Tag: Baltimore Ravens practice squad

Ravens sign former Lions S Jayron Kearse to the practice squad

The Baltimore Ravens have added to their practice squad, signing former Detroit Lions safety Jayron Kearse.

The Baltimore Ravens have an eye on the postseason and are making some moves to shore some things up. One such move was to sign former Detroit Lions safety Jayron Kearse to the practice squad, the team announced Thursday.

Baltimore has been dangerously thin on defensive back talent this season as injuries have ravaged the secondary. By signing Kearse, the Ravens are adding a little insurance in case of more players getting injured and getting him acclimated to the team and the playbook before thrusting him into action.

While Kearse is on the practice squad, the placement could just be temporary. As we’ve seen at times this season, Baltimore has used the practice squad as a staging area for incoming players they intend on playing. And while Kearse being available this late in the season points to him not being starter quality, that’s not necessarily true.

Kearse started seven games for the Lions this season. He was targeted 31 times, allowing 19 completions for 149 yards and one touchdown, allowing an 83.9 passer rating. Though he didn’t notch any interceptions, Kearse did force a fumble and has been used with some frequency on blitzes — something he could see even more of in Baltimore.

For how late in the season this move is, it’s a pretty good one that adds a little emergency depth at a position the Ravens need it. And filling that depth role with someone who has started before and performed at a decent level. It’s a small but potentially critical move if the Ravens are able to go deep into the playoffs this season.

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Ravens activate CB Anthony Averett from injured reserve, 2 others from practice squad

Baltimore Ravens cornerback Anthony Averett is promoted to 53-man roster ahead of Week 13 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.

The Baltimore Ravens activated cornerback Anthony Averett from injured reserve to the 53-man roster ahead of a Week 13 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday, according to the NFL’s transaction report.

Averett has been off the field since Week 6 after he suffered a shoulder injury against the Philadelphia Eagles. Averett came off injured reserve on Friday with a “designated to return” label, giving him time to practice with the team and get back up to speed. Averett is expected to suit up against the Cowboys and provide depth to a Ravens secondary that has been banged up all-season.

In total, Baltimore had five cornerbacks on injured reserve at one point this season. The Ravens lost cornerback Tavon Young to a season-ending knee injury in Week 2 while Iman Marshall and Khalil Dorsey were also put on injured reserve after their respective injuries.

But it’s not just players on injured reserve that’s making Baltimore’s cornerback depth disappear. Both Jimmy Smith and Tramon Williams are listed as inactive for Tuesday’s game against the Cowboys due to injuries, putting more pressure on the group — including Averett — to perform against a very capable Dallas passing attack. Smith did not practice this week after suffering a groin injury in Week 12 against the Steelers. Williams, who signed with Baltimore in November because of an injured-filled secondary is also inactive due to a thigh injury.

In other moves, the Ravens also activated tight end Eric Tomlinson and cornerback Pierre Desir from the practice squad. Tomlinson played Wednesday in Pittsburgh following tight end Mark Andrews being put on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. Desir last played in Week 9 for the New York Jets.

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Ravens elevate 10 players from practice squad vs. Steelers

In order to fill vacancies and play the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday, the Baltimore Ravens called up 10 players from the practice squad.

The Baltimore Ravens are short-handed, to say the least. After putting a total of 22 players on the Reserve/COVID-19 list over the last 10 days, the Ravens need a little more help to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers Wednesday. According to the team’s Twitter account, Baltimore has activated 10 players from the practice squad to fill vacant spots.

  • LB Aaron Adeoye
  • TE Sean Culkin
  • LS Nick Moore
  • DE Chauncey Rivers
  • RB Ty’Son Williams
  • DT Aaron Crawford
  • QB Tyler Huntley
  • OL R.J. Prince
  • TE Eric Tomlinson
  • TE Luke Wilson

While all of these players will be important for the Ravens today, some are more likely to get meaningful snaps than others. With Mark Andrews on the Reserve/COVID-19 list and Nick Boyle on injured reserve, all three tight ends activated for this game are likely to get some action. That could actually prove to be a bit of a boon for Baltimore as they desperately need more help at the position even when Andrews comes back.

Long snapper Nick Moore will also play a vital role today after starting long snapper Morgan Cox went on the Reserve/COVID-19 list last week. He’ll be handling snapping duties on field goals, extra points, and punts Wednesday.

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Ravens elevate WR Dez Bryant, 2 others from practice squad for Week 11

The Baltimore Ravens are going to see what wide receiver Dez Bryant can do for them against the Tennessee Titans in Week 11.

The Baltimore Ravens could use a little help in Week 11. They’re set to face off against the Tennessee Titans today and have looked to their practice squad for the necessary bodies to build the best gameday roster possible.

Per the transaction report, the Ravens have elevated wide receiver Dez Bryant, offensive lineman Will Holden, and tight end Luke Wilson.

This is the second time Baltimore has brought Bryant up from the practice squad for gameday. Per the NFL’s rules, players are eligible to be elevated from the practice squad just twice, meaning if the Ravens want to see Bryant on the field after this week, they’ll need to make room for him on the 53-man roster.

With the wide receivers struggling to get open and the passing offense stagnate because of it, there’s hope Bryant will be a bit of a savior as an outside possession receiver. Bryant was active in Week 9 against the Indianapolis Colts but played just two offensive snaps in that game, seeing no targets.

Wilson was just signed to the practice squad following Nick Boyle heading to injured reserve. It’s unclear just how big of a role he’ll have this week but with only Mark Andrews on the 53-man roster now and no other tight ends elevated from the practice squad for this game, it seems as though Wilson will play an integral part this week.

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WATCH: Yannick Ngakoue’s, Dez Bryant’s first practice with Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens got newly acquired DE Yannick Ngakoue and WR Dez Bryant on the practice field for the first time in a Ravens uniform.

The Baltimore Ravens were movers and shakers during the bye week, trading for defensive end Yannick Ngakoue and signing wide receiver Dez Bryant to the practice squad. The hope is both players can take the Ravens to the next level this season and guide them to Super Bowl LV. But it all starts with the first practice.

Take a look as Ngakoue heads to Baltimore’s practice fields at the Under Armour Performance Center for the first time in a Ravens uniform.

With the media only able to film individual drills at practice, the best look we’ll get of Ngakoue before he plays in a game is on the blocking sled. While pretty far from an actual game or even going up against another player, Ngakoue showed off his power and quickness on the sled and during a walkthrough drill.

As is usually the case, defensive tackle Brandon Williams was out there making jokes and cutting up with his new teammate.

The defense wasn’t alone in welcoming a new member of the squad. The offense got a chance to see what Bryant is all about. In his first practice with Baltimore, Bryant was being used on the scout team as a surrogate for Steelers rookie wide receiver Chase Claypool, including wearing the same No. 11 jersey. Bryant showed off his hands, reeling in a one-handed grab during the position drills.

It’s just the first day but it’s easy to get excited about the Ravens’ newest additions.

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John Harbaugh guarded about Dez Bryant playing: ‘When and if he’s ready to go, he’ll be out there’

Despite signing Dez Bryant to the practice squad, coach John Harbaugh didn’t want to put a timeframe on his return to games.

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Even though the Baltimore Ravens signed veteran wide receiver Dez Bryant this week, there are no guarantees he’ll actually see the field in any game. Baltimore appears to be taking a more cautious approach to Bryant’s status, signing him to the practice squad instead of the 53-man roster.

Many fans were excited when the team announced they added Bryant and it’s easy to see why. When thinking back to Bryant’s prime, it’s easy to get lost in the possibilities. He topped 1,200 receiving yards and 12 touchdown receptions in three separate years with the Dallas Cowboys, from 2012-2014. Even in his final two years in Dallas, Bryant was still a productive player, putting up a combined 119 receptions for 1,634 yards and 14 touchdowns.

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However, he’s no spring chicken anymore at nearly 32 years old. That would be enough to give pause by itself, but he’s been out of football following the 2017 season and is coming off an Achilles tear in 2018. It’s beyond rare for a player to come back after sitting out for nearly three years and be highly productive.

When asked about the team’s plan for Bryant moving forward, Harbaugh took a pretty conservative and guarded approach.

“We’ll just see where he’s at. He hasn’t played for how many years? So, we’ll see where he’s at. I mean, there’s a lot to learn,” Harbaugh said Wednesday. “He’s on our practice squad roster, which means he’s available to us. So, when and if he’s ready to go, he’ll be out there. It’s really that simple.”

This could just be Harbaugh’s gamesmanship coming out. He has had a tendency in the past to be very opaque about things like playing time and injuries at times. Giving a more firm timetable for Bryant’s return to the field could allow teams to better gameplan for him, taking away any competitive edge Baltimore might have there.

Or Harbaugh could be taking a more conservative approach to Bryant’s status because they don’t really know what they’ve got yet. Though the Ravens brought Bryant in for two separate workouts this season, signing him to the practice squad is an indication he’s not quite ready to play. That might be a matter of getting him acclimated with the offense and quarterback Lamar Jackson, or it could be the team wondering if he’s truly any better than guys like Miles Boykin and Willie Snead right now.

Unfortunately, Harbaugh didn’t make any of this clearer. So, we’ll all have to wait until he either makes his debut in a game or not.

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Dez Bryant emotional about signing with Ravens

Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant got emotional on Twitter upon getting signed by the Baltimore Ravens.

NFL players typically don’t get a second chance to play the game they love after being out of football for years. But for wide receiver Dez Bryant, the Baltimore Ravens represent that chance.

The Ravens are set to sign Bryant to the practice squad with the hopes of getting him up to speed and on the field this season. Bring a Super Bowl hopeful at 5-1, Baltimore is even better than just another chance to play football again for Bryant, it’s an opportunity to finally win a championship — something many great players never get a chance to do.

Bryant was very candid about his emotions at the news, taking to Twitter.

For all the interesting things Bryant has done throughout his career and the image he once portrayed, you can’t help but to feel for him here. After moving on from the Cowboys, Bryant tore his Achilles in practice before ever playing a snap with the New Orleans Saints in 2018 and it looked like his career was over. Though there are no guarantees he’ll ever see the field for Baltimore, it’s a chance for him to prove he’s still got what it takes, both to everyone else and likely himself.

The Ravens got a chance to see him up close during two workouts — one this offseason and one over the last week. While it’s unclear just how capable Bryant still is as a receiver and how much he still has left in the tank as a player, Baltimore seems to be betting on Bryant being a little extra motivated to perform.

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Ravens finally sign WR Dez Bryant to practice squad

The Baltimore Ravens are hoping veteran WR Dez Bryant can provide a spark, adding him to the practice squad so he can get up to speed.

The Baltimore Ravens brought former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant in for two workouts but he’s finally on the team. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Ravens are finally set to sign Bryant to the practice squad.

Baltimore desperately needs help on offense after the first six games of the season. Though they’ve managed to put up a good number of points, everything with the offense has been wildly inconsistent on a drive-by-drive basis. It gets no more frustrating than with the passing attack, which has struggled despite having the reigning NFL MVP in Lamar Jackson under center. Baltimore currently ranks

Beyond tight end Mark Andrews and wide receiver Marquise Brown, the Ravens haven’t gotten much else from the rest of their pass catchers. While Baltimore could still look to add a weapon via trade before the NFL’s deadline, the hope is Bryant will be enough of a spark in his own right.

The aim of putting Bryant on the practice squad is to allow him some time to knock off any rust from not playing since 2017 and get him acclimated to Jackson. The move won’t eat up a valuable 53-man roster spot and is generally a low-risk signing at this point. If Bryant never comes around, the team can let him go without much trouble. If Bryant flourishes, he can either become a gameday inactive from the practice squad or get moved to the Ravens’ 53-man roster and get on the field in the second half of the season.

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Report: Ravens to sign WR Dez Bryant to the practice squad pending workout

The Baltimore Ravens are bolstering their offense, adding veteran wide receiver Dez Bryant to the practice squad pending a workout.

Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta must have had an extra-large coffee this morning. After pulling off a trade for Pro Bowl pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue, DeCosta and the Ravens are set to sign former All-Pro wide receiver Dez Bryant to the practice squad, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

Baltimore had brought Bryant in for a workout earlier this season but failed to sign him at that time. But with the Ravens’ offense struggling, ranking No. 31 in passing yards this season, it’s clear they needed the extra help. However, it’ll be interesting to see just how capable Bryant still is at nearly 32 years old.

In his prime, Bryant regularly topped 1,200 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns a season with the Dallas Cowboys. But Bryant hasn’t played a down of football in the regular season since 2017, his last year with the Cowboys. Coming off an Achilles injury in a very short stint with the New Orleans Saints, many are wondering just how much Bryant still has in the tank.

The Ravens don’t have much room to scoff, however. Beyond wide receiver Marquise Brown and tight end Mark Andrews, Baltimore isn’t getting much from their current roster of receivers. Second-year wide receiver Miles Boykin hasn’t lived up to his offseason hype. Bryant would be the ideal replacement for Boykin if healthy and still capable of beating defenders on the field.

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Ravens make trio of roster moves after Week 5, including signing UDFA C Trystan Colon-Castillo

The Baltimore Ravens made a trio of moves after Week 5, putting Otaro Alaka on IR and signing Trystan Colon-Castillo to the 53-man roster

The Baltimore Ravens moved to 4-1 on the season, beating the Cincinnati Bengals 27-3 on Sunday. But the coaching staff and front office didn’t have much time to celebrate the win before having to get back to work.

According to the transaction report for Monday, the Ravens were busy. In addition to putting linebacker Otaro Alaka on injured reserve with a knee injury, Baltimore brought up center Trystan Colon-Castillo from the practice squad and signed defensive back Nate Hairston to fill his spot.

The trio of moves was somewhat expected. Alaka suffered what was feared to be a season-ending knee injury against the Bengals. As well, coach John Harbaugh noted Colon-Castillo had been garnering some attention on the practice squad, forcing the team to bring him up to the 53-man roster to keep him from getting poached.

Colon-Castillo was one of the Ravens’ undrafted free agents this offseason. Though Baltimore chose to not keep a single UDFA when creating their initial 53-man roster — breaking a 16-year record — the Ravens clearly feel the former Missouri center is someone they want to continue to develop for the future. With an offensive line that has had some subpar play this season following right guard Marshal Yanda’s retirement, keeping linemen they value is a pretty easy decision.

Hairston joins Baltimore’s practice squad with the veteran exception tag. A former fifth-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts, Hairston is in his fourth season in the NFL and on his third team. While it’s easy to think Hairston is simply an insurance policy for the Ravens, he brings quite a bit of experience at cornerback, an area Baltimore has been a little thin at this season.

Hairston has played in 40 games throughout his four-year career, starting 17. He’s notched two interceptions, nine passes defensed, two sacks, 95 combined tackles, and a safety.

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