Tag: Marquise Brown

Lamar Jackson, Ronnie Stanley, Marquise Brown, Mark Andrews, and Marcus Peters expected to play vs. Bengals

Though the Baltimore Ravens’ injury report was lengthy in Week 5, most are expected to play Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals.

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The Baltimore Ravens’ injury report for Week 5 was quite lengthy. The bumps and bruises of the first quarter of the season is clearly getting to Baltimore, having 12 players listed as questionable for today’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. But luckily for the Ravens, it appears as though impact players will be on the field.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo, Baltimore is expected to have quarterback Lamar Jackson, wide receiver Marquise Brown, tight end Mark Andrews, left tackle Ronnie Stanley, and cornerback Marcus Peters.

On Friday, coach John Harbaugh was very optimistic about Jackson’s chances to start this week, saying he’s “good to go.” Though Jackson had been absent from both Wednesday and Thursday’s practice reports, the knee injury and illness he had weren’t considered serious and he returned completely on Friday.

Jackson will be quite thankful to have Andrews and Brown on the field with him this week. Both players are at the top of every receiving stat for the Ravens right now. Brown leads the way in targets (26), receptions (16), and receiving yards (242), while Andrews leads with four receiving touchdowns.

One player that seems unlikely to start in Week 5 against the Bengals is rookie right guard Tyre Phillips. After not practicing at all this week, Phillips was listed as “doubtful” on Baltimore’s final injury report on Friday. If he can’t play, the Ravens could look to start D.J. Fluker in his spot or potentially even fellow rookie Ben Bredeson.

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Ravens 2021 mock draft: Baltimore adds reinforcements on offense

The Baltimore Ravens stand at 3-1 on the 2020 season. In the 2021 draft, who could they select to make their team even better?

The Baltimore Ravens currently stand at 3-1 on the 2020 season and are just starting to get into the swing of things. After a successful offseason that included a phenomenal 2020 NFL Draft class, the Ravens have plenty of depth at almost every position. But looking ahead to next offseason, Baltimore could certainly upgrade in certain areas.

Luke Easterling of Draft Wire put together a 2021 mock draft based on how each team has looked through the first quarter of the 2020 season. The Ravens would currently own the 24th pick, and Easterling has Baltimore selecting Minnesota wide receiver Rashod Bateman with their selection.

The Ravens haven’t been getting a lot of contributions from their wide receivers so far during the 2020 season, so the pick of Bateman makes sense. Marquise Brown currently leads the team with 242 receiving yards, but the next closest receiver to him is Willie Snead who only has 117 yards. Bateman would provide an immediate upgrade and give Baltimore another threat on offense.

Bateman has produced big numbers ever since arriving at the University of Minnesota. In his first season, he showed his potential by putting up 706 receiving yards and six touchdowns catches. Then last season he turned it up a notch, recording 1,219 receiving yards and 11 scores while averaging 20.3 yards per catch. That kind of production would certainly be welcomed in Baltimore’s offense.

Bateman stands at 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, and has excellent ball skills. He can run after the catch effectively and is dangerous in space. He also catches contested balls with ease, something that would help Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson out tremendously as it would extend his throwing window when throwing to Bateman. There are some concerns about Bateman’s explosiveness, but with the talent he has, teams will probably be able to overlook any issues in the second half of the first round.

With the coronavirus pandemic wreaking havoc on the world, in August Bateman decided to opt-out of the 2020 college football season. However, after the Big Ten Conference announced that it would be playing football, he decided to opt back in and play. He will play his first game on October 24th as the Golden Gophers take on the University of Michigan Wolverines. Bateman will hope to continue to increase his draft stock and build off of the strong seasons he’s had over the last two years.

Even though Baltimore has talented young receivers in Brown, Miles Boykin, Devin Duvernay, and James Proche, Bateman would be a welcome addition to the Ravens’ offense. His contested catch ability alongside his big-play ability would make Baltimore’s offense extremely lethal. However, if he has another strong season, the Ravens would have to wonder if he’ll even be available when they pick. If he is, it’d be a no-brainer to select the Golden Gopher.

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Report: Ravens cut WR Jaleel Scott

The Baltimore Ravens have cut wide receiver Jaleel Scott, marking the 2018 NFL Draft a bust at the position for the team.

The Baltimore Ravens have all but finalized their wide receiver corps for the 2020 NFL season. According to Aaron Kasinitz of Penn Live, the Ravens have cut wide receiver Jaleel Scott.

Scott was one of two wide receivers Baltimore selected in the 2018 NFL Draft, joining fifth-round pick Jordan Lasley. The Ravens parted ways with Lasley early last year at training camp after he failed to develop. Baltimore hoped the 6-foot-5 Scott would take a leap forward this year and they could find a way to keep him on the team. However, a hot-and-cold training camp that saw Scott improve his play on special teams but often fall short of making big receptions. With just one reception for six yards over two seasons in the NFL, anything less than a perfect training camp was likely going to end his tenure in Baltimore.

The 2018 NFL Draft was the first where the Ravens spent two picks at the position. The 2019 NFL Draft saw Baltimore select Marquise Brown and Miles Boykin, who are both in line for massive starting roles this year. The Ravens added Devin Duvernay and James Proche in the 2020 NFL Draft and saw both play well throughout training camp.

With five wide receiver spots already sorted and Chris Moore expected to return soon from a broken finger, there simply wasn’t any room for Scott to make the Ravens’ 53-man roster.

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Second-year wideouts ready to breakout

Wideouts from the 2019 draft class are ready to step into starting roles after a year of learning the NFL.

The 2019 draft class already provided a number of productive fantasy football rookies last year – A.J. Brown, Terry McLaurin, Deebo Samuel, Darius Slayton, Diontae Johnson, and D.K. Metcalf all finished in the Top-40 among NFL wide receivers. While that is impressive enough, there are still more wideouts that seek to take their own step up to being a weekly fantasy starter.

Marquise Brown (Baltimore Ravens) – The first wideout drafted in 2019 turned in monster games in both Week 1 (4-147, 2 touchdowns) and again in the surprise playoff loss to the Titans (7-126). But he did little in almost all other weeks thanks to the Ravens record-setting number of rushes and he was still recovering from foot surgery. Brown gained 23 pounds in the offseason while reportedly still keeping his 4.3/40-time speed.

N’Keal Harry (New England Patriots) – Along with Brown, Harry was the only other first-round wide receiver selection in 2019. The 6-2, 225-pound Arizona State star was limited to only 12 catches as a rookie while battling hip and ankle injuries that forced him to miss nine games and underperform in all others. He never had a chance to sync with Tom Brady when the rookie finally started playing in Week 11. This is a chance for Harry to get his career back on track with a new quarterback.

Mecole Hardman (Kansas City Chiefs) – Playing in the all-world passing offense of the Chiefs is reason enough to be excited about with Hardman could do in his second season. The former second-round pick ended his rookie season with 26 catches for 449 yards and six touchdowns though he did most of his damage early in the season while Tyreek Hill was injured. Hardman drew several comparisons to Hill including a 4.33/40-time speed. He currently sits at No. 3 on the depth chart with Sammy Watkins no lock to keep his starting role.

JJ Arcega-Whiteside (Philadelphia Eagles) – While he was limited to only ten receptions for 169 yards and one touchdown as a rookie, the needle is pointing up for the ex-Stanford star. The depth chart for the Eagles also contains DeSean Jackson, Alson Jeffery, and Jalen Reagor, but Arcega-Whiteside has received rave reviews this summer for the progress that he’s made since last season and that’s raised both the confidence and expectations for the second-year player.

Parris Campbell (Indianapolis Colts) – The ex-Ohio State playmaker was drafted thanks to a blazing 4.31/40-time and a productive senior season. His rookie season was a washout with only 18 receptions for 127 yards thanks to a litany of injuries to include breaking bones in both his hand and foot, and also suffering from a nagging hamstring strain. He’s another second-year receiver that has made major strides in his development since his lost rookie campaign. He’ll be mostly in the slot with a far better quarterback in Indy this year.

The 2019 draft class already proved a delightful surprise with numerous breakout seasons last year. Their impact is certain to grow even more with the optimism and expectations for the above receivers.

Ravens’ Marquise Brown details the 4,000-calorie diet that helped him bulk up

Here is how he gained 23 pounds.

Baltimore Ravens receiver Marquise Brown has grabbed some headlines for his 23-pound bulking up in the NFL offseason, and like other athletes who have put on weight, we have the details about what he ate to get there.

Like those other diets, it includes a bunch of shakes between meals, which adds on the calories. Per ESPN, Brown took in 4,000 calories a day and had to get rid of his “go-to meal at McDonald’s” — “He couldn’t down 20 pieces of nuggets, a McDouble cheeseburger and a sweet tea in one sitting.”

So here’s the breakdown, which actually sounds very healthy from morning through night:

There you have it. Now, after he was labeled as “undersized” when he was drafted by the Ravens 25th overall in 2019, he’ll have some muscles to help in Year 2.

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Oklahoma’s Charleston Rambo in first-round of NFL Mock Draft by ESPN

ESPN’s Todd McShay released his mock for the 2021 NFL Draft. Unsurprisingly, wideout Charleston Rambo made the cut for the first round.

It appears that OU’s first-round receiver streak isn’t over yet.

ESPN’s Todd McShay released his latest mock for the 2021 NFL Draft on Wednesday. Perhaps unsurprisingly, wideout Charleston Rambo made the cut for the first round.

Rambo would be OU’s third consecutive wideout taken in the first round. That feat has only been accomplished one time since the AFL-NFL merger (Tennessee, 1982-84).

“Rambo broke out a bit for Oklahoma in 2019, with 43 catches for 743 yards and five scores despite being a secondary option to CeeDee Lamb,” said McShay.

Not only will Rambo be stepping into the forefront as OU’s primary receiver in 2020, he’ll likely be doing so from the Z slot. Riley is known for consistently threatening to take the top off the defense via his past Z receivers, such as Dede Westbrook and Marquise Brown.

The Z slot is a natural fit for Rambo’s speed and acceleration package. NFLDraftScout lists the Cedar Hill, TX. native for a 4.48 40-yard-dash. In 2018, Alabama’s defenders learned first-hand just how quickly Rambo can get behind a secondary.

On April 13, 2019 third-overall pick Jeff Okudah listed Rambo as the most difficult matchup he faced in all of high school.

247Sports rated Rambo as a four-star prospect, the No. 27 WR in the class of 2017, and the No. 28 prospect out of Texas.

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Ravens sign RB Kenjon Barner

The Baltimore Ravens added to their return specialist competition, signing journeyman running back and former Falcons returner Kenjon Barner

The Baltimore Ravens continue to bolster their roster at the start of training camp. After waiving fullback Bronson Rechsteiner Monday, Baltimore has announced they’ve signed journeyman running back Kenjon Barner.

Though the Ravens already have four running backs on the roster right now, Barner should be primarily viewed as a return specialist in Baltimore. Over seven years in the NFL, Barner has 100 total carries and 43 targets in the passing game, including just 10 total touches with the Atlanta Falcons last year. In comparison, last year Barner returned 35 punts for 267 yards and a touchdown as well as 17 kickoffs for 406 yards.

The Ravens have been looking for more stability in their return game over the last two years. Defensive back Cyrus Jones won the punt return job in 2018 before losing it last season when Baltimore signed De’Anthony Thomas. With Thomas opting out this season, the competition for the job has fallen to the likes of rookie James Proche, Willie Snead, and even Marquise Brown.

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John Harbaugh believes James Proche is the man for punt returner job

Former SMU wide receiver and current Ravens rookie James Proche is the “man for the job” at punt returner according to John Harbaugh

With the Baltimore Ravens in training camp, there’s a handful of starting jobs up for grabs. Among them is at punt returner where the Ravens have been struggling to find a consistent weapon for years now. According to coach John Harbaugh, sixth-round pick James Proche is the man for the job.

“It’s James’ role to win and he’s got to go win it,” Harbaugh said Friday. “I believe he’s up for the challenge, he’s the man for the job.”

It was expected there would be a bigger fight for the return specialist job this year. But with De’Anthony Thomas among the two Ravens to opt out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19, Proche is now penciled into the starting spot. That’s not to say he won’t have any competition, however. Harbaugh named two other players who will get some valuable reps back there throughout training camp.

“We’ve got Willie Snead,” Harbaugh continued. “I know Willie would like to do it too, he’s back there all the time. Marquise [Brown] catches punts every day. We’ll see as we go.”

It’s safe to say Baltimore drafted Proche with special teams in mind after hearing the team talk extensively about him in that role this offseason.

Immediately after selecting Proche with the 201st pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta sung the SMU wide receiver’s praises on punt returns.

“I watched him catch punts that weekend in Mobile, and I was really impressed by how he judged the ball and secured the catch,” DeCosta said following the third day of the 2020 NFL Draft. “He’s a guy that gets upfield quickly with the football in his hands as a punt returner, and that’s an important position. It’s hard to find those kinds of guys that have that special skillset.”

DeCosta and Harbaugh aren’t the only people impressed with Proche’s abilities. Special teams coordinator Chris Horton previously said Proche was in the mix for the return specialist job, echoing DeCosta’s sentiments.

For his part, Proche wants to get on the field any way he possibly can. As a late-round draft pick, Proche’s road to glory starts with special teams and returning punts. It’s something he noted in his first press conference with reporters after being drafted by Baltimore.

“I love punt return,” Proche said a few days after the 2020 NFL Draft. “I really just love catching the ball. Anything that involves ‘catch the ball and go make a play,’ that’s what I do. As far as punt return goes, that’s something I feel comfortable with. Kind of being back there alone, having full control, judge the ball, and showcase my abilities once I catch the ball. I’m extremely excited about being put in that role with the Ravens organization. Like I said before, I’m going to do it to the best of my ability.”

It’s something Proche is no stranger to doing, returning at least 12 punts in three of his four seasons at SMU. Over the last two years, Proche returned 37 punts for 329 yards. Proche’s 9.6 yards-per-return average on punts in 2019 would have been one of the more successful in the NFL last season, ranking seventh among players who returned at least 10 punts.

With a clear path forward, Proche has a chance to make Baltimore’s return team consistent for the first time in years. The last two seasons have seen the Ravens rotate players into the role with pretty awful results. In 2018 Baltimore had Tim White and Janarion Grant each field several punts before signing Cyrus Jones midseason and plugging him into the position. Last year, Jones ceded the job to Thomas after fumbling several times.

Even having stability hasn’t meant adequate production for the Ravens. In 2016 Devin Hester was signed to be the return specialist but averaged a paltry 7.2 yards over 25 punt returns that season. Since 2014, Baltimore has had just two punt returners — Michael Campanaro and Jones — average more than Proche’s 9.6 yards-per-return while returning at least 10 punts.

Despite his late-round draft status, Proche is expected to do big things with the Ravens. His worth ethic, quickness, and intelligence have been called out by more than one person who has worked out with him this offseason. And if Proche can get a stranglehold on the punt return job, he’ll likely find himself on the field on offense at some point too where he can live up to the hype he’s rightfully earned.

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Willie Snead, D.J. Fluker thinner as Marquise Brown gets bigger this offseason

Several Ravens players changed physique this offseason with Marquise Brown getting much bigger while Willie Snead, D.J. Fluker got smaller

Baltimore Ravens players had a variety of different goals this offseason. For some, it was simply to improve their technique from what they did last year. For others, there was a weight change in the plans. Now as the Ravens get into training camp, we’re seeing the results of all their hard work and some impressive new physiques.

Both wide receiver Willie Snead and guard D.J. Fluker are thinner than they were last year. Snead said he’s been working out since last season ended until now and is seven pounds lighter because of it.

“I started working out [in] February until we reported last week,” Snead said on a video press conference with reporters Wednesday. “I got the results I wanted. I feel faster. I feel lighter. I dropped like seven pounds. I’m really feeling good at this weight. I haven’t been this weight since my first year in the league and I’m just feeling pretty good going into the season.”

Snead is feeling good and based on his Twitter account, he’s ready for a breakout season.

Fluker has been posting some of his workouts to Instagram. He quipped the “proof is in the salad not the pudding,” saying he’s down two shirt sizes.

On The Lounge podcast, Fluker said his goal was to get down to 330 pounds where he’s a “whole different breed of animal.” While he was listed at 342 pounds on Baltimore’s roster this offseason, it seems like he could be down to around that goal weight if his social media photos are any indication.

But it’s not all about trimming the pounds for every player this offseason. Unlike Snead, who talked about being faster with the loss of weight, Marquise Brown wanted to bulk up a bit before his second season in the NFL.

Brown said he actually lost weight last year, which was likely due to a foot injury that kept him out of the NFL Scouting Combine and a large part of training camp. But Brown entered training camp after having a screw removed from his foot and said he’s feeling “100 times better” than he did last year. Not only did Brown get to the 170-ish pounds he was at Oklahoma, but he added another 10 pounds of muscle on top of that. And for those that fear Brown’s increased weight and strength might have sapped his top speed, he said he’s just as fast as ever.

“While I was gaining weight, I made sure I was running. I kept track,” Brown said Wednesday. “I got the Ravens to send me a GPS tracker down to make sure I was still running at top speed, at good speed. Everything, with gaining weight, was keeping my speed and getting faster.”

Brown thinks the extra weight will help him with “absorbing hits off the catch” as well as blocking downfield. But more importantly, Brown believes the extra weight and strength will help with injuries.

Entering his second season in the NFL, Brown is primed for a true breakout year. He had a stellar rookie campaign, especially considering his foot injury, catching 46 passes for 584 yards and seven touchdowns. But if Brown is indeed as fast as he was last year and bigger, it stands to reason he could truly ball out in 2020 and set the league on fire.

Throughout the entire offseason, every player we’ve had a chance to talk to has given off the energy of being hungry, going the extra mile to reach a new level. After back-to-back disappointing postseasons, that desire certainly makes sense. Now it’s time to see if that hard work results in more wins and a Lombardi Trophy and not just the need for a new wardrobe.

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Marquise Brown thinks cousin Antonio Brown could fit with Ravens

Echoing quarterback Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Marquise Brown said Antonio Brown would be a good fit.

The Baltimore Ravens just can’t seem to shake Antonio Brown speculation this offseason. After quarterback Lamar Jackson backed the idea of Baltimore signing the free-agent wide receiver, Antonio Brown’s cousin did the same.

“I feel like he could fit in this locker room,” Ravens wide receiver Marquise Brown said. “He’s a guy that’s competitive. He’s going to go out there and give 100%, and seeing stuff like that is going to make other guys want to do the same.”

Brown’s sentiment echoes Jackson’s most recent statement on the matter, with the Ravens’ quarterback noting Baltimore’s locker room is different than the other ones Brown has been in. Jackson said it’s a brotherhood that keeps things inside, indicating the group’s mentality and winning could keep Brown happy.

Brown has had a troubled past year that led up to the NFL suspending him for eight games this season after multiple violations of the league’s personal conduct policy. Among Brown’s various infractions include an arrest for assault and burglary charges stemming from an incident with a moving company, as well as allegations of sexual assault of a former trainer.

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Brown only played in one game last season — a Week 2 game for the New England Patriots in which he caught four passes for 56 yards and a touchdown. But Brown’s off-field issues and absence from the game haven’t stopped two of the Ravens’ best young players from banging the table for him this offseason as well.

There was video of Antonio Brown working out with Marquise Brown and Jackson this offseason, spawning the initial flurry of speculation. But prior to the 2020 NFL Draft, Jackson told reporters he’d be happy if Baltimore were to sign Brown that further sparked it. Jackson reiterated that hope just last week, prompting coach John Harbaugh to discuss Brown’s status.

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