The official deadline for NFL players to opt out of the 2020 season has passed. For the Baltimore Ravens, only offensive tackle Andre Smith and wide receiver De’Anthony Thomas have used the league’s voluntary opt-out provision to sit out the 2020 NFL season.
Though Baltimore only had two players opt out, that doesn’t necessarily mean there can’t be more at a later time. The NFL has allowed players to opt out at a later date if they’re diagnosed with a new condition that makes them high risk or if a family member is hospitalized, or dies because of COVID-19 or a related condition, according to NFL.com. In total, 66 NFL players have opted out for the season at the deadline, using either the voluntary or high-risk designations.
Though it’s hard for any team to lose any player for the year, this was undoubtedly a tough decision for all 66 players, including Thomas and Smith. But from a football standpoint, the Ravens are still in pretty good shape, since both players were backups and likely on the roster bubble already.
Smith’s opt out does leave the Ravens a little thin at offensive tackle, effectively leaving the team with few experienced options behind Ronnie Stanley and Orlando Brown Jr. Veteran D.J. Fluker is competing for the now-vacant right guard job but has played at tackle earlier in his career, giving Baltimore an experienced option to use in a pinch. Rookie Tyre Phillips is also expected to get some snaps at tackle in training camp in addition to competing at guard.
While Thomas is listed as a wide receiver, his real value to the Ravens was as a return specialist. Baltimore signed Thomas midseason last year, giving him the job over the likes of Cyrus Jones and Justice Hill. Thomas returned 13 punts for 93 yards as well as 10 kickoffs for 166 yards in eight games with the Ravens. But it’s expected Devin Duvernay and James Proche are in line for the return specialist job this year after being selected in the 2020 NFL Draft and offering more upside as receiving threats too.
[vertical-gallery id=50970]