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Minor NFL Transactions: 8/31/23

August 31st, 2023 at 8:38pm CST by Ben Levine

Following a busy roster deadline day on Tuesday, teams continue to reshuffle their rosters. Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

  • Placed on IR: TE Stephen Sullivan

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

New York Giants

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

The Ravens brought back a trio of veterans to their 53-man roster. Brent Urban is probably destined for the biggest role, with the veteran lineman serving as the top backup to Broderick Washington at defensive end. Urban got into 16 games for Baltimore last season, collecting 21 tackles and one sack. Veteran QB Josh Johnson will slide behind Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley on the depth chart, and Kevon Seymour will continue his role as a key special teamer.

The Cardinals are temporarily losing some production with offensive lineman Dennis Daley and linebacker Myjai Sanders being placed on IR. Daley joined the Cardinals on a two-year deal this offseason after starting 15 of his 17 appearances for the Titans in 2022. Sanders had a productive rookie campaign, with the third-round pick collecting 23 tackles, three sacks, and one forced fumble.

Julian Okwara has turned into a productive pass-rushing option in Detroit. The former third-round pick has collected seven sacks over the past two seasons, but he’ll now be sidelined for the start of the season while recovering from a knee injury suffered during in the preseason finale.

Ravens Sign RB Melvin Gordon To Practice Squad

August 30th, 2023 at 9:53pm CST by Adam La Rose

AUGUST 30: Gordon is among the players the Ravens retained on Wednesday by signing him to their taxi squad. A move sending him elsewhere could have been in the cards, however. The Score’s Jordan Schultz reports that the Vikings, Dolphins and Colts each inquired about the two-time Pro Bowler. Instead of taking a deal with those clubs, Gordon will instead look to earn an elevation to Baltimore’s active roster, one which currently includes four backs.

AUGUST 29: Melvin Gordon joined the Ravens in a bid to find a 53-man roster spot and help get his career back on track. That has not worked out as planned, however; the veteran back has been released, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Gordon signed in Baltimore last month in a bid to earn a depth spot in the team’s backfield. The Ravens are rostering J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards and Justice Hill, so many considered it a longshot for Gordon to carve out a role. With Dobbins absent for much of the offseason amidst unhappiness with his contract status and all three incumbent backs having missed considerable time in their careers, though, the team still entered training camp with some uncertainty at the position.

Dobbins has since reported to camp, and Baltimore is expected to have a fully-healthy stable of backs to begin the season. As a result, Gordon’s only path to a continued tenure with the Ravens will come via the practice squad. He could elect to take that route, as he did at the end of last season with the Chiefs following his Broncos release. For the time being, the Ravens will move forward without the two-time Pro Bowler in the fold.

Gordon signed for the veteran minimum in Baltimore, and no guaranteed money was included on his deal. The team will therefore see $1.12MM in cap savings with this release. The Wisconsin product had eclipsed 1,100 scrimmage yards and scored 10 total touchdowns in each of his first two campaigns in Denver, marking a succesful follow-up to his time with the Chargers. Fumbling issues led to his release midway through the campaign last year, though, and Gordon could be hard-pressed to find a notable role in the near future.

Amongst the rookies who have drawn praise through training camp and the preseason for Baltimore is undrafted running back Keaton Mitchell. The news of Gordon’s release could signal that Mitchell will find himself on the 53-man roster when the dust has settled, but it remains to be seen if the Ravens will carry four active running backs. In any event, Gordon’s future is now uncertain.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: AFC North

August 30th, 2023 at 2:52pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Bengals, Browns, Ravens and Steelers moves are noted below.

Cincinnati Bengals

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Baltimore Ravens

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Cleveland Browns

Claimed:

Placed on IR:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Pittsburgh Steelers

Released:

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Ravens Set 53-Man Roster

August 29th, 2023 at 10:25pm CST by Ely Allen

The Ravens did a bit of work in the days leading up to the roster cut deadline, including the announced release of veteran running back Melvin Gordon. Still, there was a bit of work left to be done today. Here’s the remaining moves Baltimore made in order to get down to 53 players:

Waived:

Released:

The most surprising moves here come at cornerback. Especially with the recent injury trouble facing star corner Marlon Humphrey, the Ravens choice to not only cut two reliable backups in Seymour and Worley but also to waive the fifth-round rookie draft pick Kelly is shocking. The team did reinforce with several free agent veterans like Rock Ya-Sin, Ronald Darby, and Arthur Maulet, and they’re hoping to see strong seasons from second year cornerbacks Damarion Williams and Jalyn Armour-Davis, both of whom were limited in their rookie seasons due to injury. Look for them to attempt to retain Seymour and Worley on the practice squad. Kelly will have to clear waivers in order to return, a tough ask for a fifth-round talent. Williams is expected to be placed on injured reserve following the deadline, opening a door for Worley or Seymour to return to the active roster.

Brown and Johnson put forth valiant efforts throughout the preseason, essentially allowing starting quarterback Lamar Jackson and primary backup Tyler Huntley to escape the preseason without really being touched. Unfortunately, neither made a strong enough case to remain on the regular season roster. Brown is surely a candidate to return to the practice squad, if he clears waivers.

Baltimore’s tradition of scouting undrafted talent continued this year as the team saw two free agent rookies make the initial 53-man roster. Former East Carolina running back Keaton Mitchell gave some strong impressions that helped him beat out Gordon and fellow undrafted signee Wright. Malik Hamm, Lafayette’s all-time sack leader, makes the team behind as of yet unproven pass rushers Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo, veteran Jadeveon Clowney, and fellow rookie Tavius Robinson, a fourth-round pick out of Ole Miss.

Outside linebacker Tyus Bowser remains on the non-football injury list to start the season alongside long snapper Nick Moore, rookie guard Andrew Vorhees, and cornerback Trayvon Mullen. He’ll miss at least the first four games of the season.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/28/23

August 28th, 2023 at 8:27pm CST by Sam Robinson

We are less than 24 hours from the deadline for NFL teams to trim their rosters to 53 players. Here are the latest moves teams have made as they pare their squads down toward the in-season limit:

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

  • Released from IR via injury settlement: DB Tino Ellis

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Trey Lance Fallout: Trade Request, Other Suitors, Cowboys

August 26th, 2023 at 9:39am CST by Ben Levine

The Trey Lance era in San Francisco proved to be short lived, as the 49ers traded the former third-overall pick to the Cowboys last night. While the quarterback went from franchise cornerstone to QB3 in only two years, general manager John Lynch still had high praise for Lance following the deal.

[RELATED: 49ers Trade QB Trey Lance to Cowboys]

“Really hard day, such a wonderful young man,” Lynch said last night (via NFL.com’s Coral Smith). “We took a shot and it didn’t work out. We own that. We take accountability for it. But I think, as I think you guys do, his story is still very much unwritten. I’m excited for Trey. Dallas stepped up and really wanted him and they came after him. And I think it’s going to be a great landing spot for him. I can tell everybody, it wasn’t for lack of effort on Trey’s part or on our part, that it didn’t work. Circumstances took hold and he struggled through injuries and this team’s ready to win. We like our quarterback room. We like Brock Purdy a lot, we like Sam Darnold and we like Brandon Allen. So we wish Trey all the best in Dallas. We’ll always care about that young man and admire his work ethic and the person that he is.”

As ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted this morning, Lance actually requested to be traded earlier this week after learning he’d be the third quarterback behind Purdy and Darnold. The young QB wasn’t necessarily looking for a chance to start elsewhere; according to 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, Lance was happy with being the top backup in a different situation.

“He told us that he would like another opportunity to go somewhere where he had a chance to be the No. 2,” Shanahan said (via NFL.com). “We thought we got some good deals for him; there was a number of teams involved. To end up getting the fourth was a little better than we anticipated and clears up a lot of money and allows a better situation for him, too.”

Unsurprisingly, the Cowboys weren’t the only suitor for Lance’s services. Dianna Russini tweets that the Bills, Ravens, and Lions were among the teams that showed interest in the young signal caller. Russini adds that the 49ers intended to trade Lance to the AFC, but the organization pivoted to an NFC foe when they only received offers of conditional fifth-round picks (that were more likely to be sixth-round picks). Schefter notes that the 49ers began fielding offers for Lance on Thursday, and the Cowboys separated themselves from the pack on Friday.

Lynch and Shanahan weren’t the only members of the 49ers to speak kindly of Lance. Purdy mentioned how his former teammate helped him during his improbable run late last season.

“Going in last year and then him just being by my side from the get-go — sideline, meetings, in the locker room, wherever we are at — man, he’s been a real one,” Purdy said (via Cam Inman of the Mercury News). “…Lance helped me come into the league and welcome me with open arms and showed me the ropes to this whole thing. So can’t tell you how grateful I am for him and to have him in my life and to be here with him. So, forever grateful for Trey.”

Attention will now shift to Dallas, where Lance will serve as the backup to Dak Prescott. According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, the Cowboys had a second-round grade on the quarterback during the 2021 draft. That’s obviously a far cry from the third-overall pick, but it still goes to show that the organization believed the prospect could at least be a worthy NFL quarterback.

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/25/23

August 25th, 2023 at 8:02pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves heading into the final weekend of preseason games this year:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Signed: C Cohl Cabral

Baltimore Ravens

  • Waived from IR with injury settlement: WR Shemar Bridges

Buffalo Bills

  • Released from IR with injury settlement: DE Shane Ray

Carolina Panthers

Houston Texans

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

Pittsburgh Steelers

Ray’s unlikely return to the NFL will have to wait a bit longer, it seems. Having not appeared in an NFL regular season game since 2018, Ray’s opportunity in Buffalo has come to an end. His bid to play alongside former Broncos teammate Von Miller will fall short due to injury.

Zentner is likely a short-term signing for Houston, who lost punter Cameron Johnston to a tweaked calf. Johnston shouldn’t need long to get back to the field, but Zentner will be asked to fill in for the team’s preseason game against the Saints this weekend.

Latest On Ravens’ J.K. Dobbins, Rashod Bateman

August 25th, 2023 at 9:39am CST by Adam La Rose

The 2023 offseason saw the Ravens make a number of changes on offense, but returnees will still have a major role to play in the unit’s success. That group includes running back J.K. Dobbins and wideout Rashod Bateman, who recently addressed the injury troubles which have marred their respective careers.

Dobbins missed all of 2021 and much of last season due to a major knee injury. The 24-year-old was able to return for the closing weeks of the campaign and Baltimore’s wild-card loss, but he was then absent for much of this offseason. Dobbins was not in attendance for OTAs or minicamp, and it was not until last week that he was activated from the PUP list.

Uncertainty clouded whether an injury or dissatisfaction with his contract status was the reason Dobbins did not take part in spring practices and most of training camp. His return was welcomed by a team which should again rely on him to lead its backfield, although the Ohio State product has not received the workload of many other No. 1 backs when on the field. In any case, he is confident in his prospects for 2023.

“That’s a tough question,” Dobbins said, via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, when speaking about his absence in the spring (subscription required). “I was just being cautious. My teammates need me, so I want to be there for my teammates. That’s all it was. My teammates understood what was going on. So, it’s all good now. I’m out here.

“I’m pretty dang confident, especially coming off the end of the year last year,” he added. “A lot of people could see that I wasn’t all the way 100 percent healthy, but I still had some pretty good games there… If I get the volume as some of the other guys, it’ll be a really good year.”

Signficant usage for Dobbins would mark a change from Baltimore’s previous approach with him, seeing as he has received more than 15 carries in a game only once so far in his career. It could also result in a productive campaign, something with signficant financial implications. Dobbins is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and, as Zrebiec confirms, nothing is imminent on the extension front. A healthy year would, in any event, help Dobbins’ case dramatically.

The same is true of Bateman, who has been limited to just 18 games across his first two years in the NFL. The former first-rounder was shut down due to a Lisfranc injury in 2022, and he too was not activated until August. Bateman has amassed 800 yards on a healthy 13.1 yards per reception average to date, but more will be expected of him in 2023 if he can put together a full season with respect to availability. He echoed Dobbins’ confidence in being healed in full at this point, and that his previous injury issues are now behind him.

The Minnesota product is joined in the WR corps by free agent additions Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor, along with first-round rookie Zay Flowers. Those new faces have increased expectations for Baltimore’s passing game, which will be directed by new offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Bateman, 23, will nevertheless be a focal point if he can reach his potential, which was showcased by his first two Ravens campaigns and a strong career in college.

Amongst their remarks, both Dobbins and Bateman expressed a desire to remain in Baltimore for years to come. With the former set to hit free agency next March and the latter due to have a decision made on his fifth-year option next spring as well, the health and play of both will be worth watching closely in 2023.

Ravens Rumors: Left Guard, Wallace, Washington, Clowney

August 23rd, 2023 at 10:01pm CST by Ely Allen

The competition for a starting job that began with five or six candidates has seemingly been whittled down to two. According to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, it seems that veteran John Simpson and rookie Malaesala Aumavae-Laula are the final two players fighting for the starting left guard job in 2023.

Simpson appears to be the frontrunner. He has received a good amount of snaps with the first-team offensive line in camp and hasn’t looked out of place. Aumavae-Laula is viewed to have a higher ceiling than Simpson, and while the sixth-round pick out of Oregon has shown less consistency, the staff seems to be open to “letting him learn on the job.” With Simpson receiving the most first-team reps leading up to the regular season, it appears to be his job to lose, but it may be difficult to hold off Aumavae-Laula for long.

On the flipside, it’s a disappointing outcome for former third-round pick Ben Cleveland. After losing the starting battle to Ben Powers last year, the 6-foot-6, 357-pound lineman seems to be on the losing end of the competition for the second straight year. If he can’t show something soon, Cleveland may find himself fighting for a roster spot next summer.

Here are a few more rumors coming out of Baltimore:

  • Weeks ago, wide receiver Tylan Wallace was considered a likely candidate to be cut before the start of the regular season. After Wallace only amassed 56 receiving yards over his first two seasons, the additions of Odell Beckham Jr., Nelson Agholor, and Zay Flowers made Wallace’s future cut seem like a foregone conclusion. With Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay, among others, set to return, the battle for the WR6 position became a must-win. According to Zrebiec, Wallace responded to the adversity by hiring a new trainer and showing out in the preseason. Wallace has given strong performances in the last two weeks while other fringe receivers like James Proche have seen some rough stretches. There’s no guarantee that Baltimore holds on to six wide receivers, but if they do, Wallace is making a strong case for the job.
  • Formerly an undrafted free agent, Ar’Darius Washington has kept at least a spot on the practice squad with the Ravens over his first two NFL seasons as a promising reserve safety and special teamer. According to Zrebiec, though, he has inflated his stock this preseason by shining as a nickel cornerback. His smaller 5-foot-8, 177-pound frame makes some matchups an issue, but Washington has been one of the Ravens’ top performers in the past two weeks and should make a strong case for a roster spot and a true role on the defense.
  • Finally, while second-year pass rusher David Ojabo hasn’t stood out much in the team’s preseason games, the Ravens staff is still excited about his development after barely playing coming off an injury as a rookie. According to Jamison Hensley of ESPN, head coach John Harbaugh made a point to say that the addition of veteran edge Jadeveon Clowney would not impact the playing time of Ojabo. “You want to have enough guys,” Harbaugh said. “There’s a lot of snaps…about 1,200 snaps in the season. You need all those guys.”
  • Hensley’s colleague at ESPN, Field Yates, also provided us with some details on Clowney’s contract with the Ravens. Along with Clowney’s base contract value of $2.5MM, consisting of a $1.17MM base salary and a $1.34MM signing bonus, Clowney can receive up to $3.5MM of incentives. Specifically, he will earn $500K for five sacks, $1MM for seven sacks, or $1.75MM for nine sacks. The same respective amounts would be paid out if Clowney plays over 50 percent, 60 percent, or 65 percent of the team’s defensive snaps. If he hits full incentives, it would push the total value of his contract up to $6MM. Finally, he will earn a per game active roster bonus of $20K for a potential season total of $340K.

Ravens To Sign CB Ronald Darby

August 22nd, 2023 at 6:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

AUGUST 22: This contract’s base value checks in at $1.7MM, with KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson noting it contains a $1.2MM base salary and a $500K signing bonus (Twitter link). The Ravens are only guaranteeing the $500K, per OverTheCap.

Darby retaining even a part-time role into the regular season would net him some extra cash. The veteran corner will collect $250K by playing 25% of Baltimore’s defensive snaps and $500K with a 35% snap share, Wilson adds. This incentive structure reaches $1.5MM, the number for a 75% snap rate. The ninth-year vet staying healthy would put him in line for a nice bonus, but the career-long starter has only played more than 11 games in a season once (2020) since his Buffalo days.

AUGUST 17: After a four-visit summer, Ronald Darby has a gig in place. The Ravens are signing the eight-year veteran cornerback, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

Darby, who visited the Titans earlier this week, met with the Ravens today. Baltimore also worked out ex-Cowboys corner Anthony Brown on Thursday, but Darby will be the addition. Darby, 29, agreed to terms on a one-year deal worth up to $3.2MM, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Baltimore will be Darby’s fifth NFL destination. The former Bills second-round pick has spent time in Philadelphia, Washington and Denver since being traded to the Eagles back in 2017. This offseason featured a number of Darby flight itineraries as well. The Florida State alum met with the Texans in July and the Vikings earlier this month. The Ravens will kick the tires on the longtime starter, who is attempting to rebound from a season marred by a familiar injury.

Seeing his 2018 Eagles season end because of an ACL tear, Darby suffered the injury again last year. Working as the Broncos’ outside cornerback opposite Patrick Surtain, Darby went down with an ACL tear during a Week 5 game that also featured Denver lose left tackle Garett Bolles to a broken leg. In Sean Payton‘s first offseason at the controls, the Broncos made Darby a cap casualty. They are planning to go with his 2022 replacement, fourth-rounder Damarri Mathis opposite Surtain. Darby will land with a team suddenly in need at the position.

Although the Ravens saw Jalyn Armour-Davis return to practice Thursday, they are still depleted at corner. Marlon Humphrey and Damarion Williams underwent surgeries this week, and recent signee Arthur Maulet has missed time as well. Humphrey’s issue — a foot injury — obviously serves as the biggest concern here for Baltimore, which let Marcus Peters walk in free agency. The Ravens were in need of an outside cornerback while Humphrey rehabs, and Darby’s experience matches up with that deficiency.

Darby has started 88 games as a pro, becoming an instant starter in Buffalo and continuing as such during his other stops. Most notably, Darby started for the Eagles during their Super Bowl LII run. He later turned in a 16-game 2020 season with Washington, prompting the Broncos to give him a three-year, $30MM deal. But injuries have tripped up Darby for most of his career. The 2020 season with Washington marked his only 16-game campaign. Hamstring trouble limited Darby to 11 games in 2021, and he missed 12 last season. Darby missed eight games in 2017, going down with an ankle malady, and seven because of his first ACL tear in 2018.

When not injured, however, Darby has been a well-regarded defender for extended stretches. Pro Football Focus graded Darby as a top-40 option in 2017, 2019 and 2020. As injuries have continually intervened, consistency has eluded the 5-foot-11 cover man. But the Ravens are a bit desperate presently. They will see if Darby can shake off his injury trouble and provide them with some veteran experience.

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