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Baltimore Ravens News & Rumors

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/26/23

July 26th, 2023 at 9:07pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Green Bay Packers

  • Signed: WR Cody Chrest
  • Placed on NFI: OT Caleb Jones
  • Waived/injured: WR Jeff Cotton

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Among the additions on today’s list, defensive back A.J. Moore is the most notable. The defensive back spent four years with the Texans to begin his career, compiling 69 tackles in 55 games while primarily playing on special teams. The 27-year-old spent a chunk of last season on the Titans practice squad, and he ultimately got into one game with the big-league club.

Odell Beckham Jr: “I’m Thinking Like This Is My Last Year”

July 26th, 2023 at 3:04pm CST by Adam La Rose

Throughout 2022, a recurring storyline around the league was the future of Odell Beckham Jr. The former Pro Bowl wideout’s free agent period lasted all the way into the offseason, but he ultimately signed with the Ravens.

That one-year deal includes $15MM in guaranteed money – a far higher figure than what any team appeared willing to pay. The 30-year-old will receive plenty of attention given the lucrative nature of his pact and the injury concerns which surround him. There will also be questions raised, however, regarding his long-term future in Baltimore of anywhere else in the NFL.

“I’m thinking like this is my last year,” Beckham said in an interview with The Athletic’s Dan Pompei (subscription required). “I’m going to give it my all this year. And then if something happens after that, we can go from there.”

The three-time Pro Bowler missed the entire 2022 season while rehabbing an ACL tear he suffered during the Rams’ Super Bowl victory. Beckham drew interest from a number of suitors, though it seemed inevitable for much of the year that he would re-sign in Los Angeles. A Cowboys deal was mentioned frequently by Jerry Jones, and a reunion with the Giants was on the latter team’s radar. Pompei adds that the Chiefs and Bills – teams which were also named early and often as DeAndre Hopkins suitors – contacted Beckham.

The LSU alum admitted that he was “resistant” at first to the idea of signing in Baltimore. The Ravens certainly do not have a sterling track record with respect to receiver production and passing volume on offense, though many of the team’s most successful wideouts have been 30-something veterans acquired for the short term. Lobbying from quarterback Lamar Jackson helped convince Beckham to join what has become a much different looking Ravens receiving corps this offseason.

As Pompei notes, owner Steve Bisciotti also took personal interest in recruiting Beckham. His efforts helped finalize a deal which will allow the former Rookie of the Year to attempt to complete a first full season since 2019. That year also represents the last time he reached 1,000 yards, and a return to that form (or anything near it) would help give Baltimore a veteran pass-catching presence as the team leans on top 2021 selection Rashod Bateman and first-round rookie Zay Flowers at the WR position.

A strong showing would, of course, also boost Beckham’s free agent market if he decides to continue his career. Multi-year offers could come his way depending on his 2023 performance, but for now his Baltimore tenure could represent the final chapter of his eight-year NFL run.

Ravens Sign CB Arthur Maulet

July 26th, 2023 at 8:01am CST by Adam La Rose

JULY 26: Maulet’s deal is worth up to $2MM, per Wolfe, who notes the contract will contain a $220K guarantee (Twitter link). The deal is now official.

JULY 24: Not long after the news of one of their former starting corners departing, the Ravens are set to make an addition at the position. Arthur Maulet is nearing an agreement with Baltimore, per NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe (Twitter link).

The Ravens showed little interest in bringing back Marcus Peters this offseason, and the veteran ballhawk has joined the Raiders. Baltimore replaced Peters on the boundary by signing Rock Ya-Sin to a one-year deal, and he is expected to start opposite All-Pro Marlon Humphrey. The team’s corner depth has faced questions beyond that pair, however.

The starting slot role and depth positions on the boundary were poised to be filled by relatively unexperienced players prior to today’s news. The Ravens used Day 3 picks on Jalyn Armour-Davis and Damarion Williams last year, doing so again in 2023 with fifth-rounder Kyu Blu Kelly. That trio will be joined in training camp by former waiver claim Trayvon Mullen, veterans Daryl Worley and Kevon Seymour, as well as versatile backs Brandon Stephens and Ar’Darius Washington.

Maulet, 30, will provide much more experience than many of the aforementioned names. He logged eight starts across the past two seasons, both spent with the Steelers. Pittsburgh elected to move on from him in May, however, making him one of several veterans on the lookout for a new opportunity deep into July. It was recently learned that he was drawing interest from a number teams on the eve of training camps starting.

It was not the Ravens, but rather the Bears and Jaguars who were named as suitors for Maulet, who has spent notable time in the slot during his career. Presuming this Baltimore agreement goes through without issue, though, he will remain in the AFC North and fill a notable gap in the team’s secondary. He will have the chance to earn signficant playing on a defense which, like the team as a whole, faces considerable expectations in 2023.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/25/23

July 25th, 2023 at 7:43pm CST by Ben Levine

With a number of teams preparing for the start of training camp, a long list of players were placed on inactive lists today. We’ve compiled all of those and today’s other minor moves below:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Free Agents

Isaiah Wilson hasn’t had an NFL gig since he was released by the Giants in January of 2022. NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero tweets that the free agent lineman was slapped with a three-game suspension, but it’s uncertain what led to the temporary ban. Wilson was a first-round pick by the Titans in 2020 but got into only one game with Tennessee before getting shipped off to Miami. He was waived by Miami after showing up late to his team physical, and his practice squad stint with New York only lasted one season.

Max Garcia is an experienced addition to the Saints OL room, with the veteran having most recently started seven of his 12 appearances with the Cardinals in 2022. The 31-year-old has 59 games of starting experience, although Pro Football Focus was iffy on his production last year (63rd among 77 qualifying offensive guards).

Following a three-year stint in Cleveland, Terrance Mitchell has spent the past two seasons bouncing around the NFL. He got into 14 games (13 starts) for the Texans in 2021, finishing with 60 tackles and 10 passes defended. He spent the 2022 season with the Titans, finishing with 39 tackles in 11 games (five starts). 49ers fifth-round pick Darrell Luter Jr. is set to miss some time with a knee injury, providing Mitchell with an opportunity during training camp.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/24/23

July 24th, 2023 at 9:34pm CST by Ely Allen

In a very busy day for the NFL in transactions, here are some of the minor moves that may have slipped through the cracks:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Houston Texans

Las Vegas Raiders

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Ravens signed Ott after working out a trio of long snappers that also included Ryan Langan and Shane Griffin. The former Pro Bowler for the Seahawks won the tryout and is expected to be the replacement for Baltimore’s usual long snapper Nick Moore, who suffered a torn Achilles tendon during his offseason training, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. Also, the breath of relief for Bateman is short-lived as, a day after being activated from the reserve/did not report list, Baltimore has placed the young receiver on the PUP list.

On a more positive note, a day after the Bears placed Claypool on the PUP list, he has been removed from it. He’ll now be eligible to participate in training camp starting this Wednesday. Tomlinson returns to Houston after being released back in May. He’ll get another chance to work in the tight ends room that includes Dalton Schultz, Teagan Quitoriano, and Brevin Jordan.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/23/23

July 23rd, 2023 at 5:58pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor moves heading into the week:

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Detroit Lions

Ravens fans can breathe a sigh of relief now that Bateman is set to return for camp. Bateman missed most of the team’s spring activities after receiving a cortisone shot in hopes it would help him get back in time for camp. It was slightly concerning that he didn’t initially report with the rest of the team, but general manager Eric DeCosta had reassured the media that Bateman was expected back soon. Two days later and Bateman should be in attendance for camp to start this week.

Claypool has been dealing with a soft tissue injury from earlier in the offseason. He was expected back in time for camp but clearly will have to wait a bit to rejoin the team.

With the departure of Eli Apple in free agency, Awuzie is expected to take a step up in the Bengals’ defense this year. Cincinnati will hope to get him back and working with the first-team secondary again soon. The absences of Cochran and Collins leave the team a little thin on tackle depth, but the starters remain available as Jonah Williams avoids any injury designations.

Detroit will have Jameson Williams available for training camp but not for the start of the season. The Lions will be hoping to get the opposite result for Jones, who will be unavailable to start camp.

Ravens To Sign RB Melvin Gordon

July 23rd, 2023 at 9:08am CST by Adam La Rose

JULY 23: CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson reports that the Gordon acquisition does not mean that the Ravens are concerned about Dobbins’ or Edwards’ prognoses (Twitter link). Rather, Anderson says the team simply wanted to add another talented player to the roster and that both Dobbins and Edwards are expected to be at full-speed (though it is worth noting that Dobbins was placed on the PUP list on the same day Gordon was signed). Gordon will at least serve as an experienced insurance policy, and he can handle the bulk of the carries in the preseason should Baltimore wish to continue slow-playing its top two RBs.

JULY 21: The Ravens return all three members of their backfield from last season, but they will be making a veteran addition ahead of training camp. Baltimore has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with Melvin Gordon worth up to $3.1MM, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (Twitter link).

Gordon began the 2022 season in Denver, despite many feeling the presence of Javonte Williams would make the veteran expendable. The latter’s ACL tear helped allow Gordon to appear in 10 contests with the Broncos (including six starts), but he was ultimately waived midseason. That led him to make another intra-AFC West move, joining the Chiefs as a free agent.

The 30-year-old did not feature for Kansas City, however, leading to a lengthy stay on the open market and questions about his playing future. He made it clear last month that he intended to continue his career, though, and this Ravens accord will allow him to once again serve in a rotational capacity. Gordon averaged only 3.5 yards per carry and fumbled five times last season, but he eclipsed 1,100 scrimmage yards during each of his two full campaigns in Denver.

Gordon is unlikely to reach those totals in 2023 in his new home, but he will provide experienced depth to a new-look Ravens offense. Baltimore has former second-round pick J.K. Dobbins atop the RB depth chart, and he will aim to stay healthy and productive during the final year of his rookie contract. Dobbins remained efficient upon his return from a second knee operation late in 2022, but his uncertain future has been a talking point this offseason. Former UDFA Gus Edwards – who, like Dobbins, missed the entire 2021 campaign and part of the past season with a knee injury – remains in place as Baltimore’s backup.

Despite the presence of that pair – along with third-stringer Justice Hill, who inked a two-year deal this offseason – the Ravens have been mentioned as a team to watch on the depth running back market. Baltimore has a number of low-cost options to choose from, as this offseason has continued the trend of veteran backs struggling to find lucrative offers as free agents. Gordon is one of several member of his position who will likely find a training camp gig in the coming days.

Baltimore’s passing attack is expected to take a needed step forward in 2023 with a new offensive coordinator in Todd Monken and a number of new receivers in place, including Odell Beckham Jr. and first-round rookie Zay Flowers. The team’s RB unit will still have a number of contributors, though, a group which now includes Gordon.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/21/23

July 21st, 2023 at 7:56pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor transactions from around the league as teams prepare their rosters for training camp:

Baltimore Ravens

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

New England Patriots

New York Jets

Washington Commanders

 

There are some big names in Baltimore that won’t be healthy to open camp. Two offensive youngsters who can’t seem to stay on the field, Dobbins and Bateman, continue to struggle to get healthy. Bateman sat out most of the spring after receiving a cortisone shot in hopes it would help get him back in time for camp. While he didn’t report, general manager Eric DeCosta expects him back soon, according to the team’s editorial director Ryan Mink. Dobbins has started thinking about his second contract this summer, and getting healthy will be key to gaining any leverage in negotiations. Ricard is no surprise, as head coach John Harbaugh predicted this placement a month ago. Bowser, though, experienced an unexpected flare up in his knee this spring after missing eight games last season.

In Cleveland, Goodwin experienced a medical scare recently when discomfort in his legs and shortness of breath turned out to be blood clots in his legs and lungs, according to James Palmer of NFL Network. He will miss the start of training camp as the clots are addressed.

In Denver, a kicking competition appears to be in the cards. The team held a workout for Maher, Elliott Fry, and Parker White back in May and ended up signing Fry. Now, with Maher joining the team, and the exit of Brandon McManus, the position battle between Maher and Fry will continue.

In Wisconsin, Gary and Stokes each ended their season after Week 9 of last year due to long-term injuries. Both will continue slowly working their way back in order to play big roles on defense.

In Vegas, Wilson, this year’s seventh overall pick, will have to be patient in finding his way to the field for his rookie year. He was expected to be cleared for training camp after ending his college career with a Lisfranc injury, but he’ll have to wait just a bit longer. The Raiders are counting on him to relieve some of the defensive responsibilities of Chandler Jones and Maxx Crosby.

Ravens Host LB Kyle Van Noy

July 21st, 2023 at 5:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Ravens have already made one addition today, and another could be coming soon. Linebacker Kyle Van Noy visited the team on a free agent visit, as noted (on Twitter) by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

[RELATED: Ravens Add Melvin Gordon]

Van Noy has played with four teams during his career, but the versatile defender is best known for his time with the Patriots. His second stint in New England came after a one-year tenure in Miami, and set up another single campaign, this time with the Chargers. He had to wait until May to ink his Los Angeles deal last year, but his free agent wait has been much longer in 2023.

The 32-year-old logged a snap share of 70% with the Chargers, his lowest figure since 2016. Despite that drop in playing time, Van Noy remained productive, posting eight tackles for loss, nine quarterback hits and five sacks. That made 2023 the fifth season out of the past six in which he recorded at least five sacks, a string of consistency which shows his value as a rotational rusher when used in conjunction with his skills as an inside linebacker.

The BYU product showed a desire to re-up with the Chargers, but he finds himself as one of several veteran edge defenders seeking a deal in advance of training camps. Baltimore is a team which has been active recently in seeking additions in the pass rush department, scheduling a visit with Dawuane Smoot before he ultimately re-signed with the Jaguars.

The Ravens have Tyus Bowser in place as an experienced member of their edge unit, but James Houston remains unsigned after leading the team in sacks last season. That leaves young options in place, including 2021 first-rounder Odafe Oweh, 2022 second-round selection David Ojabo and rookies Tavius Robinson and Trenton Simpson. The latter, like Van Noy, is expected to serve in a hybrid inside/outside role at the NFL level. While he acclimates to that task and Baltimore searches for development from others, Van Noy could serve as an effective depth option.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/19/23

July 19th, 2023 at 9:01pm CST by Ely Allen

The roster updates following the opening of camp for rookies continued today:

Baltimore Ravens

Green Bay Packers

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Minnesota Vikings

Tennessee Titans

 

The news on Vorhees is no surprise. The lineman’s rookie year will operate as a redshirt season as he continues to work his way back from the torn ACL he suffered at the NFL Combine.

Wharton is also making his way back from a torn ACL. The rotation lineman suffered the season-ending injury in Week 5 of last season. He’s been working out with the team, but Wharton is not yet ready to be a full participant in practice.

Reid has started at least one game for each of the three teams for which he’s played in his three seasons of play. He’ll now look to find his seventh NFL team going into his fourth season.

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