The Baltimore Ravens are set to pick 27th in the 2021 NFL draft. There has been a lot of great players selected there over the last decade.
With an unusual offseason that won’t have the NFL Scouting Combine due to COVID-19 restrictions, the 2021 NFL draft might be sneaking up on everyone. Now just two months away, the Baltimore Ravens are likely knee-deep in their preparations; scouting prospects to move them up and down their draft board.
The Ravens’ first pick is at No. 27 in the first round, which has historically been a pretty good draft spot. While the exact pick number has no bearing on what a player will do once in the league, quite a few special players have been taken at the 27th spot, including one of Baltimore’s own. Of the 11 players selected at No. 27 from 2010-2020, they’ve earned a combined 11 Pro Bowl nominations and four first-team All-Pro nominations.
Instead of looking forward to which prospects might make the most sense for Baltimore, let’s take a look back at what type of player has typically been taken over the last decade.
Hopefully Short will sign with a team that gives him a chance to win a championship.
The Carolina Panthers released Kawann Short yesterday. He hasn’t played much since 2018 due to multiple season-ending shoulder injuries, but when he was healthy Short was one of the NFL’s most underrated defensive tackles and we’re willing to bet that he could be an impactful defender again.
Hopefully Short will get to sign with a team that gives him a legitimate chance to win a championship. As it happens, there are several potential 2021 contenders who could use some help at this spot, or just an extra shot in the arm defensively to get over the top. Let’s rank seven of them.
A new run-stopping defensive tackle for the Chiefs’ practice squad.
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The Kansas City Chiefs have added another player to the practice squad ahead of Week 17.
According to the NFL’s official transaction report on Wednesday, the Chiefs signed former Georgia Bulldogs DT Tyler Clark to the practice squad. Clark went undrafted following the 2020 NFL Draft and signed with the Cincinnati Bengals. He spent the offseason program with the Bengals but was released in August. He failed to latch on to any team since, joining the Chicago Bears practice squad in early December but would release him just a few weeks later.
Clark was better known as a run defender in college but had a few standout performances. One of those came in the 2017-18 Rose Bowl against the Oklahoma Sooners, where he faced now Cleveland Browns QB Baker Mayfield. He recorded a sack, two tackles for loss and five total tackles in that game.
The Chiefs had a free spot available on the practice squad because LB Emmanuel Smith was placed recently placed on the practice squad injured list. He suffered a hamstring injury in Week 15 and was sent to the injured list when the team signed OG Patrick Omameh to the practice squad just last week.
The move to grab Clark might be one made with an eye toward future development and the 2021 NFL season rather than the 2020 postseason. Listed at 6-3 and 300 pounds, Clark fits the mold of several of the run-defending defensive tackles that the Chiefs have employed on the practice squad in the past.
Davante Adams and Kenny Clark will both return from injury to play on Sunday against the Buccaneers.
The Green Bay Packers will return a pair of Pro Bowlers from injury on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Receiver Davante Adams and defensive lineman Kenny Clark, who each missed multiple games before the bye, did not receive an injury designation on Friday’s injury report and are officially good to go for Sunday in Tampa.
Adams, a three-time Pro Bowler, will return after missing two games with a hamstring injury. Clark, a first-time Pro Bowler last year, hasn’t played since injuring his groin in the first half of Week 1.
Adams and Clark both practiced fully this week following the bye. Although Adams was frustrated at the tie, the Packers’ decision to hold them both out against the Atlanta Falcons appears to have paid off.
Matt LaFleur’s unbeaten team could use the boost against the Bucs. Adams caught 17 passes during the first two games, including 14 passes and two scores in the season opener, and Clark is one of the game’s most disruptive interior defenders. Adams should help the Packers’ passing game against one of the NFL’s top defenses, and Clark has a chance to be a major part of pressuring Tom Brady.
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The Packers averaged 33.5 points in the two games without Adams, and it’s worth pointing out that the offense went through a clunky stretch after returning Adams from a four-game absence last season. LaFleur and Aaron Rodgers will want a smoother transition for the Packers’ No. 1 receiver this time around.
Clark should immediately boost the defensive line, both against the run and rushing the quarterback. His ability to impact the passing game could be especially important if the Packers are short-handed at outside linebacker.
The Packers won’t have running back Tyler Ervin, who has emerged as a big part of LaFleur’s pre-snap plans as the preferred jet-motion player. Cornerback Kevin King, outside linebackers Za’Darius Smith and Rashan Gary and defensive lineman Montravius Adams are questionable.
Meanwhile, the Buccaneers will be without tight end O.J. Howard and defensive tackle Vita Vea, who are both on injured reserve, but receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are both ready to play. Godwin will return after missing three games.
The upcoming bye week won’t impact the Packers’ decision on Davante Adams and Kenny Clark for Monday night against the Falcons.
The Green Bay Packers have two important players recovering from recent injuries and a bye week coming up in Week 5, making it possible the Packers will be extra cautious when deciding whether receiver Davante Adams and defensive lineman Kenny Clark play against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur shot down that idea on Thursday.
LaFleur said the bye week will have “no bearing” on the availability of Adams and Clark against the Falcons.
“No, it really has no bearing. Knowing that we have a bye is comforting because we are a little banged up right now, but it certainly has no bearing on this game,” LaFleur said.
Adams missed Sunday night’s win over the New Orleans Saints with a hamstring injury, while Clark has missed two straight games with a groin injury suffered in the season opener.
The Packers could sit Adams and Clark for another week and give them two extra weeks to get over early-season injuries, but both players were close to playing last week, and each could be close to 100 percent by Monday night.
The Packers scored 37 points without Adams and improved to 5-0 over the last two seasons without their Pro Bowl receiver. However, the defense could really use Clark, both against the run and as an interior rusher.
Players always want to play, and the Packers – who are 3-0 after the first three weeks – look like a legit contender in the NFC, and every game matters as teams race to be the coveted No. 1 seed.
The Packers will begin practice for the week on Thursday, which should shed more light on the potential availability of Adams and Clark for Monday night. Adams didn’t practice at all last week, while Clark was limited on Thursday and Friday.
The Packers are also attempting to return rookie tight end Josiah Deguara, who has missed two games with an ankle injury.
The New Orleans Saints will not have WR Michael Thomas and DE Marcus Davenport, while the Packers miss WR Davante Adams and DL Kenny Clark.
The New Orleans Saints will be missing some star power when they kick off against the Green Bay Packers on “Sunday Night Football” at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
New Orleans had already ruled out wide receiver Michael Thomas with an ankle injury, but the elbow issue that has sidelined defensive end Marcus Davenport the first two weeks will continue to keep him out of action. He wasn’t able to fully participate in practice this week (twice being listed as limited) so hopefully he’s progressing towards a return in Week 4.
Starting defensive tackle David Onyemata will also miss this game, having popped up on the Friday injury report with a calf problem. Second-year pro Shy Tuttle will make his 2020 debut in Onyemata’s place.
On the other sideline, the Packers will be without top wide receiver Davante Adams and defensive lineman Kenny Clark while they each recover from their own injuries.
One of the Green Bay Packers’ best defensive players could be on track to return after a one-game absence.
Pro Bowl defensive lineman Kenny Clark was back on the field for Thursday’s padded practice.
Clark, who injured his groin during Week 1, missed Sunday’s win over the Detroit Lions and didn’t practice Wednesday. His return Thursday – especially for a fully-padded practice – suggests he’ll have a chance to play Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.
Mike Pettine’s defense could use him. The Packers have struggled against the run during the first two weeks, and plugging running lanes for Alvin Kamara and collapsing the pocket on Drew Brees will be top priorities for the Packers on Sunday night in New Orleans.
More information on Clark’s status will be available on the injury report. Final injury designations arrive on Friday. It’s possible Clark could be listed as questionable, or have no injury designation at all based on how Thursday’s practice goes.
Last season, Clark delivered 6.0 sacks, nine tackles for losses and seven quarterbacks. He finished second among interior defensive linemen in total pressures, trailing only Aaron Donald. The Packers gave Clark a $70 million extension in August.
The Packers will be without DL Kenny Clark for Week 2 against the Detroit Lions. He’s out with a groin injury.
The Green Bay Packers will be without one of their Pro Bowl defensive players during Sunday’s home opener against the Detroit Lions.
Defensive line Kenny Clark, who injured his groin in Week 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, was officially ruled out by coach Matt LaFleur on Friday.
“Yeah, Kenny will be out, unfortunately. I know he’s doing everything in his power to be back as quickly as possible, but he won’t be able to play this weekend,” LaFleur said.
Clark missed practice the last three days. He initially injured his groin in the first half of the Packers’ 43-34 win over the Minnesota Vikings and didn’t return.
The Packers are dangerously thin along the defensive line. Clark won’t play Sunday, leaving Dean Lowry, Tyler Lancaster and Kingsley Keke to do most of the heavy lifting upfront. The Packers also have Montravius Adams, who missed Week 1 with a toe injury, and three defensive linemen on the practice squad (veteran Billy Winn and rookies Willington Previlon and Delontae Scott).
LaFleur said he wasn’t happy with the way the defensive line played in Week 1 and is looking for improvement against Adrian Peterson and the Lions on Sunday.
“I don’t think we played great last week there, I know these guys are hungry and ready to get back out on the field and prove that wasn’t their best performance,” LaFleur said.
The Packers released their first injury report of Week 2 on Wednesday.
Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark didn’t practice, but the news on the first injury report of Week 2 wasn’t all bad for the Green Bay Packers on Wednesday.
While Clark was non-participant after injuring his groin on Sunday in the season opener, several others returned to practice in some capacity, including offensive lineman Billy Turner (knee), safety Raven Greene (quad) and offensive lineman Lucas Patrick (shoulder).
Turner and Greene both missed the season opener, while Patrick left in the first half and didn’t return.
The biggest name on the list is still Clark, who – like Patrick – left in the second quarter and was ruled out to start the second half. Missing practice Wednesday suggests Clark is in danger of missing Sunday.
Turner’s return could help the offensive line, especially with Lane Taylor out for the season. He’s a candidate to start at right guard or right tackle.
The Packers added several new names to the report to start Week 2, including offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins (ankle), tight end Josiah Deguara (shin) and receiver Equanimeous St. Brown (knee), although all three practiced in a limited capacity on Wednesday.
Taylor, who tore his ACL and will miss the rest of the season, was also listed. He’ll remain on the injury report until he’s placed on injured reserve.
Outside linebacker Randy Ramsey (groin) remained out. He missed Week 1. Defensive lineman Montravius Adams (toe) was limited.
The Detroit Lions have a number of injury concerns. Receiver Kenny Golladay, cornerbacks Desmond Trufant and Daryl Roberts and offensive tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai all missed practice Wednesday. First-round pick Jeff Okudah did practice in full.
A groin injury suffered by Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Kenny Clark will cost him the rest of the game on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings. The Packers officially ruled out Clark to start the second half. Clark left the field with help …
A groin injury suffered by Green Bay Packers defensive lineman Kenny Clark will cost him the rest of the game on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.
The Packers officially ruled out Clark to start the second half.
Clark left the field with help from trainers following an interception by Jaire Alexander late in the first half.
A first-time Pro Bowler in 2019 who signed a $70 million extension last month, Clark is a dominant interior presence for the Packers defense. Without him, the Packers opened with Dean Lowry and Tyler Lancaster as the two starting defensive linemen.
The Packers also ruled out guard Lucas Patrick due to a shoulder injury. He started at left guard. Elgton Jenkins moved back to lent guard and Rick Wagner took over at right tackle.
