricard worked as an offensive lineman after being activated from the PUP list, as noted by ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. That represents an interesting development given Ricard’s successful background as a fullback, where he has received a Pro Bowl invitation every year since 2019. That campaign saw the former college defensive tackle serve in a hybrid role, as he logged 342 snaps on offense and 140 on defense.

Since that point, Ricard has been used exclusively as a fullback, a position which held more value under previous offensive coordinator Greg Roman than it is expected to with Todd Monken now at the helm. A shift toward a more pass-oriented scheme led to some questions about Ricard’s roster security, but they have been put to rest. Trying the 29-year-old along the O-line is currently just in the experimental stage, though.

“We’re looking at that,” head coach John Harbaugh said via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic when speaking about the potential position switch (subscription required). “It’s just a multitude role kind of thing. Pat’s quite an athlete. He can do a lot of different things, and maybe we expand his role just a little bit for a little bit of time here and see how he does.”

Ricard could serve in a depth role along the offensive line if needed, but that unit is also the location of an ongoing positional battle. The left guard spot has been up for grabs since Ben Powers signed with the Broncos, and the Ravens have auditioned a number of replacement candidates. 2021 third-rounder Ben Cleveland appeared to be the top fill-in option at one point, but that is no longer the case.

Sixth-round rookie Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu (who has experience as a guard and tackle dating back to his time at Oregon) is currently the frontrunner to win the job, per Hensley. Zrebiec adds that former Raider John Simpson is the other contender for the starting role, and that he recently rotated into the first-team during practice. It will be interesting to see how that competition shakes out over the coming weeks, along with how Ricard is deployed in practice and preseason games.

Ravens Meet With Jadeveon Clowney

August 9th, 2023 at 4:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 9: The Ravens have submitted an offer to Clowney, per Josina Anderson of CBS Sports (Twitter link). The former No. 1 pick will mull his options, but the Ravens certainly have an opening amongst veteran edge defenders. Baltimore currently sits at $9.5MM in cap space, which should allow them to field a competitive offer (especially on a one-year pact, which Clowney is likely in line for this late in the offseason) relative to other suitors. It will be worth watching how team and player proceed in the coming days with the pass-rush market having thinned out recently.

AUGUST 8: After both Justin Houston and Yannick Ngakoue reached agreements to further move the edge rusher market along, Jadeveon Clowney looms as the biggest name available. The former No. 1 overall pick is making visits.

Clowney trekked to Baltimore for a Ravens meeting Tuesday, The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec tweets. In not re-signing Houston, the Ravens have a potential need on the edge. After multiple agreements with the Browns that occurred earlier in the offseason, Clowney is back in need of a team late in the summer.

Now 30, Clowney has never been able to secure a multiyear contract since his Texans rookie deal expired. The Texans franchise-tagged the former top draftee, leading to a trade with the Seahawks. That preceded one-year pacts with the Titans (2020) and two with the Browns (2021, ’22).

Clowney’s Cleveland tenure started well (nine sacks in 2021) but ended sourly. Clashes with the Browns’ coaching staff led the team to look elsewhere for Myles Garrett complementary options this year. The Browns have since signed Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and traded for Za’Darius Smith.

Letting Houston walk (to the Panthers), the Ravens will be counting on 2021 first-round pick Odafe Oweh, who has yet to justify the team’s investment. Oweh totaled three sacks in 17 games last season. (Houston led the team with 9.5.) The Ravens will have 2022 second-rounder David Ojabo back after an injury-marred rookie year. Tyus Bowser, who also missed time to start last season because of injury, remains with the team. An injury has once again impacted Bowser, however. The seventh-year veteran resides on Baltimore’s active/NFI list. A flareup in Bowser’s knee led to the designation.

A former Texans Pro Bowler, Clowney has offered teams versatility as a pass rusher. He has offered inside-rushing capabilities along with edge work. Despite Clowney’s issues with the Browns’ defensive staff and limited sack production (two), Pro Football Focus rated him as a top-30 defensive end last season. Against the run, PFF slotted Clowney as a top-20 option among edge defenders.

Clowney has undoubtedly heard from multiple teams this offseason, and the deals given to the likes of Houston ($6MM guaranteed), Ngakoue ($10MM locked in), Leonard Floyd ($7MM) and Frank Clark ($5MM) will impact teams’ pursuits of a player who has been patient in past free agency tours. Clowney signed a one-year, $8MM deal with the Browns in 2021 and collected $10MM from the team last year.

Ravens Activate WR Rashod Bateman

August 9th, 2023 at 12:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

Injuries have marred Rashod Bateman‘s NFL career, and the Ravens have made significant adjustments to their wide receiver room this offseason. But the 2021 first-round pick will begin factoring into the team’s pass-catching work Wednesday.

Bateman passed his physical and is off Baltimore’s active/PUP list, the team announced. He will join Odell Beckham Jr., Nelson Agholor and first-round pick Zay Flowers in a revamped position group. Bateman has not played since sustaining a Lisfranc injury in October 2022.

While Bateman returned in time for OTAs, he received a cortisone shot in his foot in June. That injection was only supposed to sideline the Minnesota alum for a brief period, but he ended up missing two weeks of training camp. John Harbaugh alluded to Bateman’s foot surgery leading to pain in other areas. Nevertheless, the third-year receiver is back in action.

This is not new territory for Bateman, who underwent groin surgery that shelved him for part of the Ravens’ 2021 camp and the start of that season. Bateman has missed 16 games during his career thus far. After a promising start to his sophomore NFL campaign, Bateman saw the Lisfranc surgery shut him down after six games. He totaled 15 receptions for 285 yards to start last season.

The Ravens operated with intent at receiver this offseason, blowing away the competition with a $15MM guarantee for Beckham and selecting a wideout in Round 1 for the third time in five years. Flowers and OBJ have impressed at camp thus far. It will be interesting to see how Bateman looks alongside the imported duo. He will have just more than a month to return to game shape ahead of his third regular season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/7/23

August 7th, 2023 at 8:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Monday’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: OL LaColby Tucker
  • Activated from active/PUP list: DL Calais Campbell
  • Waived: DL Matthew Gotel

Baltimore Ravens

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Placed on IR: DT Devonnsha Maxwell

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Kansas City Chiefs

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Waived: OL Trevor Reid

Seattle Seahawks

  • Signed: LB Jordan Ferguson

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

Streveler is currently dealing with an injury, ESPN’s Dianna Russini tweets. The Jets used Streveler as their top backup QB to close last season, inserting him into a Week 16 game ahead of Joe Flacco. Streveler stuck around via reserve/futures contract in January. But the Jets have since traded for Aaron Rodgers and signed Tim Boyle, marking a new era at quarterback. With Zach Wilson still around, the team does not appear to have any room — potentially even on the practice squad — for Streveler, who has played for the Jets and Cardinals in a three-year NFL career.

Apke has been with Washington since being chosen in the 2018 fourth round. He re-signed with the team in 2022 and stayed via reserve/futures contract in January. A shoulder injury, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, will move Apke to IR, which will end his chances of playing a sixth season with the Commanders this year. Kalu started five games for the Titans last season, playing 494 defensive snaps. Over his first three seasons, Kalu had never cleared the 100-snap barrier on defense.

Schoonmaker suffered a foot injury, a plantar fascia tear, during his final year at Michigan. The Cowboys’ top post-Dalton Schultz tight end investment will aim to make a push for a regular role to begin the season.

The Dolphins made Blackman part of their UDFA class this year. The former Florida State starter spent six years in college, finishing up with Arkansas State. The Dolphins swapped out Teddy Bridgewater for Mike White this offseason, but Skylar Thompson has made a push to be Tua Tagovailoa‘s backup. Regardless of that competition’s outcome, Blackman’s ceiling appeared to be practice squad QB in Miami. But the Dolphins may be looking into outside help for that developmental role — provided the team plans on stashing a fourth passer on its taxi squad.

AFC North Rumors: Browns, Steelers, Gordon

August 5th, 2023 at 4:10pm CST by Ely Allen

This offseason, the Browns gave offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt the added responsibility of quarterbacks coach. According to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, the move was part of a concerted effort to give quarterback Deshaun Watson everything he may need in order to succeed.

The team went out this offseason and secured receiving reinforcements for the veteran passer. This offseason, the team added two speedsters of varying vintage. The younger Elijah Moore comes over from the Jets in a trade as he tries to find his footing in the NFL. He’ll have an established veteran to learn from in Marquise Goodwin, whom the team signed back in March. They also added tight end Jordan Akins in free agency and used their top draft pick on Tennessee receiver Cedric Tillman in the third round.

Lastly, they gave Van Pelt the added title, a move that Watson reportedly endorsed heavily. Van Pelt has coached quarterbacks before for the Bills, Buccaneers, Packers, and Bengals, so the move isn’t completely out of left field. But the promotion of such an important coaching position shows just how far Cleveland will go to keep Watson happy.

Here are a few other rumors from around the AFC North:

  • It’s no surprise that the Steelers plan to start this year’s first-round pick, Broderick Jones, as a rookie. The surprise is that, in their efforts to start the tackle out of Georgia, they are resorting to shuffling around their offensive line configuration. Last year, Chukwuma Okorafor started every game at right tackle for Pittsburgh, while Dan Moore covered every game on the blindside for the Steelers. According to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, the Steelers opened up the first team period of camp this week with Jones at left tackle, pushing Moore over to the right side of the line. Neither Moore nor Okorafor were necessarily stellar at their positions last year, hence the drafting of a tackle in the first round, but to see Pittsburgh push Moore out of position to make room for Jones shows just how much they want Jones to be in a position to succeed. Keeping Moore in the lineup shows that the Steelers are more concerned with starting the best tackles than keeping their tackles specialized on either side of the line.
  • The Ravens added some veteran running back depth last month in Melvin Gordon on a deal reportedly worth up to $3.1MM. Jamison Hensley of ESPN was able to provide us a few more details on the deal, disclosing that the contract has a base salary of $1.17MM with no reported guarantees. The remaining $1.94MM to get to the potential ceiling of the deal comes from undisclosed incentives that are not likely to be earned, meaning they won’t count against the team’s salary cap this year. If Gordon does, in fact, earn the full value of the contract, the $1.94MM will be counted against the 2024 salary cap.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/4/23

August 4th, 2023 at 7:36pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves as we head into the weekend:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Removed from commissioner’s exempt list: OL Josh Sills

San Francisco 49ers

Sills was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list back in February when a grand jury indicted him on counts of rape and kidnapping. The charges stem from an event that allegedly took place back in December 2019. Today it was announced that Sills was acquitted of both charges, according to sources at The Athletic. The Eagles released a statement that, with his adjudication, he will return to the team’s active roster.

The 49ers announced that Johnson has been placed on season-ending injured reserve. They didn’t disclose the injury that will sideline the young edge they signed two months ago.

The Vikings are adding the XFL’s 2023 leading rusher in Smith. Smith had 791 rushing yards in 10 games last year.

Latest On Ravens’ CB Situation

August 4th, 2023 at 12:17pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Ravens appear to have their starting boundary tandem in place at the cornerback position. A number of candidates are vying for the first-team role in the slot, however.

Marlon Humphrey is in place to once again serve as the anchor of Baltimore’s secondary, but fellow All-Pro Marcus Peters is no longer in the fold. The latter signed a long-anticipated deal with the Raiders recently, marking a formal end to his Ravens tenure. Rock Ya-Sin had already been acquired as a Peters replacement, signing a one-year contract in May. The former Colt and Raider is currently dealing with a knee injury, but it is not believed to be serious (Twitter link via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network).

The question of who starts in the slot remains unanswered. Defensive backs coach Chris Hewitt named several contenders for the role, as detailed by The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec (subscription required). Among them is a mix of veteran and young players, as well as those with a background playing at safety as opposed to corner, and vice versa. Hewitt said the position is in an “open competition” at this point.

2022 first-rounder Kyle Hamilton played extensively in the slot as a rookie, but the trade sending Chuck Clark to the Jets paved the way for the Notre Dame product taking on full-time safety duties. The Ravens used three-safety alignments under defensive coordinator Mike McDonald, however, so keeping Hamilton at the nickel could allow the Ravens to deploy their best secondary options for extended stretches.

Other candidates for the position include Brandon Stephens and Ar’Darius Washington. The former was a third-round Ravens selection in 2021, after a college career which saw him play at both running back and corner. Stephens primarily played as a safety as a rookie, but his more common usage came at corner in 2022. Washington, meanwhile, has seen time in the slot in his limited usage since joining Baltimore as a UDFA.

2022 fourth-rounders Damarion Williams and Jalyn Armour-Davis are also contenders for a first-team role. Williams was named as a player to watch during camp, given his more natural fit as a slot corner compared to many of the team’s other options. He missed time at the start of camp due to injury, however, leaving him with ground to make up during the preseason. Hewitt added that Armour-Davis, who played on the outside at Alabama, is under consideration to be moved inside.

By far the most experienced option is Arthur Maulet. The 30-year-old signed a one-year deal last week after being released by the Steelers earlier in the offseason. Maulet has seen considerable usage in the slot over the past three seasons in particular, and it would come as little surprise if that is his primary function in Baltimore. The Ravens were linked to a veteran signing leading up to his addition, but another could be coming as well.

Zrebiec notes that the Ravens could still be in the market for a corner, though the team is focusing on its numerous internal options for the time being. The developments in the ongoing competition will be worth watching as camp practices and preseason games take place.

Ravens Have Discussed Extension With RB J.K. Dobbins

August 3rd, 2023 at 6:23pm CST by Adam La Rose

J.K. Dobbins remains absent from Ravens training camp, having been placed on the PUP list nearly two weeks ago. The running back’s current status is clouded by speculation that his current designation is not the result of an actual ailment but rather a hold-in for an extension. A resolution is being discussed at this point.

Baltimore has been in talks with Dobbins on a potential extension, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (video link). Nothing is imminent at this point while the 24-year-old remains sidelined, but progress on negotiations could result in a deal being worked out. Dobbins is set to enter the final year of his rookie contract, one which has seen him miss considerable time due to injury.

The Ohio State alum missed the entire 2021 campaign after tearing his ACL, LCL and meniscus, and his return to action last season was met with caution. Dobbins played four games before undergoing a cleanup procedure which required another IR stint. He came back in time for the final four games of the regular season (during which he eclipsed the 100-yard mark twice and averaged 6.96 yards per carry) and the team’s wild-card loss to the Bengals. Dobbins scored a touchdown and recorded 105 scrimmage yards in that game, despite a relatively light workload.

Usage has been a sticking point for the former second-rounder during much of his Ravens tenure. Dobbins ran for 805 yards and nine touchdowns after supplanting Mark Ingram in the lead role midway through his rookie season, and his return from the second knee surgery last year demonstrated his remaining efficiency. It thus came as little surprise that an extension was under consideration in June (despite the continued presence of running aficionado Lamar Jackson and highly-regarded backup RB Gus Edwards), but Dobbins’ lingering absence was predated by his public remarks calling the business side of his future “very hard.”

As the 2023 offseason has illustrated, the current financial landscape for running backs is not encouraging. The missed time due to the knee injury will hurt Dobbins’ negotiating position, but his production and lack of a workhorse role when on the field should breed confidence he has plenty of mileage still to come. The franchise tag could be an option next offseason, but fellow 2020 draftees Patrick Queen and Justin Madubuike are also entering the final year of their rookie deals. Both could be in Baltimore’s long-term plans.

All eyes will be on when Dobbins returns to the field to acclimate to new offensive coordinator Todd Monken‘s scheme, one which is expected to include a larger emphasis on the passing game. Especially if an extension can be worked out by the start of the season, though, the former should be a focal point of the Ravens’ offense on the ground beyond 2023.

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