Tag: Jake Ryan

Ravens waive recently signed LB Jake Ryan

The Baltimore Ravens added two linebackers through the 2020 NFL Draft, making recently-signed LB Jake Ryan expendable.

Linebacker Jake Ryan will be looking for his third team in just a few months. Less than two months after agreeing to terms with Ryan and roughly a month after officially inking the deal, the Baltimore Ravens have decided to waive the veteran linebacker, according to the team’s Twitter account.

While it’s somewhat shocking to see a player waived so quickly after being signed, Baltimore remedied their woes at linebacker through the 2020 NFL Draft. The Ravens used their first-round pick on LSU linebacker Patrick Queen, while also picking Malik Harrison in the third round. With L.J. Fort signed to an extension late last season, Baltimore seemingly has their top linebackers already on the roster. The Ravens also have quite a bit of depth with Chris Board and Otaro Alaka returning from last year, as well as a few UDFAs signed following the 2020 NFL Draft.

When initially signed, Ryan was figured to be experienced depth for Baltimore. When healthy, Ryan was productive over three years with the Green Bay Packers. However, Ryan went on injured reserve in each of the last two seasons, playing just two games since the start of the 2018 season. With two new starting-caliber linebackers added to the Ravens’ roster and the experience Fort brings to the table, Ryan was clearly expendable.

Waiving Ryan will save Baltimore $845,000, according to Over The Cap. While not a ton of money considering the 2020 salary cap is set at $198.2 million, it does bring the Ravens up to $9.15 million available still, according to OTC. It will also open up a spot on Baltimore’s 90-man roster, paving the way for another signing at a position of more need.

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If Michigan was fielding a starting team based on current NFL players, here’s what it would look like

Creating something of a fantasy football situation selecting from nearly 40 Wolverines who are currently on NFL rosters to form a team.

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According to ESPN, while not all of them are actively playing, Michigan has 40 players currently in the league, bolstered by the 2020 haul with ten draft picks — though it lists Charles Woodson as active, and we’re pretty sure that’s no longer the case.

So, as our colleague over at BuckeyesWire asked, what would an NFL team look like if comprised solely of the players who graduated from one school? Naturally, a Michigan contingent had our interest piqued.

Given that there are a variety of schemes, offensively and defensively, and some players perhaps played a different position in the NFL than they did at Michigan, we came up with our starting maize and blue team in the pro ranks, taking a look at what could be if all of those who wore a winged helmet joined forces to create a Wolverines super team.

Especially with the man leading the charge under center, we’d put this team up against anybody.

Offense

There’s an obvious player to start with, and lots of solid linemen. But otherwise, Michigan is lighter than in recent years with skill position players.

Regardless, with the top choice overall — a man that many pick in the first round of their fantasy drafts — the Wolverines NFL team could be formidable.

Quarterback – Tom Brady

Photo: Isaiah Hole

The most obvious selection of the bunch is the greatest of all time.

If you have Tom Brady as your quarterback, you’ve got a chance to win it all. He’s won more rings than anybody with six in his time with the New England Patriots.

While he wasn’t as beloved during his time in Ann Arbor as much as he is now, if you’re building an NFL team out of former Michigan players, the former team captain and over-achieving sixth rounder from the 2000 NFL Draft is like getting the No. 1 pick in your fantasy league — it’s just good business.

In his career, Brady has amassed 74,571 yards in 285 games, with 541 touchdowns to just 179 interceptions.

Brady is No. 2 on the NFL’s all-time passing yards leaders list, behind Drew Brees — but literally ahead of everyone else. He’s also just behind Brees at No. 2 in passing touchdowns, just six away from the top, however.

NEXT: The starting offensive line

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Ravens officially sign LB Jake Ryan, 3 UDFAs

The Baltimore Ravens make their deal with free-agent linebacker Jake Ryan official as well as their deals with three more UDFAs.

The Baltimore Ravens keep marching forward in their quest to build out their 90-man roster. Though they had agreed to terms with linebacker Jake Ryan, the Ravens made it official after he passed a physical, according to a press release from the team.

Baltimore also signed three more undrafted free agents, bringing their count to eight officially under contract. These three players add to their 10-man 2020 NFL Draft class:

  • OLB/DE Chauncey Rivers, Mississippi State
  • WR Michael Dereus, Georgetown
  • C Sean Pollard, Clemson

Ryan adds valuable experience to what had been the Ravens’ weakest unit before the 2020 NFL Draft. With the addition of Patrick Queen in the first round and Malik Harrison in the third round, Baltimore now has a wealth of young talent as well as a few veteran options at their disposal for the upcoming season.

Ryan has had an injury-filled career, first with the Green Bay Packers for three seasons and then two years with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Over five seasons in the NFL, Ryan has played in just 45 of 80 possible games. But when on the field, Ryan has been productive as a run defender, notching 213 combined tackles along with one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.

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The three UDFAs add depth to some positions that are expected to have fierce competition in training camp. But with a history of at least one UDFA making the 53-man roster for 16 consecutive years, it’s a group that bears watching.

Rivers joins an outside linebacker group that isn’t very deep and has no definitive starter beyond Matthew Judon. Jaylon Ferguson and Tyus Bowser figure to compete for the starting job opposite Judon but any backup role is firmly up in the air among the rest of the roster. The Ravens are hoping to see Rivers put up the type of stats he did at Mississippi State, where he posted eight tackles for a loss and five sacks as a defensive end in 2019.

Dereus joins a group of wide receivers that are becoming increasingly deep after Baltimore has spent two picks in each of the 2019 and 2020 NFL Draft. But there are still expected to be a major competition for likely one or two roster spots at the position, as well as time on the practice squad. Over 11 games in 2019, Dereus caught 41 passes for 726 yards and five touchdowns.

Pollard adds much-needed depth at center where last year’s starter, Matt Skura, is still recovering from a season-ending knee injury. He’ll join Patrick Mekari and Colon-Castillo as UDFAs at the position behind the presumptive starter Skura. If Skura isn’t fully healthy to start training camp, the Ravens will likely push the other three to compete for the starting job.

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How Patrick Queen impacts the Ravens’ depth chart

With the Baltimore Ravens taking LB Patrick Queen in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, how does that shake up the depth chart?

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Now that the Baltimore Ravens have taken Patrick Queen with the 28th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, our focus shifts to how that affects to the Ravens’ roster.

Baltimore’s depth chart at linebacker was incredibly shallow prior to the draft, even though the Ravens had just signed Jake Ryan last week and gave an extension to L.J. Fort last season. Queen should be considered an immediate starter for Baltimore, which is something they didn’t have prior to the 2020 NFL Draft. But Queen might not fit in the spot many expect him to.

The depth chart as it stands right now should look like this:

Position 1st 2nd 3rd
MLB Chris Board Jake Ryan Otaro Alaka
WLB Patrick Queen L.J. Fort

Queen as a more rangy player actually fits in best at weak-side linebacker initially. That’s where the Ravens can maximize his playmaking ability and his speed in both coverage and as a potential blitzer, two things he showed at LSU.

One of the bigger knocks on Queen was his ability to play inside in run support. As an undersized linebacker, Queen can get caught up in the mess and struggles at times to recognize gap assignments, which makes him less effective as a traditional middle linebacker. While those are things he’ll certainly work on and he has the ability to improve dramatically at with more experience, Baltimore will get the most out of him by giving him room to run.

That makes middle linebacker a pretty hotly contested battle right now. Board, Ryan, and Alaka are all in the mix there as larger and more stout linebackers. Where Ryan comes with more starting experience, Board has more time in the playbook, which might make all the difference. Alaka still sits in third right now but could surprise people when the Ravens get back on the field for training camp.

Still, this is a group that could use more depth. The 2020 NFL Draft is far from over and there are some linebackers in the mid-to-late rounds that could come in an compete for a job as an early-down linebacker next to Queen. The second wave of free agency could even see an experienced option hit the market, which might be more up Baltimore’s alley given their lack of experience at the position.

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Former Michigan LB signs with AFC powerhouse

The former Wolverines standout finds a new home at an NFL powerhouse.

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After being a favorite in Ann Arbor and having a solid start to his NFL career, former Michigan LB/DE Jake Ryan is on the move yet again.

The former Wolverines standout got his start in Green Bay where he started in 27 of 43 game appearances, but he then signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars, where he’s only seen the field in two games due to injury.

Now healthy, Ryan is looking for a new opportunity, and he found one in one of the nation’s premier franchises where defense is a focal point. According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, Ryan signed a one-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens, coached by Jim Harbaugh’s older brother John.

Given the Ravens penchant for defense, should Ryan be able to rebound health-wise, he’ll have a great opportunity to re-make a name for himself at the pro-level.

Ryan’s arrival in Baltimore comes in the same offseason that his former teammate in Ann Arbor, defensive end Chris Wormley, departs, as the Ravens traded him to rival Pittsburgh last month.

In 45 games in the NFL, Ryan has 213 tackles, 15 for loss and one sack.

11 Ravens that could be most impacted by 2020 NFL Draft

The Baltimore Ravens are set to add nine more players to their roster at the 2020 NFL Draft, which will help and hurt other players

The Baltimore Ravens as you know them right now is set to change next week at the 2020 NFL Draft. With nine picks in the draft, Baltimore’s roster is going to undergo quite the makeover and that’s before we even get to the second wave of free agency when the Ravens typically add those bargain veterans to round out the 90-man roster.

With 58 players already on the roster, nine draft picks will end up shaking up the starting lineup and potentially push others further down the depth chart. With that in mind, I took a look at which Ravens are most likely to be severely impacted by the 2020 NFL Draft. should help him and the team immensely.

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

CB Tavon Young

It’s no wonder Baltimore handed Young a contract extension last offseason. When healthy, Young is one of the best slot corners in the league. However, that has been the big caveat for the Ravens recently, with Young missing all of 2019 and 2017 with injuries.

Though Young is expected to return this season, Baltimore would be wise to plan for his absence. At the worst, the Ravens would add much-needed depth inside at cornerback and at the best, they’d have a more obvious replacement for Young if he misses time this season.

Anyone selected at that role in the 2020 NFL Draft, especially early on, will be looked at as Young’s eventual replacement. Young is in no danger of losing his roster spot this season with more dead money than cap savings if cut, but that stops being the case as early as next offseason. If the Ravens find Young’s replacement, the $3 million in cap savings in 2021 and $5.845 million in 2022, according to Over The Cap, start looking really attractive.

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What does Jake Ryan’s addition mean for the Ravens’ 2020 NFL draft plans

With Jake Ryan coming to the Baltimore Ravens on a one-year deal, does it change what the Ravens are going to do in the 2020 NFL Draft?

The Baltimore Ravens bolstered their thinnest position group with the addition of inside linebacker Jake Ryan, who agreed to terms on a one-year contract pending a physical. With the 2020 NFL Draft coming up in less than a week, the biggest question with any new signing is how it will impact the Ravens’ draft plans. For Ryan, that’s a little bit of a complicated situation.

When healthy, Ryan is a starting-quality linebacker. In fact, he did that in 27 games over three seasons for the Green Bay Packers. But injuries have kept him from the field for all but one snap over the last two seasons, with the Packers and Jacksonville Jaguars respectively. While there’s certainly hope Ryan has recovered from the knee injury that put him on injured reserve in 2018 and the hamstring injury that ended his 2019 season, betting on that seems like a shaky proposition.

However, Baltimore just needed more experienced depth. Prior to Ryan’s signing, the Ravens had just three inside linebackers under contract and only L.J. Fort has started even just one NFL game. Only Fort and Chris Board have gotten any defensive snaps. With two linebacker spots to fill on base defense, that very limited depth and production simply wasn’t going to cut it for a Baltimore defense that has a long and proud history of linebacker play.

While Ryan’s addition certainly helps that depth, it likely isn’t a huge impact on the Ravens’ draft plans. They’re still likely going to use at least one of their nine picks at the position in the 2020 NFL Draft. However, they might not necessarily be forced into taking one of the linebackers — Patrick Queen and Kenneth Murray — who have frequently been mocked to them in the first round.

As director of college scouting Joe Hortiz noted in the pre-draft press conference, there are a bunch of linebackers that can be found later in the draft to fill specific roles. If Baltimore wants to split the position group into linebackers who can cover and ones who are stout against the run, they might be able to wait until Day 2 or 3 of the draft to find their other piece of the puzzle to combine with Ryan, Board and Fort.

As with everything the Ravens tend to do in the offseason, Ryan’s addition is about giving them more flexibility. They can let their draft board come to them without having to feel like they need to reach to fill a need with an early pick. It’s a strategy that has worked out quite well for Baltimore over the years, so it’s hard to disagree with it.

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Ravens agree to terms on one-year deal with LB Jake Ryan

The Baltimore Ravens added in a potential starting inside linebacker, agreeing to terms with former Jacksonville Jaguars’ Jake Ryan.

The Baltimore Ravens continue to address some of their biggest needs ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Ravens have agreed to terms on a one-year deal with former Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Jake Ryan.

Inside linebacker was perhaps Baltimore’s biggest need heading into the draft. With Ryan signed, it gives the Ravens a little more experienced depth and a potential starter. That means they won’t necessarily have to take a linebacker in the first three rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft, though they have frequently been mocked guys like Patrick Queen and Kenneth Murray in the first round.

Ryan was originally a fourth-round pick of the Green Bay Packers in the 2015 NFL Draft. Through four years with Green Bay, Ryan 27 of the 45 games he was active for, accounting for 213 total tackles, three passes defensed, a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and a sack.

Ryan missed the 2018 season with a torn ACL, his final with the team, signing a one-year deal with the Jaguars last offseason. However, he suffered a setback on his knee injury, starting training camp on the non-football injury list before heading to injured reserve for the second consecutive season.

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Report: Jaguars to decline Jake Ryan’s contract option

The Jaguars will be making the expected release of Jake Ryan, which helps to propel them to over $20 million in available cap space.

In addition to declining the contract option of Marcell Dareus Monday, it was announced that the team would be doing the same for linebacker Jake Ryan. Just like the decision with Dareus, the move is one that further puts the Jags under the cap as they rolled into this week over the cap by roughly $3.4 million.

The option was one that would’ve guaranteed $1 million of his $5.5M base salary.

Ryan, 27, joined the Jags last season via free agency from the Green Bay Packers. With his former coordinator Dom Capers on the staff, the Jags decided to take a swing on the young linebacker, who had previously missed the 2018 regular season with an ACL tear.

Unfortunately, his injury issues would continue as he suffered a setback before the preseason and wasn’t able to play until late November. Even upon returning, however, he was only available two weeks before having to be placed on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.

With most accounting for the potential release of Ryan, linebacker was a big need for the Jags to begin with. Heading forward they will need to find the right players to pair with Myles Jack, so it wouldn’t be shocking if they added help through both the draft and free agency.

Per Over the Cap, releasing both Ryan and Dareus will put the Jags at about $21.4 million in available cap space, but they could end up with around $35 million or $46 million (if they release A.J. Bouye) in the coming weeks with a few other moves.

Jags sign LB Dakota Allen from Rams practice squad, place Jake Ryan on injured reserve with hamstring injury

The Jacksonville Jaguars informed Tyler Gauthier that they would be signing him off the New England Patriots’ practice squad Monday, but it appears they had another move in mind, too. They made the announcement that they also signed Dakota Allen …

The Jacksonville Jaguars informed Tyler Gauthier that they would be signing him off the New England Patriots’ practice squad Monday, but it appears they had another move in mind, too. They made the announcement that they also signed Dakota Allen from the Los Angeles Rams’ practice squad to help out their linebacking corps, which has struggled and been a victim to injuries.

To make room for the additions of both players, the Jags placed veteran linebacker Jake Ryan (hamstring) and offensive lineman Brandon Thomas (knee) on injured reserve.

Allen, 24, is a name many will recognize from the Netflix documentary series “Last Chance U.” He made history for the show by being the first player from the documentary to be drafted into the NFL.

Allen was drafted in April by the Los Angeles Rams in the seventh round (No. 251 overall). He was waived during final roster cuts, but was brought back through the team’s practice squad afterward.

In September, the Oakland Raiders snagged him off the Rams practice squad and he participated in their games against the Green Bay Packers and the Chicago Bears. However, in late October he was waived and the Rams added him to their practice squad again.

As a collegiate player, Allen played at Texas Tech where he accumulated 262 total tackles, four interceptions and 11 pass breakups. While there he earned second-team All-Big 12 honors in 2017 and first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2018.