Despite a disappointing end to the regular season, the Ravens still find themselves preparing to play a playoff game this weekend. Their opponent will be a familiar foe, the Cincinnati Bengals, who escaped what was a surprisingly close game against an injury-plagued Baltimore roster with a 27-16 win last weekend. Though they are likely to still be without their superstar quarterback, the Ravens look to field a much more competitive lineup on Sunday night. So, as Harbaugh and his crew prepare for a win-or-go-home matchup, let’s take a look at some news surrounding the team.
Ravens Waive Nick Boyle and DeSean Jackson, Activate Four Players
While this first bit of news technically occurred before the Ravens final regular season game, it’s significant enough that it merited attention. According to a report on Saturday night from Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com, the Ravens released veterans Nick Boyle and DeSean Jackson to clear space so that they could elevate a slew of players to the active roster prior to taking on the Bengals. Boyle has been with the team since 2015 when he was selected in the fifth round. The start of his career was marred by two violations of the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy, but after Lamar Jackson took over at quarterback, the tight end became a crucial part of Baltimore’s rushing attack. Unfortunately, injuries have kept him from seeing significant playing time since 2020 and the recent emergence of rookie Isaiah Likely has made him the odd man out. Jackson, on the other hand, has only been with the Ravens for a few months. He failed to find a significant role in his seven games with the team, never playing more than 35% of snaps and only hauling in nine passes for 153 yards. Mink notes that his departure leaves the team with just four active wide receivers: Demarcus Robinson, Sammy Watkins, James Proche and Tylan Wallace. While the Ravens signed Boyle to the practice squad on Tuesday, it appears as though Jackson’s time in Baltimore has come to close.
Tuesday, word came out that the Arizona Cardinals will look to trade superstar wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins this offseason and Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports wasted little time naming his top destinations for the 30-year-old. Among the teams he named were the Giants, Browns, Bears, Cowboys, Patriots, Packers, and, of course, the Ravens. Benjamin cites Baltimore’s surplus of cap space, ability to contend, and need for a true number one receiver as reasons why the team would be a perfect fit for Hopkins. The Ravens and Cardinals have engaged in trade negotiations before as evidenced by the deal that sent Marquise Brown to Arizona last offseason. The question is how much they would have to give up to acquire a player who, despite still putting up solid numbers, is past his prime and has a cap hit of nearly $57 million over the next two years. This isn’t the first time the Ravens have been named as a potential suitor for a big name wide receiver and it certainly won’t be the last. But, whether or not they will ever go out and be aggressive in trying to acquire one of these players remains to be seen.
Ravens, Roquan Smith agree to 5-year extension, source says
The biggest piece of Ravens news this week came on Tuesday when, according to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley, the team agreed to a five-year contract extension with linebacker Roquan Smith. The deal was worth a total $100 million, $60 million of which is guaranteed, making Smith the highest-paid inside linebacker in the NFL. Since being acquired from the Bears prior to the trade deadline Smith has become the heart of the Ravens defense, compiling 86 tackles, two sacks, seven TFLs, and three passes defended while helping the team hold opponents to just 14.7 points per game. Hensley notes that Smith is the first player since Ray Lewis to record at least 100 tackles, multiple sacks, and an interception in each of his first five seasons. If his name continues to show up in the same conversation as the Ravens greatest player of all time, this contract could be a smash for Baltimore. Furthermore, the agreement should allow the Ravens to use their franchise tag on Lamar Jackson, who struggled to find common ground with the team during contract negotiations last offseason.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson (knee) faces an uphill battle to play vs. Bengals
Speaking of Lamar Jackson, according to Kevin Patra of Around the NFL, it seems as though the 25-year-old is unlikely to suit up this weekend against the Bengals. Jackson has been sidelined since December 4th, when he injured his PCL in the first half of a game against the Denver Broncos. While the injury was initially deemed mild, it quickly became clear that Jackson would be out of action for a significant amount of time. Still, there was optimism that he would return for the wild-card round of the playoffs given the importance of the game. That scenario is becoming less and less likely by the day as NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport told viewers of Good Morning Football on Wednesday that it’s “not looking good” for his chances to play and that he “faces an uphill battle to be able to get out on the field”. While fans have speculated that Jackson’s decision to sit comes out of frustration over his contract situation, the report is adamant that he is doing all that he can to be back on the field as soon as possible. Unfortunately, it seems as though Tyler Huntley will have to pull off an improbable upset and extend the Ravens season if Jackson is going to have a legitimate chance to play again this year.
Baltimore Ravens 2023 opponents finalized
The conclusion of the regular season means the Ravens 2023 schedule is now set. According to Kyle Barber of BaltimoreBeatdown.com, Baltimore will face their divisional rivals, all four teams from the AFC South and NFC West, and the second place finishers from the NFC North, AFC East, and AFC West. Among those teams, the Ravens will host the Seattle Seahawks, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Rams, Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins and Houston Texans, while traveling to play the San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers, and Tennessee Titans, in addition to doing both against the Bengals, Browns, and Steelers. For reference, that means the team will be home nine times (they were home eight times this year), giving Baltimore fans an extra opportunity to watch the team play at M&T Bank Stadium. As Barber notes, this schedule could prove difficult for the Ravens as they will have to take on six teams that are in the playoffs this year, as well as two others who fell just a half game short.
Luke Rollfinke is a student at Vanderbilt where he is pursuing a career in sports journalism. A recent graduate from the Friends School of Baltimore, Luke has spent his entire childhood in Charm City and is a devoted Orioles fan. In the past, he has written for SB Nation and has worked closely with Ravens columnist John Eisenberg. From nights at Camden Yards to Sunday afternoons watching NFL Redzone, Luke eats, sleeps, and breathes sports. He is excited to bring his perspective to BSL.