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Gus Edwards

Ravens Notes: Stanley, Left Guard, Running Backs

June 18th, 2022 at 11:18am CST by Ben Levine

Ravens All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley has only appeared in one game since injuring his ankle in November of 2020. Fortunately, it sounds like the lineman could soon be back on the field, as head coach John Harbaugh gave a positive on the lineman’s status.

“Ronnie’s ankle is looking great,” Harbaugh said (via Clifton Brown of the team’s website). “Ronnie’s mission right now will be to get in the best shape of his life and get ready to play football, and that’s what he’s working on.”

Stanley suffered a severe ankle injury during Week 8 of the 2020 season. He tried to return for the 2021 campaign, and after appearing in 100 percent of his team’s offensive snaps in Week 1, he ultimately decided to opt for more surgery. Prior to his injury, Stanley was among the top left tackles in the NFL, with Pro Football Focus consistently ranking him among the best at his position. The team’s primary goal is to have the veteran ready for Week 1, per Brown.

“I expect him to play like Ronnie Stanley,” Harbaugh added. “He’s really motivated to do it. Just talked to him again today. He’s chomping at the bit to get back. If he plays like Ronnie Stanley, and even better, than the significance is almost immeasurable. And that’s what we’re hoping for.”

More out of Baltimore…

  • Elsewhere on the offensive line, it sounds like Ben Cleveland and Tyre Phillips are competing for Baltimore’s starting left guard spot, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. The writer believes Cleveland will be given every opportunity to win the job, although he’ll have to improve his ability to stay healthy and practice well. Meanwhile, Phillips has been forced to fill in at tackle over the past two years, but the coaching staff believes he has the skills to contribute at the position.
  • J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards didn’t see the field last season, but Harbaugh indicated that both of his RBs are trending in the right direction as they look to make their return. “You talk to J.K., he’s the starting running back today, he should’ve been practicing today,” Harbaugh said (via Brown). “But he’s got work to do still, so does Gus. But they’re both I think doing great. We’ll see how they look when they come back.”
  • The head coach also spoke highly of the team’s healthy running backs, a grouping that includes free agent addition Mike Davis and rookie sixth-round pick Tyler Badie. “[I’m] very positive about Mike Davis,” Harbaugh said. “He shows up as a veteran running back. [He’s] quick, has really good vision, and he’s always been a good receiving running back, but when you see it in person, it kind of opens your eyes. I’ll say, Tyler Badie, too, is a receiving running back. These guys kind of jumped out that way in these camps.”
  • Before letting go of defensive tackle Derek Wolfe with an injury settlement, the Ravens had been operating as if they wouldn’t have the veteran on the field this season, per Zrebiec. After signing a three-year extension last offseason, Wolfe suffered a back injury that ultimately cost him the entire 2021 season. January hip surgery led to retirement talk, and Wolfe recently revealed that he had undergone another hip surgery later in the offseason. As Zrebiec notes, the team made plenty of moves to assure they wouldn’t be relying on the veteran, including the re-signing of Calais Campbell, using a third-round pick on Travis Jones, and signing veteran Brent Urban.

Ravens Notes: Wagner, Dobbins, Edwards

April 3rd, 2022 at 12:53pm CST by Rory Parks

The Ravens tried to sign LB Bobby Wagner, the former Seahawks star who was released by Seattle last month. On March 28, we heard that Baltimore had submitted an offer that it believed was “very competitive” vis-à-vis the proposal that Wagner received from the Rams, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported yesterday that the Ravens had offered a two-year, $18MM contract.

At first blush, that looks to be a far cry from the five-year, $50MM deal Wagner ultimately signed with Los Angeles. But we are still awaiting details on the structure of that agreement, and Florio hears that Wagner will get paid $17MM over the first two years of the deal, with “small guarantees” in the second year. If that’s the case, then the Ravens’ offer — the structure of which is also unknown — may well have been as competitive as the team thought. Perhaps Wagner, an LA native, simply wanted to stay home and play for the defending champions.

Baltimore, meanwhile, has now had near misses with Wagner and Za’Darius Smith in recent weeks, leaving the club with plenty of work still to do in the front seven.

Now for several more items out of Charm City:

  • The Ravens’ 2021 fortunes were severely undermined by injury, including season-ending ACL tears suffered by running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards before Week 1. Head coach John Harbaugh recently told reporters, including Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, that both players are making progress, but that they will likely start this year’s training camp on the active/PUP list (Twitter link). Given how important Dobbins and Edwards are to Baltimore’s run-oriented attack, it makes sense that the team would play it safe with the top two members of its RB depth chart.
  • The Ravens have hired Kerry Dixon as their assistant quarterbacks coach, per a team announcement. This will be Dixon’s first NFL gig. The former Baylor and Hampton quarterback spent the past 15 seasons as a collegiate assistant, and he served as Georgia Tech’s wide receivers coach from 2019-21. He will team with James Urban to get the most out of star passer Lamar Jackson, whose contract status remains one of the biggest storylines in Baltimore.
  • Even if Smith had followed through on his commitment to the Ravens, Baltimore may have been eyeing an edge rusher with its first-round pick (No. 14 overall) in this year’s draft. With Smith out of the picture, GM Eric DeCosta may be even more inclined to enhance his pass rush, and polarizing prospect Kayvon Thibodeaux is on the team’s radar.
  • Harbaugh, now the third-longest-tenured HC in the league, recently signed an extension that will keep him on the Ravens’ sidelines through the 2025 season.

Ravens Fear ACL Tears For Marcus Peters, Gus Edwards

September 9th, 2021 at 7:12pm CST by Sam Robinson

7:12pm: Edwards’ ACL tear has been confirmed. Schefter reports (via Twitter) that the Ravens running back indeed suffered the season-ending injury. The organization will soon have three RBs sitting on IR.

6:58pm: The Ravens will be without at least one of these starters this season. Peters’ MRI confirmed an ACL tear, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. This will be the All-Pro corner’s first significant injury as a pro. Edwards’ tear has yet to be confirmed.

2:57pm: Injuries have already impacted the Ravens considerably coming into the season. Thursday’s practice brought more trouble. The team cut its workout short after Marcus Peters and Gus Edwards suffered knee injuries, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Peters and Edwards went down on consecutive plays, and Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic notes (via Twitter) team is concerned the maladies are severe. Indeed, the Ravens fear both players suffered ACL tears, Rapoport adds (on Twitter). Each is undergoing tests. Both injuries are believed to be of the non-contact variety, NFL.com’s Peter Schrager tweets.

Edwards is the last man standing among Baltimore’s running backs, at least among those on last year’s squad, while Peters is entering his third season as a key Baltimore starter. The Ravens have already lost starting running back J.K. Dobbins and third-year reserve Justice Hill for the season.

Baltimore is down to second-year UDFA Ty’Son Williams at running back. Williams, interestingly, has worked his way back from an ACL tear sustained during the 2019 season while at BYU. The Ravens signed veteran special-teamer Trenton Cannon on Wednesday and have Le’Veon Bell stashed on their practice squad. Both moves take on greater importance after this Edwards development.

The Ravens are already set to begin their season without first-round pick Rashod Bateman, who is on IR after suffering a groin injury that required surgery early in training camp. Edwards was set to be Baltimore’s starter, after three straight seasons of 700-plus rushing yards north of 5.0 yards per carry. The Ravens extended the former UDFA back on a three-year, $12.38MM deal earlier this summer.

Peters signed a three-year, $42MM extension near the end of his first season in Maryland. He has been the NFL’s top turnover producer during his six-year NFL tenure. The former Chiefs first-round pick and Rams Super Bowl starter is going into his age-28 season. In 23 Raven games, Peters already has seven interceptions and four forced fumbles. Peters’ deal runs through 2022.

Beyond Bell and Cannon, the Ravens could certainly reach out to Latavius Murray, whom the Saints just released after he refused a pay cut. Todd Gurley is also available, joining Kerryon Johnson, Lamar Miller, Alfred Morris and Adrian Peterson in that regard. Replacing Peters would be much tougher for the franchise. The Ravens do possess some cornerback depth, however, with 11th-year veteran Jimmy Smith still in place behind boundary starters Peters and Marlon Humphrey. Smith, however, missed a few weeks of practice after suffering a sprained ankle during camp.

Contract Details: Tannehill, Saints, Ravens

June 12th, 2021 at 2:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are the details from the latest contracts agreed to around the NFL:

  • Ryan Tannehill, QB (Titans): Tannehill’s restructured deal will pay out a $1.5MM base salary in 2021 and count $11.1MM against the cap, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Those numbers jump back up beginning in 2022, with Tannehill set to earn a $29MM base salary and count $38.6MM against Tennessee’s cap. In 2023, Tannehill is due a $27MM base and will be a $36.6MM cap hit. The Titans used two void years (2024 and ’25) to help create more than $15MM in cap space.
  • Marshon Lattimore, CB (Saints): Four years, $120MM, according to Yates (on Twitter). Like New Orleans’ Taysom Hill deal, this contract is flush with void years and does not reflect true value. Lattimore’s fifth-year option ($10.2MM) will be spread onto the Saints’ 2021 and ’22 salary caps, with $2.841MM on this year’s cap and $7.403MM next year, according to OverTheCap. Lattimore remains under contract through 2021.
  • Gus Edwards, RB (Ravens): Two years, $10MM. Edwards will collect a $3.75MM signing bonus and earn base salaries of $1MM (2021), $3.25MM (’22) and $4.38MM (’23) on this extension, Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic notes (subscription required).
  • Ja’Wuan James, OT (Ravens): One year, up to $9MM. James will receive a $500K signing bonus but count just $250K toward Baltimore’s cap this year, Zrebiec adds. If James is on the Ravens’ roster on the fifth day of the 2022 league year, he will collect a $500K roster bonus. In that scenario, James’ 2022 base salary will be $2.5MM. He would then count $3.25MM against the Ravens’ 2022 cap. $5MM in incentives round out the deal.
  • De’Vondre Campbell, LB (Packers): One year, $2MM, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein (on Twitter). Campbell will receive a $1.1MM signing bonus and count $1.19MM against Green Bay’s 2021 cap. The Packers tacked on four void years, creating an $808K cap hit in 2022. The deal also contains $500K in playing-time incentives.

Ravens, Gus Edwards Agree To Extension

June 7th, 2021 at 11:10am CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens have agreed to a brand new deal with Gus Edwards. The running back now has a fresh two-year, $10MM contract, tying him to the club for multiple seasons. 

[RELATED: Latest On Lamar Jackson]

Edwards has been a big part of the Ravens’ dynamic ground game, averaging at least 5.0 yards per carry in each of his three pro seasons. This past season, he suited up for all 16 games and made six starts, rushing for 723 yards and six touchdowns. With Mark Ingram now out of the picture, Edwards is set to split carries with second-year player J.K. Dobbins.

The Ravens retained him as a restricted free agent in March, cuffing him for around $3.4MM with the second-year tender. Instead, they’ve extended the arrangement. It’s a smart move — the Rutgers product is now poised to do career numbers with a larger role in the offense.

The Ravens are prioritizing new deals for their young stars, which helps to explain why they backed out of their recent trade talks for Juli0 Jones. Without Jones and his $15MM salary to tangle with, they’ve got the necessary funds to keep players like Edwards and key in on a megadeal for star quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Ravens Place Second-Round Tender On RB Gus Edwards

March 10th, 2021 at 3:25pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Ravens’ ground game has been dynamic over the past couple of years, and they’re not going to let a key piece of that get away. Baltimore has placed a second-round tender on restricted free agent Gus Edwards, a source told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link).

The second-round tender will be worth around $3.4MM this year, so it’s a nice payday for Edwards. It also means that any team that wants to sign Edwards to an offer sheet would have to give up a second-round pick, which virtually guarantees he’ll be back with the Ravens next year. Since Edwards is a former UDFA, had they tendered him at the original-round level, opposing teams wouldn’t have had to give anything up to poach him.

That original-round tender would’ve paid about $2.1MM, so it’s a better than 50 percent increase for Edwards. The Rutgers product started off on the practice squad in 2018 but quickly moved up to the active roster and even started six games that year.

Impressively, he’s averaged at least 5.0 yards per carry in each of his three pro seasons while carrying the ball at least 133 times in each of those. This past season in 16 games and six starts, he rushed 144 times for 723 yards and six touchdowns. With Mark Ingram out of the picture now, Edwards will be back splitting carries with second-year player J.K. Dobbins in 2021.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/16/20

March 16th, 2020 at 4:23pm CST by Sam Robinson

Monday’s restricted free agent and exclusive rights free agent tender decisions will be posted below. Deals will be updated throughout the day.

RFAs

Tendered at original-round level:

Non-tendered:

ERFAs

Tendered:

Non-tendered:

  • Chiefs: TE David Wells

Ravens LB Patrick Onwuasor Signs RFA Tender

April 15th, 2019 at 9:38am CST by Dallas Robinson

Ravens linebacker Patrick Onwuasor has signed his second-round restricted free agent tender, the club announced today. Running backs Gus Edwards and De’Lance Turner, center Matt Skura, and offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor all signed their exclusive rights free agent tenders, per Baltimore.

Onwuasor, 26, has started 25 games for the Ravens over the past two seasons, but didn’t top 60% playing time in either of those campaigns. That’s likely to change in 2019, as Onwuasor is expected to become Baltimore’s top linebacker following the departure of free agent C.J. Mosley. Last year, Onwuasor posted 59 total tackles, 5.5 sacks, and one interception while grading as the NFL’s No. 40 linebacker among 92 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus, which assigned Onwuasor a top-15 coverage grade among LBs.

Following a solid 2018 season, a rival team could have theoretically expressed interest in signing Onwuasor to an offer sheet. However, that would have forced said club to sacrifice a second-round pick and give Onwuasor a large enough contract to dissuade the Ravens from matching. Instead, the former undrafted free agent is now scheduled to earn $3.095MM for the upcoming campaign.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/13/18

October 13th, 2018 at 4:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Saturday’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Cleveland Browns

  • Released via injury settlement: FB Dan Vitale

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Sunday NFL Transactions: AFC North

September 2nd, 2018 at 3:02pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four AFC North teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Ravens, Bengals, Browns, and Steelers are noted below.

Additionally, as of 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.

Here are Sunday’s AFC North transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:

Baltimore Ravens

Practice squad:

Cincinnati Bengals

Signed:

Practice squad:

Cleveland Browns

Claimed:

Cut:

Pittsburgh Steelers

Practice squad:

* = international player
** = practice squad exception

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