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Ravens Notes: Lamar Jackson, Marquise Brown, Coaching Staff Changes

February 4th, 2022 at 1:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta held an end-of-season press conference on Friday. In it, he provided updates on a number of key points in the team’s upcoming offseason, including the current status of contract negotiations with quarterback Lamar Jackson.

DeCosta made it clear that he is personally handling talks with Jackson, and has been from the beginning of the negotiation process. He added that the two of them have spoken “five or six times over the past year” (Twitter link via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic). According to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley, DeCosta added “I’m proud of the relationship that we have” (Twitter link).

Jackson certainly didn’t have the season he or the Ravens were expecting. In 12 games, he recorded 2,882 passing yards and a near-even (16:13) touchdown-to-interception ratio. While he added another 767 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, he also had six fumbles. Between those numbers, and a season-ending ankle injury, 2021 was a far cry from Jackson’s 2019 MVP campaign. If anything, that could further complicate his contract talks, which were reportedly not proceeding as hoped earlier in the season. DeCosta stated: “We’re working at Lamar’s pace… We will operate based on his urgency” (Twitter link), suggesting the team is willing to let the 25-year-old play on his fifth year option.

Here are some other important notes from the presser, along with some updates to the team’s coaching staff:

DeCosta said he expects to pick up the fifth year option on wide receiver Marquise Brown (Twitter link via Hensley). A close friend of Jackson’s, Brown had his most productive season in 2021 (91 catches, 1,008 yards, six touchdowns), though he tailed off considerably late in the campaign.
The offensive line will be a priority in the offseason. As Zrebiec tweets, DeCosta stated a desire to strengthen the unit overall, though he is “optimistic” left tackle Ronnie Stanley will be able to return to full health after a second major ankle surgery.
Zreibec adds that the team is planning on getting younger along the defensive front. With that said, DeCosta has already been in communication with veteran Calais Campbell, who was thought to be contemplating retirement throughout the year.
Hensley tweets that cornerback Marcus Peters is expected to be back. He missed the entire season and his release would create $10MM in cap space, but the former All-Pro would provide a playmaking element to the secondary if healthy.
As for the coaching staff, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora tweets that inside linebackers coach Rob Ryan will not return. Hensley adds that outside LBs coach Drew Wilkins has also been let go, to pursue new opportunities alongside former DC Don Martindale.
According to Zrebiec, former Raven Zach Orr is a candidate to replace Ryan. After his promising career was abruptly ended due to a rare neck ailment, he’s taken to coaching. He spent 2021 on the Jaguars’ staff.

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.

Ravens Restructure Marcus Peters’ Contract

March 12th, 2021 at 10:15am CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens have restructured Marcus Peters‘ contract (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The Ravens will now have $3.5MM in additional cash this offseason. The cornerback was initially set to collect $11.5MM in base pay with a $13.5MM cap hit. Now, he’ll get $10MM in base salary and count for $10MM on the books.

Peters re-upped with the Ravens towards the end of 2019 on a three-year, $42MM deal with $32MM guaranteed. Twice traded, the deal gave Peters both financial and football security. Given his talent, the $14MM/year deal was a clear win for the Ravens. Together with Marlon Humphrey, he’s given Baltimore one of the best CB duos in the NFL.

This past year, Peters notched 52 tackles, four interceptions (plus one in the playoffs), four forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. Since entering the league in 2015, Peters has notched 31 interceptions, more than any other player in the league over the last six years.

Ravens To Extend Marcus Peters

December 28th, 2019 at 3:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

Marcus Peters will not hit the market or be franchise-tagged. The Ravens and their midseason trade acquisition agreed on a three-year extension, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). The Ravens have announced the move, which will lock up Peters through 2022.

The re-up is worth $42MM, Schefter adds, with $32MM guaranteed. This represents a key moment for Peters, who has been twice traded. Peters will collect $20.1MM next year. The Ravens gave up backup linebacker Kenny Young and merely a fifth-round pick for the talented cornerback, and their early-2020s secondaries will feature the game’s premier ball hawk.

While this deal does not raise the cornerback salary ceiling, coming in at $14MM per year, it gives Peters security he’s lacked after mercurial stints in Kansas City and Los Angeles. Despite this being only a three-year pact, Peters’ $32MM in guarantees place him inside the top 10 among cornerbacks. His AAV lands there as well.

The Ravens have seen the former first-round pick play a key role in helping their pass defense rebound after a rough start to the season. This accord will fill a need for the Ravens, who have Jimmy Smith on an expiring contract and Brandon Carr wrapping up his age-33 season.

Baltimore gave up more than 300 passing yards in three straight September games, twice yielding 500-plus total yards in that span. Since Peters’ arrival, the Ravens have not allowed a 300-yard passing performance. Baltimore enters Week 17 with the No. 4 DVOA pass defense. Peters was one of 12 Ravens Pro Bowlers, the University of Washington alum being honored as such for the third time.

An aggressive corner who did not fetch a first-round pick in either trade, the soon-to-be 27-year-old Peters has become the game’s premier interception threat. Since the 2015 season, Peters leads the field by a staggering margin in this category. His 27 picks are nine more than anyone else’s total since coming into the league. Peters’ six pick-6s also lead the field over the past half-decade.

The Chiefs traded Peters in 2018, doing so after he became a disruptive locker room presence. Kansas City received second- and fourth-round picks for the 2016 All-Pro. Peters started throughout the Rams’ NFC championship season but did not deliver dependable work. He began this year on a better note but was still dealt in a salary dump that turned out to be a space-clearing maneuver for the Rams to add Jalen Ramsey. Peters has intercepted five passes this season — three with Baltimore — and returned three picks for touchdowns.

Rams Trade CB Marcus Peters To Ravens

October 15th, 2019 at 3:24pm CST by Zachary Links

The Rams have traded cornerback Marcus Peters to the Ravens for linebacker Kenny Young, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). The Rams will also receive a 2020 fifth-round pick in the deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

The trade comes on the heels of another smaller swap, which saw the Rams ship a 2021 draft pick to the Browns for guard Austin Corbett. Clearly, after a three-game slide, the Rams eager to shake things up.

Peters, 26, is in the fifth year of his rookie contract. This season was supposed to be Peters’ chance to secure a lucrative extension with the Rams. Instead, he’s starting over with the third team of his young career. The Rams would have likely fetched a third- or fourth-round pick for Peters, via the compensatory process, in 2021. They agreed to land Young and a fifth-rounder that will come a year earlier.

After this season, the Ravens will have the opportunity to franchise tag Peters, which would cuff him at approximately $17MM. Or, if they choose, they can allow Peters to test, or walk, in free agency. For now, the Ravens have him at a reasonable cap figure of $9.069MM.

In 2018, Peters showed serious flashes of promise, including a strong showing in a Super Bowl that was otherwise ugly for L.A. Still, he lacked consistency throughout the year, and he has a rep for being difficult with coaches.

With the Ravens, Peters will help secondary that lost defensive backs Tavon Young, Tony Jefferson, and DeShon Elliott for the year. Meanwhile, cornerback Maurice Canady is day-to-day with a hamstring injury.

“The next game is critical,” head coach John Harbaugh said on Monday (via the Associated Press). “It won’t make or break us, but it will go a long way in setting us up for where we’re heading down the road and what kind of season we’re going to have.”

Harbaugh wasn’t kidding – the Ravens went out and got serious firepower in advance of their matchup against the Seahawks. Meanwhile, the Rams will add Young, a 2018 fourth-rounder who notched 2.5 sacks last season, to the mix.

Extension Candidate: Rams CB Marcus Peters

June 27th, 2019 at 12:00pm CST by Zachary Links

With one year to go on his contract, the Rams say they’re looking to lock up Marcus Peters for the long haul. However, things have been quiet on that front and it’s fair to wonder whether he’ll be re-upped at all.

Peters, 26, is entering the fifth year of his rookie contract. After that, the Rams have the option of keeping him off of the free market with the franchise tag, but that would be an expensive proposition. This offseason, the one-year tender for cornerbacks was set at $16.022MM. Next year, that number is expected to climb north of $17MM.

Peters’ 2018 campaign was a tale of two players. He struggled in the first half of the year, but things started to click in the latter portion of the season. He was particularly impressive in the Super Bowl and, along with punter Johnny Hekker, he was one of only a few Rams players to turn in a quality performance.vIn terms of pure talent, Peters is among the very best at his position. However, his up-and-down 2018 season and history of clashing with coaches in Kansas City may be giving the Rams pause.

It’s also worth noting that the Rams have been reluctant to pay big bucks for defensive backs in the past. In recent years, they’ve allowed corners Trumaine Johnson and Janoris Jenkins and safeties Rodney McLeod, T.J. McDonald, and Lamarcus Joyner to walk. And, in the recent case of Johnson, that proved to be a wise move – if given the opportunity by a genie, the Jets probably turn back time and tear up the veteran’s five-year, $72.5MM deal (they might also ask the genie to fire then-GM Mike Maccagnan before the thick of the 2018 offseason, but we digress.)

So, what will the Rams do with Peters? If they choose, they can stand pat and allow Peters to play out his 2019 season at a reasonable rate of $9.069MM. Alternatively, if they want to extend Peters now, they may have to back up a Brinks truck for him.

In May, the Dolphins made Xavien Howard the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history with a five-year, $76.5MM extension, giving him an average annual value of $15.3MM. The deal also includes $27MM in full guarantees, slotting him behind only Josh Norman, Johnson, Stephon Gilmore, Denzel Ward, and Jenkins. When considering that two of those corners once formed the backbone of the Rams’ secondary, it’s hard to see the team making a similar commitment to Peters before he can consistently prove his worth over the course of a full season.

For what it’s worth, head coach Sean McVay says the Rams “absolutely” want to sign Peters to an extension. We’ll see if the Rams put their money where their mouth is in the coming weeks, when Peters’ reps will likely seek a deal in the neighborhood of Howard’s.

Rams Notes: Peters, Johnson, Gurley

June 1st, 2019 at 7:16pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Rams have a lot on their plate coming up. As they look to defend their NFC championship, they have a bunch of players who will need new contracts soon. One of those is cornerback Marcus Peters, who is heading into the final year of his rookie deal. Rams coach Sean McVay said back in March that the team wanted to extend Peters, but there hasn’t been much progress since then. There’s no guarantee that anything gets done, and Vincent Bonsignore of The Athletic notes that while the “Rams have shown a tendency to lock up players they consider core pieces,” that “they’ve also been selective, if not entirely reluctant, to do so with defensive backs.”

Peters is surely looking for a huge payday, but he was inconsistent during his first season in Los Angeles last year. Bonsignore points out that just in the past few years they’ve let corners Trumaine Johnson and Janoris Jenkins and safeties Rodney McLeod, T.J. McDonald and Lamarcus Joyner all walk in free agency, choosing to replenish through the draft and in trades. The Rams gave up a lot to acquire Peters from the Chiefs, but it doesn’t sound like they’re quite sold on him. Bonsignore writes that “it looks like a situation they’ll table until next March,” so it doesn’t sound like Peters will get a new deal before the season starts. If that’s the case, he’ll need to prove himself with a bounce back 2019.

Here’s more from Los Angeles:

While Bonsignore pointed out an interesting trend about the Rams and defensive backs, in the same piece he noted it’ll soon be broken. Not necessarily by Peters, but by safety John Johnson. He writes the Rams “have made it clear they intend” to lock up Johnson, although he does caution that he “probably won’t get a new” contract until this time next year, as he still has two years left on his rookie deal. Johnson, a third round pick in 2017, has blossomed into one of the league’s best young safeties. He’s thrived in Wade Phillips’ defense, racking up four interceptions and 11 passes defended last year.
The Rams have been impressively tightlipped about the health of Todd Gurley. Ever since Gurley was hampered down the stretch last season and ended up splitting time with C.J. Anderson, it’s been impossible to pin down specifics. Reports have varied from him having arthritis in his knee that could potentially derail his career, to insisting that everything was fine. While the Rams have tried to put a positive spin on everything, Jay Glazer of The Athletic hears that Gurley’s knee “is a concern.” Glazer does write that “it’s not all doom and gloom” in Los Angeles, but he makes it sound like something that’s unpredictable and could blow up at any time. All the Rams would say recently is that they have an “individualized workout plan” for their star running back this offseason. Gurley has been staying away from the team’s OTAs, so he hasn’t had to answer questions from reporters yet. We should hopefully have more clarity on the situation soon.
In case you missed it, the Rams extended Troy Hill on Thursday.

Rams Want To Lock Up Marcus Peters

March 26th, 2019 at 12:06pm CST by Zachary Links

The Rams “absolutely” want to sign cornerback Marcus Peters to an extension, head coach Sean McVay says (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Lindsey Thiry). McVay highlighted Peters’ strong play in the second half of the 2018 season as reason for the club wanting to lock him up.

Peters, 26, is entering the fifth year of his rookie contract. After that, the Rams have the option of keeping him off of the free market with the franchise tag, but that would be an expensive proposition. This offseason, the one-year tender for cornerbacks was set at $16.022MM. Next year, that number is expected to climb north of $17MM.

Last year, Peters started in all 16 of the Rams’ regular season games plus the club’s three postseason contests. Peters finished with 43 tackles and three interceptions, including a pick six in Week 1 against the Raiders. Two of his INTs came in the second half of the season and he impressed in the Super Bowl while many of the club’s other stars sagged.

For what it’s worth, the advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus were not super impressed with Peters on the whole. He graded out as just the 78th best cornerback in the NFL out of 112 qualified players, a far cry from his top 20 placement in 2017.

TNF Notes: Vikings, Cook, Rams, Peters

September 27th, 2018 at 6:00pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Let’s take a look at a few notes on the Vikings and Rams before tonight’s tilt:

Running back Dalvin Cook didn’t play in Week 3 when the Vikings lost to the Bills, but he’s expected to suit up tonight, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Cook is dealing with a hamstring injury, and Minnesota coaches plan to use caution by examining his during pre-game warmups. After taking part in today’s walkthrough, Cook will be on a pitch count against the Rams. That means backup Latavius Murray, who filled in for Cook last week, could see work against Los Angeles’ vaunted defensive line. Cook, of course, suffered a torn ACL and missed the majority of his rookie campaign in 2017, but did average 4.8 yards per carry before going down.
Cook isn’t the only injured player who will be active for tonight’s contest, as Rams cornerback Marcus Peters will be avaialable despite reports he would miss time with a calf strain, tweets Steve Wyche of NFL.com. Peters was expected to miss two-to-four weeks, a devastating loss especially given that fellow Los Angeles defensive back Aqib Talib was placed on injured reserve earlier this week. Instead, Peters will take the field, giving the Rams at least some hope of stopping Vikings wideouts Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen. Like Cook, Peters could conceivably be on a snap limit, meaning Los Angeles will need to count on reserves like Sam Shields and Troy Hill.
After a bizarre weekend, Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen will unsurprisingly be inactive for tonight’s game. He spent today finishing a mental health evaluation, per Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link), who adds Griffen is expected to speak publicly about his situation in the near future. Police were called to Minneapolis hotel Saturday following reports Griffen was threatening to assault staff members, and Griffen later reportedly behaved erratically outside teammate Trae Waynes‘ home.

Aqib Talib To Undergo Surgery

September 25th, 2018 at 5:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Aqib Talib is expected to miss around a month of action because of a high ankle sprain suffered in the Rams’ win over the Chargers. However, this process will now include a surgery.

Sean McVay confirmed Talib will have surgery on Thursday (per The Athletic’s Vincent Bonsignore, on Twitter). He’s been declared out for Thursday’s game against the Vikings, and McVay isn’t sure how long it will take Talib to recover from this operation, per Lindsey Thiry of ESPN.com (via Twitter).

An IR stay for the 11th-year defender hasn’t yet been mentioned. The Rams are set to face the Vikings in a key NFC game Thursday and may not have either Talib or Marcus Peters for it. Peters is battling a calf strain and is day-to-day, per McVay.

This will be a blow to a Rams team flush with star talent on defense. Nickell Robey-Coleman and Sam Shields represent the next men up, but Robey-Coleman serves as Los Angeles’ slot corner. Shields missed all but one game during the 2016 and ’17 seasons due to severe concussion trouble. He’s played in 48 snaps across three Rams games this season, however. The former Packers top corner is still just 30.

Talib has not missed more than three games in a season since his 2012 campaign with the Buccaneers and Patriots. He missed three games for the 2016 Broncos but still earned his first-team All-Pro honor. He missed one game last season, but that was for his fight with Michael Crabtree.

Following their home Vikings tilt, the Rams have road trips scheduled for Seattle, Denver and San Francisco. It appears unlikely Talib will be healthy enough to face the Broncos in Week 6.