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In desperate need of a pass rusher after an exodus of free agents, the Ravens are bringing back one of their best from last season. Outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy is returning to Baltimore, the team announced Thursday. The deal is for two years and is reportedly worth $9 million with up to $1 million in additional incentives, according to NFL Network. Van Noy, 33, is coming off a career year in which he had nine sacks in 14 games after joining the team as a free agent in late September following injuries to outside linebackers Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Buffalo Bills agree to trade receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans Baltimore Ravens | NFL mock draft (Version 4.0): Two-round projections with trades as team needs come into focus Baltimore Ravens | Offensive line or cornerback? Here are the Ravens’ biggest positions of need as NFL draft approaches. Baltimore Ravens | 10 takeaways from NFL meetings, including Ravens ticket prices, uniforms, Christmas games and more Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: 40 years after Colts left, Baltimore remains a football city like no other | COMMENTARY Coach John Harbaugh said during last week’s league meetings in Orlando, Florida, that he was “optimistic” that Baltimore would be able to sign Van Noy or outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, who had 9 1/2 sacks last season. Not long after, Clowney agreed to a two-year deal worth a reported $20 million with the Carolina Panthers. Van Noy’s return should help bolster what is an otherwise young and somewhat unproven outside linebacker group that includes Oweh, Ojabo, Tavius Robinson and Malik Hamm. Last season, he was third on the team in sacks, behind defensive tackle Justin Madubuike and Clowney, and a significant contributor to a defense that led the NFL in sacks, takeaways and points allowed per game. Van Noy had 48 total pressures and a 14.7% pass rush win rate, per Pro Football Focus, which ranked 29th in the league among qualifying edge rushers, along with 30 tackles, including nine for loss, four passes defended and two forced fumbles, including a strip-sack. Van Noy’s signing comes after a dozen players from last year’s 13-4 team that reached the AFC championship game signed elsewhere in free agency. In addition to losing Clowney, inside linebacker Patrick Queen signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers, safety Geno Stone with the Cincinnati Bengals and cornerback Ronald Darby with the Jacksonville Jaguars. A second-round pick by the Detroit Lions in 2014, Van Noy won two Super Bowls with the New England Patriots but has played for four teams the past four seasons, including the Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Chargers and now Baltimore. Still, he has remained a more than capable pass rusher with at least five sacks each of the past five seasons. He also fit in well in the Ravens’ locker room. “I pride myself on having a high IQ,” Van Noy said last season. “You can ask anybody, and I think they’d tell you I’m a smart football player. I take pride in that. I take pride in being a professional. I tried to learn the defense in a week, so I feel like I got a good grasp on it. I know what everyone’s doing and where I fit in.” In 142 games, Van Noy has 500 tackles, 42 1/2 sacks, 72 quarterback hits, 12 forced fumbles, nine fumble recoveries and three interceptions. View the full article

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills are trading their top receiving threat, Stefon Diggs, to the Houston Texans in a deal that was agreed to on Wednesday, a person with knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the trade has not been announced. It was first reported by ESPN. As part of the deal, the Bills acquired the Texans’ second-round pick in the 2025 draft, which Houston acquired in a trade with Minnesota, the person said. Houston also acquired Buffalo’s sixth-round pick in this year’s draft, and a fifth-rounder in 2025, the person said. Diggs’ departure from Buffalo leaves quarterback Josh Allen without his favorite target, and breaks up a tandem that has re-written the team’s passing records since the receiver’s arrival in a trade with Minnesota in March 2020. Together they transformed a Bills offense into becoming one of the NFL’s most potent, while helping Buffalo win four straight AFC East titles. For the Texans, Diggs gives the offense another playmaker to team with Nico Collins and Tank Dell. Collins led Houston with 80 receptions for 1,297 yards and eight touchdowns last season. The Texans went worst to first in the AFC South under first-year coach DeMeco Ryans and AP Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud. Houston has also traded for running back Joe Mixon, along with a host of improvements on defense. After the deal, the Texans were 15-1 to win the Super Bowl next season on FanDuel Sportsbook. The 30-year-old Diggs has nine years of NFL experience and topped 1,000 yards in each of his past six seasons. In his first season in Buffalo, he became the Bills’ first player to lead the league in both yards receiving (1,535) and catches (127). Diggs’ production began slipping in the second half of last season, which coincided with Buffalo firing offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey and promoting Joe Brady, who placed a renewed emphasis on the running attack. Diggs finished the season with 107 catches and 1,183 yards — both lows during his tenure with the Bills — and eight touchdowns. He finished his time in Buffalo with 445 catches for 5,372 yards and 37 touchdowns to rank fourth on the team list. Diggs holds the top four spots on the franchise list for single-season receptions and the top-two spots for yards receiving. Overall, he has 1,178 catches for 9,995 yards and 67 touchdowns since being selected by the Vikings in the fifth round of the 2015 draft out of Maryland. Diggs, however, also carried over his mercurial personality that led the Vikings to trade him to Buffalo. Though voted a Bills team captain in each of the past two seasons, Diggs caused occasional stirs with several sideline outbursts and the frustration he showed after the Bills’ 2022 season ended with a 27-10 loss to Cincinnati in a divisional round playoff. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | NFL mock draft (Version 4.0): Two-round projections with trades as team needs come into focus Baltimore Ravens | Offensive line or cornerback? Here are the Ravens’ biggest positions of need as NFL draft approaches. Baltimore Ravens | 10 takeaways from NFL meetings, including Ravens ticket prices, uniforms, Christmas games and more Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: 40 years after Colts left, Baltimore remains a football city like no other | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens observations on new NFL rules, pass rush concerns, Lamar Jackson and more | COMMENTARY Diggs left the locker room before coach Sean McDermott had a chance to address the team, and had to be coaxed back by teammate Duke Williams. Diggs then spent the offseason posting cryptic messages on his social media accounts while declining to take part in the Bills’ voluntary offseason programs. Confusion then arose when Diggs wasn’t present for the Bills’ first mandatory practice and McDermott said he was “concerned” about the player’s absence. A day later, McDermott corrected himself by saying Diggs was excused from practice, but was present at the facility to discuss lingering issues that stemmed from the previous season. The dustups led to Diggs having to several times reiterate his loyalty to the Bills, including him saying he wanted to finish his career in Buffalo. “I take my job seriously. You can see how I play. You can see how I play. You can see how I practice,” Diggs said in November. “They’ve never questioned me as a player, and as a man of what I bring to the table. So me being fully invested has never really been in question.” View the full article

It’s officially draft month. The first round of the 2024 NFL draft begins April 25 in Detroit, which means there are only a few weeks left for prospects to make their final impressions and teams to solidify their big boards as they fill their remaining roster holes. Here are The Baltimore Sun’s latest projections for the first two rounds, with a few mock trades sprinkled in: 1. Chicago Bears (from Carolina): Caleb Williams, QB, Southern California After Chicago traded quarterback Justin Fields to Pittsburgh, there’s no mystery here. Williams has the potential to lead a talented roster to playoff contention as a rookie. 2. Washington Commanders: Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU There’s plenty of mystery here, with no consensus on the second-best quarterback. The Commanders decide Daniels is the best fit for offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and hope the 210-pound Heisman Trophy winner can stay healthy. 3. New England Patriots: Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina It would be bold for top executive Eliot Wolf and coach Jerod Mayo to pass on a quarterback here, even though the Patriots have plenty of other needs and a capable stop-gap in Jacoby Brissett. The question is whether Maye has done enough to solidify his spot ahead of a fast-rising J.J. McCarthy. 4. Arizona Cardinals: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State The Cardinals will likely get plenty of calls to trade down, but it will be hard to pass on a blue-chip talent like Harrison at a position of need. The son of the Hall of Fame receiver can be the focus of the passing game from day one. 5. TRADE: Minnesota Vikings (from L.A. Chargers): J.J. McCarthy, QB, Michigan After losing Kirk Cousins to Atlanta, it’s unlikely the Vikings leave the first round without a quarterback. Minnesota trades picks Nos. 11 and 23 to the Chargers to move up and select McCarthy, who will battle Sam Darnold for the starting job with an eye toward the future. 6. New York Giants: Malik Nabers, WR, LSU With the top four quarterbacks off the board, the Giants “settle” for Nabers, who has the talent and explosiveness to follow Odell Beckham Jr., Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase as former LSU stars turned elite NFL receivers. 7. Tennessee Titans: Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame With the signing of wide receiver Calvin Ridley, the Titans turn their attention toward rebuilding one of the league’s worst offensive lines. Alt, a former tight end, has the traits to be a cornerstone at left tackle. 8. Atlanta Falcons: Dallas Turner, EDGE, Alabama Pairing Washington receiver Rome Odunze with Drake London is tempting, but the Falcons desperately need to end their long search for an impact pass rusher. Turner would be a great fit for new coach Raheem Morris’ defense. 9. Chicago Bears: Rome Odunze, WR, Washington This is a dream scenario for the Bears, who get one of the “big three” receivers to pair with Williams, DJ Moore and Keenan Allen and form one of the league’s most exciting offenses. 10. New York Jets: Brock Bowers, TE, Georgia Even with the addition of former Chargers receiver Mike Williams, the Jets need another pass-catcher for Aaron Rodgers. Bowers has Pro Bowl potential after a highly productive college career. Oregon State offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga makes sense for the Chargers and new coach Jim Harbaugh. (AP Photo/Young Kwak, File) 11. TRADE: Los Angeles Chargers (from Minnesota): Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State With coach Jim Harbaugh and coordinator Greg Roman in charge of the offense, expect an emphasis on blocking over receiving. Fuaga is a mauler in the running game who can start immediately at right tackle. 12. TRADE: Los Angeles Rams (from Denver): Jared Verse, EDGE, Florida State With 11 total picks, the Rams have the assets to move up a few spots. Denver, which doesn’t have a second-round selection, is happy to trade down. Verse would pair well with nose tackle Kobie Turner and linebacker Byron Young to bolster the pass rush after Aaron Donald’s retirement. 13. Las Vegas Raiders: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo The Raiders have holes to fill on the right side of their offensive line, but lockdown defenders are much harder to find. Coach Antonio Pierce can turn his defense into a true strength with the feisty, athletic Senior Bowl star. 14. New Orleans Saints: JC Latham, OT/G, Alabama With Ryan Ramczyk’s outlook murky because of a knee injury, the Saints have question marks at both tackle spots. Latham might be the best tackle prospect in this draft because of his size and strength. 15. Indianapolis Colts: Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama The return of slot corner Kenny Moore II helps, but the Colts need another defender on the outside to fix a leaky secondary. Arnold has the traits to be the team’s top cover man from the get-go. 16. Seattle Seahawks: Troy Fautanu, OT/G, Washington You’ll see this pairing a lot considering the Seahawks have a glaring need at guard and Fautanu played for offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb at Washington. The former Huskies star could even take over at right tackle if Abraham Lucas continues to struggle. 17. Jacksonville Jaguars: Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson What Wiggins lacks in size (173 pounds at the combine), he more than makes up for with speed (4.28-second 40-yard dash) and athleticism. The Jaguars still need a long-term solution at cornerback after bringing in Ronald Darby and Darnell Savage this offseason. Texas defensive lineman Byron Murphy II would be a good fit for the Bengals. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) 18. Cincinnati Bengals: Byron Murphy II, DT, Texas After losing defensive tackle DJ Reader to the Lions, the Bengals draft his replacement in Murphy, an explosive gap-shooter who can wreak havoc in the middle of the front seven. 19. TRADE: Denver Broncos (from L.A. Rams): Laiatu Latu, EDGE, UCLA After trading down, the Broncos land a player they might have selected earlier anyway. Latu, who led the nation with 21 1/2 tackles for loss last season, adds some juice to a budding group of young pass rushers in Denver. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Buffalo Bills agree to trade receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans Baltimore Ravens | Offensive line or cornerback? Here are the Ravens’ biggest positions of need as NFL draft approaches. Baltimore Ravens | 10 takeaways from NFL meetings, including Ravens ticket prices, uniforms, Christmas games and more Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: 40 years after Colts left, Baltimore remains a football city like no other | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens observations on new NFL rules, pass rush concerns, Lamar Jackson and more | COMMENTARY 20. Pittsburgh Steelers: Graham Barton, OT/C, Duke The Steelers need a center and potentially a left tackle. Graham can play both, though he projects inside because of his shorter-than-average arms. He should help anchor an offensive line that paved the way for one of the league’s best rushing attacks down the stretch last season. 21. Miami Dolphins: Jer’Zhan Newton, DT, Illinois Newton would have big shoes to fill replacing Christian Wilkins in Miami, but he’s disruptive and offers the pass-rushing potential the Dolphins lack in the interior. 22. Philadelphia Eagles: Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia The Eagles taking a rare athlete with limited experience and molding him to eventually take over for Lane Johnson at right tackle just makes sense considering which positions and athletic profiles they value early in the draft. 23. TRADE: Los Angeles Chargers (from Minnesota): Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama The Chargers’ depth behind top cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. is uninspiring. McKinstry is a versatile, smart defender who would be a great fit for former Michigan defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. 24. Dallas Cowboys: Olumuyiwa Fashanu, OT, Penn State The Cowboys stop a mini-slide for Fashanu, who needs more refinement and is not as physically imposing as some of the other top tackles in this class. Still, he has the potential to be a star and would fill a big position of need for Dallas after the departure of longtime starting left tackle Tyron Smith. 25. Green Bay Packers: Cooper DeJean, CB/S, Iowa After signing former Giants standout Xavier McKinney, the Packers shore up their safety pairing with DeJean, an explosive athlete who could also line up at outside corner. Penn State defensive end Chop Robinson, a Gaithersburg native and Maryland transfer, could be a first-round pick. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings) 26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State The Buccaneers have talent at pass rusher but they don’t have anyone as explosive as Robinson, a Gaithersburg native and Maryland transfer. His first step is special, and he could be a game-changing presence as a rotational piece for coach Todd Bowles. 27. Arizona Cardinals (from Houston): Darius Robinson, EDGE, Missouri Relying on defensive linemen Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols is a scary proposition for an NFL defense. Robinson is a versatile player with the strength to rush from the interior or set the edge against the run. 28. Buffalo Bills: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, LSU This is probably the furthest Thomas could fall after running a 4.33-second 40-yard dash and scoring 17 touchdowns last season, but the Bills won’t complain. The former LSU star would give Josh Allen a more explosive and reliable deep threat than Gabe Davis, who signed with Jacksonville. 29. Detroit Lions: Ennis Rakestraw Jr., CB, Missouri The Lions needed cornerback help even before Cameron Sutton was released. Rakestraw is smart, tough and plays with an edge, which makes him a perfect fit for Detroit. Oklahoma tackle Tyler Guyton is a rare athlete who could help solidify the Ravens’ offensive line. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams) 30. Ravens: Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma There’s always potential for the Ravens to trade down and accumulate more picks, but having a top prospect fall into their laps makes this an easy decision. Guyton is a rare athlete with room to grow who could start at right tackle as a rookie before eventually taking over for Ronnie Stanley on the left side. 31. San Francisco 49ers: Jordan Morgan, OT/G, Arizona There’s been a lot of speculation about the 49ers moving on from one or both of Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, which might make drafting a wide receiver a higher priority. But to keep winning this season, the 49ers solidify their offensive line with the smooth-moving Morgan. 32. Kansas City Chiefs: Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia McConkey doesn’t have the enticing height-weight-speed combination of some other receivers in this class, but he’s quick and knows how to get open. He could be the reliable target quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been looking for to complement tight end Travis Kelce. Round 2 33. Carolina Panthers: Adonai Mitchell, WR, Texas The Panthers added some much-needed talent at receiver by trading for the Steelers’ Diontae Johnson, but they shouldn’t stop there. Mitchell looks the part of a No. 1 target with his size, speed and leaping ability. 34. New England Patriots: Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU 35. Arizona Cardinals: Kamari Lassiter, CB, Georgia 36. Washington Commanders: Chris Braswell, EDGE, Alabama 37. Los Angeles Chargers: Kris Jenkins, DT, Michigan 38. Tennessee Titans: Braden Fiske, DT, Florida State 39. Carolina Panthers (from N.Y. Giants): Jackson Powers-Johnson, C, Oregon 40. Washington Commanders (from Chicago): T.J. Tampa, CB, Iowa State 41. Green Bay Packers (from N.Y. Jets): Kiran Amegadjie, OT, Yale 42. Houston Texans (from Minnesota): Xavier Worthy, WR, Texas Giving star quarterback C.J. Stroud a wide receiver who ran the 40-yard dash in an NFL scouting combine-record 4.21 seconds would make Houston an even more popular pick to win the Super Bowl next season. 43. Atlanta Falcons: Mike Sainristil, CB, Michigan 44. Las Vegas Raiders: Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington The Raiders have some fallback options at quarterback in Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell, but they should be thinking more aggressively. Although Penix comes with plenty of concerns over his injury history and lack of mobility, his arm strength and character are worth betting on. 45. New Orleans Saints (from Denver): Austin Booker, EDGE, Kansas 46. Indianapolis Colts: Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon 47. New York Giants (from Seattle): Tyler Nubin, S, Minnesota 48. Jacksonville Jaguars: Keon Coleman, WR, Florida State 49. Cincinnati Bengals: Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan 50. Philadelphia Eagles (from New Orleans): Ricky Pearsall, WR, Florida 51. Pittsburgh Steelers: Malachi Corley, WR, Western Michigan 52. TRADE: Denver Broncos (from L.A. Rams): Bo Nix, QB, Oregon It’s hard to believe the Broncos will head into a new season with Jarrett Stidham as their top quarterback. Nix is already 24 and doesn’t have the profile of a high-end NFL starter, but his experience and mobility give him a chance to exceed expectations. 53. Philadelphia Eagles: Max Melton, CB, Rutgers 54. Cleveland Browns: T’Vondre Sweat, DT, Texas Playing in a division that prides itself on running the football, the Browns could use another big body on the defensive line. The 6-4, 366-pound Sweat won’t be an every-down player, but offenses are going to have to double-team him when he’s on the field. 55. Miami Dolphins: Christian Haynes, G, UConn 56. Dallas Cowboys: Jaylen Wright, RB, Tennessee 57. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Zach Frazier, C/G, West Virginia 58. Green Bay Packers: Junior Colson, LB, Michigan 59. Houston Texans: Ruke Orhorhoro, DT, Clemson 60. Buffalo Bills: Javon Bullard, S, Georgia 61. Detroit Lions: Marshawn Kneeland, EDGE, Western Michigan South Carolina wide receiver Xavier Legette is an intriguing prospect for the Ravens. (AP Photo/Artie Walker Jr., File) 62. Ravens: Xavier Legette, WR, South Carolina The Ravens said goodbye to Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashod Bateman is entering the final year of his rookie deal, which means receiver is once again a draft priority. The 6-1, 221-pound Legette is not a smooth route runner, but he’s fast, competitive and makes tough catches (only two drops in 2023). He could also return kicks, a bonus after the departure of Devin Duvernay. 63. San Francisco 49ers: Ja’Lynn Polk, WR, Washington 64. Kansas City Chiefs: Patrick Paul, OT, Houston View the full article

“We still have Joe, so that’s a big plus.” Ravens coach John Harbaugh was talking about Joe D’Alessandris, now in his 45th year of coaching and eighth as Baltimore’s offensive line coach. He’s correct about it being an enormous positive, too, given the 69-year-old’s masterful teaching abilities behind the scenes of some of the game’s best fronts over the years. And he’ll be particularly important next season when the group will feature at least three new starters after guards Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson departed in free agency and right tackle Morgan Moses was traded. With a rebuilt offensive line and an exodus of a large crop of free agents, the Ravens have a lot of holes to fill to have a chance to get back to the AFC championship game. Some of them have already been plugged, most notably at running back with the addition of four-time Pro Bowl selection Derrick Henry. Meanwhile, the return of Arthur Maulet and signing of Ka’Dar Holman provide depth at cornerback. And newly signed tackle Josh Jones should compete for Moses’ old job if not one of the guard spots given the former third-round pick’s versatility and experience at both positions. Yet, there are still plenty of needs. Some of them will be filled in the draft April 25-27 in Detroit. The good news for general manager Eric DeCosta is the Ravens have nine draft picks. And with the free agents they lost this year, including outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, they are in line to receive four compensatory picks (fourth-, fifth- and two sixth-rounders) next year in addition to their usual seven. That’s 20 total picks this year and next, something that will help tremendously when it comes to restocking the roster with inexpensive talent as the backloaded contracts of quarterback Lamar Jackson and inside linebacker Roquan Smith, among others, only get more pricey with each passing year. With the draft only three weeks away, here is a look at the Ravens’ biggest needs and areas they will likely target: Offensive line Harbaugh is unsurprisingly bullish when it comes to this unit. “We have guys in-house. We have free agents that we’ve signed,” he said during the annual league meeting in Orlando, Florida, last week. “Then we have the draft. So, I’m confident we’ll have a very good offensive line.” Among those in-house options? Daniel Faalele will likely get a crack at the starting right tackle job and Patrick Mekari, whom Baltimore prefers to use in a swing role across multiple positions, could be an option as well. But there’s also a chance the Ravens find their starting right tackle at pick No. 30 in this year’s draft. As for the two guard spots, Jones, Andrew Vorhees, Ben Cleveland and Sala Aumavae-Laulu are all candidates. There are also some veteran free agents still available. And it’s possible again they find a starter in the first round or later. Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry, tackling Michigan wide receiver Semaj Morgan on Jan. 1, could be a player the Ravens target in the draft. (Ryan Sun/AP) Cornerback The Ravens are in solid shape with Marlon Humphrey and Brandon Stephens returning on the outside and Maulet fitting in nicely in a slot role. But Humphrey is also coming off an injury-plagued season and Baltimore’s other corners all have varying question marks. Which perhaps explains why some draftniks have the Ravens targeting Missouri’s Ennis Rakestraw, Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry or Iowa’s Cooper DeJean with the 30th pick. Whether Baltimore goes offensive line or corner in the first round, both are considered deep positions in this year’s draft, so they should have options. But as was the case last year, cornerback will be a position of importance and need again. Colts Ravens FootballTerrance Williams/APRavens outside linebacker David Ojabo has missed most of his first two seasons in Baltimore. (Terrance Williams/AP) Edge rusher Harbaugh said he believes David Ojabo, who suffered a torn ACL in Week 3 last season, is going to break out this year alongside his “partner in crime” Odafe Oweh, who was solid but inconsistent again last season. “They are ready to roll, man,” Harbaugh said. “Every time I talk to them [and] every time I see them, they are brimming with enthusiasm. They are working hard, and [David] is healthy. They are both healthy.” How effective they can be after the departures of Clowney and inside linebacker Patrick Queen — outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy is still a free agent — remains to be seen. Van Noy could be back, but even so it would be wise for the Ravens to find a young pass rusher in the draft given Ojabo’s injury history. He has essentially missed his first two seasons, and Oweh has been inconsistent his first three years. Perhaps the high school best friends will finally deliver on their promise this season, but finding another young option is never a bad idea. Wide receiver Jackson provided his input on wide receiver and fellow South Floridian Zay Flowers ahead of last year’s draft and things worked out swimmingly on the field with the former Boston College star leading the team in catches and yards. So, Jackson is doing so again this year. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Buffalo Bills agree to trade receiver Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans Baltimore Ravens | NFL mock draft (Version 4.0): Two-round projections with trades as team needs come into focus Baltimore Ravens | 10 takeaways from NFL meetings, including Ravens ticket prices, uniforms, Christmas games and more Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: 40 years after Colts left, Baltimore remains a football city like no other | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens observations on new NFL rules, pass rush concerns, Lamar Jackson and more | COMMENTARY “He is looking at guys now. Yes, he and I agree on a few guys,” Harbaugh said of Jackson. “We haven’t disagreed on anybody yet. We’re sharing our vision together.” More specifically, the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player is again focusing on wide receivers, especially after losing Odell Beckham Jr. in free agency. Baltimore will have Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor again, but beyond those three things get thin fast with Tylan Wallace, who plays mostly on special teams, and Sean Ryan, an undrafted rookie out of Rutgers last year, the only other wide receivers on the roster. Like offensive linemen and cornerbacks, the draft is considered to be deep with wide receivers, so adding to that group via the draft seems a likely scenario. Ravens draft picks Round 1: No. 30 Round 2: No. 62 Round 3: No. 93 Round 4: No. 113 (from New York Jets) Round 4: No. 130 Round 5: No. 165 Round 6: No. 218 (from Jets) Round 7: No. 228 (from Jets) Round 7: No. 250 View the full article

ORLANDO, Fla. — There was golf, a swanky evening soiree complete with a band, committee meetings and interview sessions with the media. And, of course, the annual grilling of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. This year’s league meetings at the lush Ritz Carlton Grande Lakes was, as usual, a gathering of football cognoscenti, and it provided no shortage of storylines, most notably the implementation of wild new kickoff rules and the banning of a controversial tackle beginning next season. The Ravens, meanwhile, had a much less fretful few days compared with a year ago, when quarterback Lamar Jackson revealed during the meetings that he’d asked the team to trade him. After signing the now two-time NFL Most Valuable Player to a $260 million extension last April, finishing a league-best 13-4 and reaching its first AFC championship game in over a decade, this year’s affair was perhaps a bit more relaxed for Baltimore’s brass, with owner Steve Bisciotti, president Sashi Brown, general manager Eric DeCosta and coach John Harbaugh all on hand. Here are the 10 biggest takeaways from the three days of meetings: Ravens ticket prices going up The Ravens will raise the price of season tickets by an average of 13% for next season to “remain competitive,” said Brown, who met with local reporters during the meetings. Last year, Baltimore ranked in the bottom quarter of the league in terms of pricing, and the bump, Brown said, is part of the Ravens doing so every other year. Given significant renovations to M&T Bank Stadium, which began after the season ended and are scheduled to be completed in 2026, seating will also be “re-zoned,” Brown said. He added that they won’t lose much in terms of seating capacity, despite the renovations. The Ravens are also adding “about 160, 170” field seats, similar to what the Carolina Panthers, Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers have at their stadiums. Alternate uniform change Uniforms are always a hot topic among fans, and the Ravens “have some stuff that’s coming,” Brown said. He declined to get into specifics but did add that the Ravens are exploring changes to their alternate uniforms. One thing that won’t be changing, however, are Baltimore’s regular home and away jerseys. “We feel like we have really classic jerseys, and I think the team did a great job when we’ve had some minor modifications,” Brown said. “We’re really cautious about making changes, something that we think really works well.” Ravens Training Kim Hairston/Baltimore SunRavens coach John Harbaugh, right, talks with quarterback Josh Johnson. The 38-year-old Johnson will back up Lamar Jackson this season. Ravens name backup quarterback When Tyler Huntley signed with the Cleveland Browns earlier this month, it was clear the Ravens weren’t interested in retaining him or investing much money in the position, given he got a one-year deal worth the veteran’s minimum. It also raised the question of who would be the No. 2 quarterback behind Jackson. Harbaugh provided the answer: Josh Johnson. Johnson, who will turn 38 in May and has played for an NFL-record 14 teams, joined Baltimore last offseason and spent the year as the team’s third/emergency quarterback. The only other quarterback on the roster — for now — is second-year player Malik Cunningham, who was Jackson’s teammate for one season at Louisville and was signed from the New England Patriots’ practice squad late last season. “Thrilled to have him back,” Harbaugh said of Johnson. “I think he can still play at a really high level. He knows the offense inside and out. He contributes to the offense. He and Lamar have a great relationship.” Offensive lineman Vorhees ‘full go’ after torn ACL One of the more interesting moves the Ravens made last year was when they traded back into the draft and selected Southern California offensive lineman Andrew Vorhees. Vorhees was projected to be a third- or fourth-round pick until he tore his ACL at the NFL scouting combine. The injury didn’t stop him from ripping off 38 reps during bench press, but it did end any chance of him playing this past season. Harbaugh said Vorhees is now a “full go,” which could make things interesting again for Baltimore, given the uncertainty surrounding its offensive line. The Ravens lost starting guards Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson in free agency while right tackle Morgan Moses was traded to the New York Jets in a draft pick swap. Goodbye, surprise onside kicks The biggest news of the week was the NFL’s drastic new kickoff formation, which should boost the frequency of returns significantly. Perhaps that’s why on the same day the proposal passed, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed four-time All-Pro returner Cordarrelle Patterson to a two-year deal worth a reported $6 million. With the new rule, however, comes a loss: the surprise onside kick. Now, teams will have to declare when they are going to attempt an onside kick, which they can do up to twice a game and only in the fourth quarter while using a traditional formation. That means we might never again see what coach Sean Payton did in Super Bowl XLIV, when the New Orleans Saints, down 10-6 to the Indianapolis Colts, opened the second half with a surprise onside kick that they recovered. Six plays later, the Saints scored, completely changing the momentum of the game on the way to victory. Hip-drop tackle chaos? The other hot-button topic of the week was the NFL banning the use of the hip-drop tackle after the league’s owners unanimously voted to outlaw the move. Several defensive players — including now former Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen — have been outspoken against the ban because it’s viewed as more legislation favoring offensive players. Advocates for getting rid of it, meanwhile, believe it can be coached and enforced accurately. If a hip-drop tackle is used, it results in a 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down. But plays will also be reviewed by the league and offending players will be hit with a fine — even if they weren’t flagged. Goodell said he expects a learning curve, but this undoubtedly will end up being at least a little messy. New trade deadline One of the lesser talked about but important proposals that was approved is moving the trade deadline back a week to the Tuesday after Week 9. Pushing the deadline back was something Harbaugh said he was in favor of when asked about it during last season. “It is better for the players and the teams and the fans,” he said. “As long as it doesn’t compromise the fairness and integrity. As far as I can tell it would be great.” The Tuesday after Week 9 this year also marks another, even more important day: Election Day. Maryland Air National Guards A-10 fighters fly over M&T Bank Stadium before a playoff game against the Texans. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Draft could be coming to Baltimore, but not Super Bowl As reported earlier, the Ravens have already begun talks with the NFL about hosting the draft, which has rotated cities since 2015 after 50 years in New York. It also might be a while, between M&T Bank Stadium renovations not being scheduled to be completed until 2026 and other teams, including the rival Steelers, also expressing interest in what has become one of the league’s biggest events. What about the idea of Baltimore someday hosting a Super Bowl? The Ravens haven’t talked or even thought about that, Brown said. Though the NFL has gone to cold weather cities before, most of those featured indoor stadiums. MetLife Stadium in New Jersey was the exception, hosting the event in 2014, but it’s also just outside New York City, which has the kind of hotel and event space Baltimore simply doesn’t. 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Despite the win and a largely positive experience, don’t expect them to be a part of that again this season, even as the NFL expands its reach with a game in Brazil for the first time. “We know there’s an expansion, and we’re supportive of the expansion of the game internationally,” Brown said. “It’s not an easy task to get over there. But I think the league’s been really thoughtful and flexible in terms of helping teams and giving them support when they go over. We had a good time over there. Obviously, it’s more helpful when we win, but I thought the stadium that we played in over at [Tottenham] was fantastic. And our opportunity to get our players over there was a neat experience. But we’re focused and six days later, we’re playing another [game].” The Eagles, one of the teams playing in Brazil, face the Ravens next season, but their rumored opponent for the Sept. 6 opener in Sao Paolo is the Browns. An announcement could come any day. More Christmas football The NBA and Christmas have long been tied together, with the league holding games on the holiday on 76 occasions. The NFL, meanwhile, has played on Christmas just 30 times, including last year when the Ravens blew out the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night. Next Christmas falls on a Wednesday, a day the NFL typically doesn’t play — until this year. Last year’s Christmas triple-header averaged more than 27 million viewers per game, according to Sports Media Watch, which dwarfed the NBA’s average of 2.85 million viewers across five games. So guess what? The NFL decided it will hold two Christmas games this year. Matchups haven’t been announced, but both games will feature teams that played the previous Saturday, which would allow for the same amount of time off for teams that play a Thursday night game. View the full article

During the fall of 1983, I was asked to go out and write a feature on Baltimore Colts rookie linebacker Vernon Maxwell. Even though I was still a sports clerk, this was the best assignment ever because I finally would get into an NFL locker room and begin covering a pro team. Little did I know that I would not cover another pro team in Baltimore for the next 13 years. On March 28-29, 1984, there was professional anger because the Colts left their training facility in Owings Mills for Indianapolis on a cold, windy and snowy night. The personal pain was even greater because, like all Baltimoreans, I had grown up with Colts legends such as Johnny Unitas, Lenny Moore, John Mackey, Mike Curtis, Artie Donovan and Bobby Boyd. The new generation of Colts, including Bert Jones, Lydell Mitchell, John Dutton, Freddie Cook and Roger Carr, were just as exciting and were starting to win on a regular basis, too. Then it was all gone in one night when the Mayflower trucks left under the cover of darkness. That was 40 years ago, and the fond memories are still etched deep in our minds. So is the pain, especially then-Baltimore mayor William Donald Schaefer looking as if he was about to cry. “I was still living at home with my parents. I was 26, definitely a Colts fan,” said Mark Crilly, 67, of Hagerstown. “And when I heard the news, I remember it being an empty feeling. It was like, ‘No, this can’t be happening, this doesn’t ever happen.’” Paul Hocheder, 89, of Taylorsville had a similar reaction. “Every time I see a Mayflower moving van I still get mad even until this day,” Hocheder said. “Secondly, Mayor Schaefer had assured us that they had a plan in place to build this guy [Robert] Irsay a stadium and I am not happy one bit to this very day that they’re gone. It was just a shock, a total shock when I woke up and saw those moving vans in the snowstorm leaving the complex.” Will we ever get over it? Nope, not as long as the old Colts fans are still around. The former players lived among us year-round. They owned transportation and freight companies, liquor and sporting goods stores and several restaurants. It wasn’t unusual to see the players out at charitable events because, unlike a lot of current players, Baltimore became their home. That all changed when Robert Irsay became the owner of the Colts in 1972. He ran one of the NFL’s most storied franchises into the ground with mistakes in the hiring of front office executives as well as head and assistant coaches. AP Baltimore Colts' owner Bob Irsay engages in a shouting match with reporters at a news conference on Jan. 20, 1984. Irsay denied making a deal to move the Colts to Phoenix. Irsay moved the team to Indianapolis two months later. Baltimore Mayor William Donald Schaefer is on right. Lloyd Pearson, Baltimore Sun Under cover of a night snowstorm, the Colts steal out of their Owings Mills complex on their way to Indianapolis on March 29, 1984. UPI file photo Colts' owner Robert Irsay at a press conference in Indianapolis on April 14, 1984. At left is acting general manager Jimmy Irsay. Baltimore Colts quarterback Johnny Unitas carries the ball as the Oakland Raiders’ Gus Otto comes up to make the stop during the AFC championship game at Memorial Stadium on Jan. 3, 1971. (Staff file) Show Caption of Expand Before the Colts left for Indianapolis, they had six straight losing seasons, including going 2-14 in 1981, 0-8-1 in 1982 and 7-9 in 1983. In the 1960’s, Baltimore had 51 straight games with at least 60,000 in attendance, but the Colts were averaging only 42,000 per game before they left. The passion surrounding this team had subsided. On Sunday nights after games in 1983, I was one of the clerks who had to take statements from callers who wanted to ask then-coach Frank Kush a question. Few people called because no one seemed to care. It wasn’t just because of the win-loss record, but Irsay had consistently threatened to move the team to cities such Phoenix, Memphis, Los Angeles, Jacksonville and Indianapolis. Irsay eventually moved the team shortly after a chamber of the Maryland State Legislature had threatened him with eminent domain, which gives the government power to take your property even if you don’t want to sell. In some places in Baltimore, Irsay, who died Jan. 14, 1997, still might be considered Public Enemy No. 1. “I have never forgiven Irsay for doing what he did,” Hocheder said. “[Memorial Stadium was] the greatest insane asylum in the world and we were denied a team because of this guy.” “There was emptiness and heartache,” Crilly said. “Most NFL fans don’t comprehend that you wake up tomorrow and your team just isn’t there. It ain’t like they were having a terrible year, you go 0 and 10 or 0 and 20. They just weren’t there.” Irsay might have merited some forgiveness if he had left the memorabilia, the records and team colors behind, but the Colts piled those into the moving vans as well. To me, that horseshoe on the side of the helmet is still the greatest logo in sports. “The thing that hurts the most is they took the name,” Crilly said. “They have Johnny Unitas holding an Indianapolis Colts record, and he never played in Indianapolis. If they had just left and not taken the name, it might not have hurt so bad.” The hurt continued for more than a decade. Hocheder remembers going to the stadium on Sundays the year after the Colts left, standing around with fans. “Those were desolate and depressing times,” said Hocheder, then a Colts season-ticket holder. Baltimore fans were left in a limbo. They couldn’t decide if they wanted to root for the hated Washington franchise or another team close by such as the Philadelphia Eagles. In the Colts’ 13-year absence, there were several attempts to lure another team away from its home city or possibly acquire a new franchise. But Baltimore lost out there, too, in 1993 when the NFL awarded Jacksonville and Carolina franchises to begin play in 1995. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens observations on new NFL rules, pass rush concerns, Lamar Jackson and more | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Jadeveon Clowney agrees to huge deal with Panthers after resurgent year with Ravens Baltimore Ravens | Ravens coach John Harbaugh: NFL kickoff overhaul raises ‘a lot of questions’ Baltimore Ravens | National Rugby League provides path to how NFL ban on hip-drop tackle can be coached, officiated Baltimore Ravens | Ravens express interest in Baltimore hosting NFL draft: ‘We’ve begun talks’ That’s when former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue told Baltimore to “build a museum” with their proposed stadium funds. Baltimore fans rallied around statements like that one. “We kind of jelled so to speak, rallied around the cause,” Hocheder said. Groups like the old “Colts Corral” stayed together and met every month for years until the Ravens came to Baltimore from Cleveland for the 1996 season. Under president John Ziemann, the Colts marching band continued to play until joining the Ravens organization. The city, as well as state officials, didn’t cease looking for a viable franchise until then-Cleveland Browns owner Art Modell was lured here. Baltimore is again a storied franchise in the NFL. The Ravens have won two Super Bowl titles since 1996, in the 2000 and 2012 seasons. In 2000, they put together one of the greatest defenses in league history led by a top linebacking corps. In 2012, quarterback Joe Flacco went on one of the best postseason runs ever. Under coaches Brian Billick and John Harbaugh, the Ravens have been one of the league’s winningest franchises over the past two-plus decades. It fits into the old Colts history of having played and won the NFL championship in 1958 against the New York Giants in what some have described as the greatest game ever played. Baltimore might have produced the best quarterback ever in Unitas or running back in Moore or middle linebacker in Ray Lewis. Now they have a two-time NFL Most Valuable Player in quarterback Lamar Jackson. There is no place like this city, regardless of the 13-year absence of its NFL team. From “Unitas We Stand” to “The Squirrel Dance,” there is no better place to get football memories than Baltimore. View the full article

NFL owners made the right decision by approving a drastic change to the kickoff rules this week, potentially putting a game-changing play back on the field. The call was made after kickoff returns dropped to a record-low 23.7% in 2023. Now the kicking unit will line up at the opposing team’s 40-yard line with at least nine players on the receiving team lined up in a “setup” zone between their own 35 and 30 and two returners in a “landing zone” between the goal line and the 20. Only the kicker and returner(s) will be allowed to move until the ball hits the ground or a player in the landing zone. No fair catches will be allowed, and touchbacks will be marked at the 30. There will be some other minor changes, but now the kick return can have a major impact like a long pass or an interception returned for a touchdown. One of the most demoralizing aspects of any game is for an offense to go on one of those run-dominated, 12-play, 85-yard scoring drives, which can crush the psyche of a team. But on the next play, the opponent can return the kickoff for a touchdown and change the course of the game. The NFL might get some new stars, such as former game-changing kickoff returners Mel Gray, Gale Sayers, Devin Hester and Billy “White Shoes” Johnson. Even back in the late 1960’s, the Green Bay Packers had a top-flight kickoff returner in Travis Williams and the Dallas Cowboys answered with Bob Hayes, who were two of the fastest sprinters in the world. In football, there needs to be as many big plays as possible. The NFL finally returned one of the biggest to the game. Hip-drop conundrum Owners also decided to ban the hip-drop tackle, in which a defender grabs a ball carrier, twists and then drops his hips onto the player’s knees and/or ankles. Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson used one on Ravens tight end Mark Andrews in a Week 11 matchup, and the three-time Pro Bowl selection was sidelined with an ankle injury for seven games. The hip-drop tackle, which now results in a 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down, will be as subjective as pass interference and will vary from official to official and game to game. Some defensive players are already squawking because a lot of the rules are already in favor of the offense. But when a ball carrier is near the goal line, like Andrews was when he was tackled, defenders aren’t concerned about legality. They just want to bring the player to the ground by any means necessary. That’s why the interpretation of the rule will vary, like we see with pass interference. In the postseason, some officials will let defensive players virtually mug receivers down the field compared with the soft approach during the regular season. Bring back Van Noy The Ravens need to keep pursuing pass rusher Kyle Van Noy now that fellow outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney reportedly agreed to a two-year, $20 million deal with the Carolina Panthers. Last year, the veterans combined for 18 1/2 sacks. Even if Van Noy re-signs with the Ravens, they still need to pursue another pass rusher, perhaps in free agency or the draft. The Ravens would like to build their hopes around current young linebackers Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo, but they did that at the beginning of training camp last year and it didn’t work out well. Oweh started 13 of 17 regular-season games but had only 23 tackles, including five sacks. Ojabo was placed on injured reserve Sept. 30 with a partially torn ACL. He missed his entire rookie season in 2022 with an Achilles tendon injury. The assumption here was Clowney was going to sign a lucrative deal because he played so well with the Ravens. Van Noy might not sign a contract until after training camp starts, and at age 33, he won’t be in any hurry to get there. Clowney, though, had a better season. “Yes, I think David is going to just break out,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said at the NFL owners meetings. “I think he and Odafe are going to be partners in crime. I think those guys are going to play great together. They are ready to roll, man. Every time I talk to them [and] every time I see them, they are brimming with enthusiasm. They are working hard, and [David] is healthy. They are both healthy. I can’t wait to get to work with those guys.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Jadeveon Clowney agrees to huge deal with Panthers after resurgent year with Ravens Baltimore Ravens | Ravens coach John Harbaugh: NFL kickoff overhaul raises ‘a lot of questions’ Baltimore Ravens | National Rugby League provides path to how NFL ban on hip-drop tackle can be coached, officiated Baltimore Ravens | Ravens express interest in Baltimore hosting NFL draft: ‘We’ve begun talks’ Baltimore Ravens | What will the Ravens offense look like with Derrick Henry? John Harbaugh says ‘it’ll look different.’ From good to great? I love the Ravens talking about quarterback Lamar Jackson’s possible new role in the offense, but it won’t change much. It can’t. After six years, Jackson is a running quarterback, and if the Ravens take that element out of the offense then he becomes just an average passer. The Ravens signed running back Derrick Henry to a two-year contract worth $16 million on March 12, and he’ll be able to handle most of the loaded offensively. This will not be the same Henry who has rushed for 9,502 yards throughout his eight-year career, but the Ravens should be able to get at least one more good year out of him. It will come down to offensive coordinator Todd Monken — again. Entering his second year, he has proven he can make an average offense good, but can he make a good offense great? Best of Beckham The Ravens aren’t bringing back veteran receiver Odell Beckham Jr. for another season, but they got exactly what I expected from him on his one-year, $15 million contract. He appeared in 14 regular-season games and had 35 receptions for 565 yards and three touchdowns. He was a leader, a positive player in the locker room and completely opposite of all the foolishness we’ve heard about him during his five-year stay with the New York Giants and three seasons in Cleveland. He could still run slants and had some explosiveness, but he wasn’t going to beat the best cornerbacks on the outside. His experience will be missed in the classroom and on the field. Calling out Kolar Message to tight end Charlie Kolar: Get strong in the weight room during the offseason. With Andrews coming back and Isaiah Likely ready to step up after a strong season in 2023, Kolar’s only chance to get on the field is as a blocker. He is 6 feet 6 and already weighs 270 to 275 pounds. Andrews doesn’t really want to block, even though he has improved in that area, and Likely has shown he wants no part of mixing it up. Time for Kolar to step up. View the full article

Outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney had perhaps the best year of his career with the Ravens. Now he’s cashing in. Clowney, 31, has agreed to sign with the Carolina Panthers, the team announced Wednesday. The deal is worth a whopping $20 million over two years, according to ESPN, and could reach as high as $24 million. It comes after Clowney tied a career-high with 9 1/2 sacks for Baltimore last season and was a key contributor on a defense that became the first to lead the NFL in sacks, takeaways and points allowed per game. After an ugly exit from the Cleveland Browns following a 2022 season in which he registered just two sacks in 12 games, Clowney signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal with Baltimore last August and thrived with the Ravens under defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. In addition to ranking second on the team in sacks, he had his best pressure rate, pass-rush win rate and most total pressures in a season, according to Pro Football Focus, and was a disruptive force against the pass as well as the run. He also had 43 tackles and two forced fumbles. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens coach John Harbaugh: NFL kickoff overhaul raises ‘a lot of questions’ Baltimore Ravens | National Rugby League provides path to how NFL ban on hip-drop tackle can be coached, officiated Baltimore Ravens | Ravens express interest in Baltimore hosting NFL draft: ‘We’ve begun talks’ Baltimore Ravens | What will the Ravens offense look like with Derrick Henry? John Harbaugh says ‘it’ll look different.’ Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: No. 3 Duke men’s lacrosse bounces back with 11-7 win over No. 8 Denver at Spalding | COMMENTARY Another big reason for his success was his health: He played 15 of 17 games and logged 654 snaps, his second-highest total since 2018. Clowney also said two-time All-Pro Roquan Smith was the best inside linebacker he ever played with, raved about Baltimore as an organization and called his teammates a “special group.” “Sure hope so,” Clowney said a day after the Ravens lost in the AFC championship game when asked if he would like to return to Baltimore. “I enjoyed coming to work. It made my life a lot easier this year. That’s probably why I played at a high level because I [didn’t] have any pressure. I would just come in, have fun and be yourself and just play ball. There was never any pressure throughout the week on anybody, but yes, I would love to come back here.” Baltimore had hoped to bring Clowney back for another season as well, but he became largely unaffordable for the salary-cap strapped Ravens, particularly after they made a free agent splash and added running back Derrick Henry, who signed a two-year deal earlier this month that will pay him $9 million next season. Clowney’s addition to the Panthers, meanwhile, helps fill their pass rush void after they traded outside linebacker Brian Burns to the New York Giants earlier this month. It’s also a homecoming of sorts for the South Carolina native and former Gamecocks star, who joins a Panthers team that finished with the league’s worst record last season (2-15) and hired Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales after Frank Reich was fired midseason. However, it leaves the Ravens continuing their search for a replacement at edge rusher. Currently, their only outside linebackers are Odafe Oweh, David Ojabo, who is coming off a torn ACL, and second-year players Tavius Robinson and Malik Hamm, who was an undrafted rookie last season. View the full article

ORLANDO, Fla. — The biggest change to the NFL in years will take place when next season kicks off. NFL owners approved a major overhaul of kickoffs Tuesday at the league’s annual meeting. Beginning next season, kickers will continue to kick from the 35-yard line, but the other 10 players on the kicking team will line up at the opposing team’s 40 with at least nine players on the receiving team lined up in a “setup zone” between the 35 and 30 and up two returners in a “landing zone” between the goal line and 20. Only the kicker and returner(s) will be allowed to move until the ball hits the ground or a player in the landing zone. No fair catches will be allowed and touchbacks will be marked at the 30. If a team wishes to attempt an onside kick, it will have to tell the officials and would be allowed to line up in a traditional formation, thus eliminating the surprise element. Twenty-nine of the league’s 32 owners approved the proposal, competition chairman Rich McKay said. A proposal needs approval by 24 of the 32 owners to pass. The new rule, which will be in place for one season before it is reviewed and voted on again, is designed to increase the number of returns per game after a steady decline — including a record-low 23.7% in 2023 — while also attempting to decrease the number of injuries from high-speed collisions. “I think it will [be a positive]. I say that with a little bit of hesitation. We will still have to tinker with it,” commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday. “We will reevaluate it as the season goes on. I think it will be a big improvement. I think it will bring it back to a relevant play, an exciting play.” Not everyone agrees, however. The Green Bay Packers, Las Vegas Raiders and San Francisco 49ers were the three teams that voted against the proposal. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, meanwhile, voted for the proposal, but coach John Harbaugh is not entirely sold on the new format. “It’s always in the details, and that’s the challenge we’re going to have right now with that,” Harbaugh, who spent nine seasons as the Philadelphia Eagles’ special teams coach before Baltimore hired him in 2008, said Monday, the day before the proposal passed. “The line of scrimmage is a big part of football. It’s been around for quite a while, and that play takes the line of scrimmage out of it. “It’s just a different kind of a football play. I just appreciate that we’re exploring every option up to that point to where we have to make that kind of a move. Is that the right move at this time? I don’t know. I think that’s to be determined.” The new format follows that of the XFL, though in that league players are lined up between the returning team’s 30 and 35. In the XFL’s two seasons, more than 90% of kickoffs have been returned. “We’re in the business of creating an entertaining product and putting a product on the field that should be competitive in every moment,” McKay said. “And we had created a play that was no longer competitive, and our [goal was] to try to find a way to make that play competitive. This was, in our opinion, our best option. “Yes, it’s a big change, but the time has come to make that change.” In an effort to reduce head injuries, including concussions, the NFL over the past 15 years had made incremental changes to kickoffs, including moving the kick from the 30-yard line to the 35, banning wedge and double-team blocks and last year allowing a fair catch to be marked at the 25. Touchbacks increased and return rates fell, but concussion rates per kickoff, the league said, remained relatively stable even with the changes. With kickoffs having trended toward a ceremonial act, discussion began just a couple of years ago of taking it out of the game entirely. Now the league has gone the other direction. Several coaches are in favor it. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | National Rugby League provides path to how NFL ban on hip-drop tackle can be coached, officiated Baltimore Ravens | Ravens express interest in Baltimore hosting NFL draft: ‘We’ve begun talks’ Baltimore Ravens | What will the Ravens offense look like with Derrick Henry? John Harbaugh says ‘it’ll look different.’ Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: No. 3 Duke men’s lacrosse bounces back with 11-7 win over No. 8 Denver at Spalding | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Five questions facing the Ravens heading into NFL owners meetings “You felt like that took a significant amount of plays out of the game, and those were from special teams,” Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell said Tuesday. “And you don’t make it up really anywhere else. So, we put an emphasis on it. So, I believe in it.” Added Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid, whom Harbaugh served under in Philadelphia: “I’m all for it. You have 2,000 dead plays. Nobody wants to see that. It’ll add excitement and newness.” What kind of impact it has — from the types of players who are used on returns to how rosters are constructed to how many returns and big plays it will spark — remains to be seen. There is some thought, for example, that the formation could play like a cover-zero defense, with only one layer of defenders to get past before a player can break free. It will also call on kicking teams to devise new ways to attack returners. The Ravens also lost their top returner, two-time Pro Bowl selection Devin Duvernay, to the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency earlier this month. “The kickoff return has been around for a long time in football,” Harbaugh said. “I’m passionate about that myself. “Everybody wants to get returns back. Everybody’s on the same page with that. How you go about doing that, there’s a lot of questions because it’s a big change. I think there are just a lot of questions.” View the full article

ORLANDO, Fla. — The tackle that left Ravens tight end Mark Andrews with a fractured fibula, ligament damage to his left ankle and caused him to miss seven games last year was officially banned by the NFL on Monday at the league’s annual meeting. The vote was unanimous among the league’s 32 owners. The hip-drop tackle — in which, according to the competition committee, a defender “unweights himself by swiveling and dropping his hips and/or lower body, landing on and trapping the runner’s leg(s) at or below the knee” — will result in a 15-yard penalty beginning next season. “I’m not a politician, but I’m for it,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said earlier in the day. “I think taking the hip drop out of the game is the right thing to do.” But even with its outlawing, there are questions, most notably will defenders be less effective stopping a ball carrier moving at speeds sometimes faster than 20 mph while avoiding committing the penalty, and how will referees be able to officiate it accurately? The answers perhaps can be found in another game whose origin traces back nearly 200 years, is played with an oblong ball and became popularized in a faraway land nearly 10,000 miles from the United States. Rugby union was first played in Australia in 1839, with its next iteration, rugby league — the sport’s closest thing to the modern day NFL — holding its first full season nearly six decades later in 1907. Like football in this country, rugby union has seen the speed of its players increase exponentially over the years. With speed, of course, comes danger — and a higher risk of injury. Before the hip-drop tackle became a buzzy phrase and fast-rising concern around the NFL, it was already something the National Rugby League, headquartered in Sydney, was looking to eliminate from its game. “We were noticing three or four years ago we were getting a lot of lower leg injuries, ankle injuries, in some cases knee injuries, where they all had fairly similar attributes in relation to the type of tackle that was performed,” NRL’s head of football Graham Annesley told The Baltimore Sun. “They all had three common elements: holding the player with both hands, the tackler twists their body, then the bulk of their body weight falling onto the lower limb. “We got to the point a few years ago where we said this is causing too many injuries, we’ve got too many players out of the game for extended periods of time as a result of it, and we need to make a concerted effort across the game to try and eliminate it as much as possible and significantly reduce the incidents of it.” Unsurprisingly, the NFL, which says it routinely consults with a variety of football leagues around the globe and reached out to the NRL two years ago, had also seen its own increase in injuries as a result of the tackle, some of which were high profile. In addition to Andrews, Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill and Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith were among the players who suffered injuries related to hip-drop tackles. In 2022, Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and then-Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard were also injured after being tackled that way. And last month, NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller said the league’s research found that hip-drop tackles resulted in an injury rate 20 to 25 times greater than other tackles. Ravens vs. BengalsKenneth K. Lam/Baltimore SunThe hip-drop tackle that injured Ravens tight end Mark Andrews in November has been banned by the NFL starting next season. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) It had also become a problem for the NRL, which is why in 2020 it sent a memo to clubs outlining its concerns about the injuries involved. Three years later, the league formally banned it. In the NRL’s initial conversations, though, the pushback was predictable and foretelling: Players and coaches said the injuries were simply the consequence of playing a contact sport. Not long after, however, the league outlined the specifics of the new rule, how players could be coached on how to avoid committing the offense and worked with match officials on how to call it. The league also sent instructional videos to clubs and referees and had dialogue with both. “We brought it down to hold, twist, drop,” Annesley told The Sun. “We kind of simplified it as much as possible.” Still, there was a learning curve, as there likely will be in the NFL next season. Said Annesley: “We did have some confusion initially where we were seeing some action taken where it wasn’t necessarily a hip drop because we had to educate them that the drop component needed to be a direct drop onto the limb, rather than subsequent contact with the limb.” In the days after Andrews’ injury, suffered when he was dragged to the ground by Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson in the opening quarter of a November game at M&T Bank Stadium, then-Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen and safety Kyle Hamilton, like many rugby players before them, were against the idea of outlawing the tackle. “How else do you want us to tackle?” Queen said, in part. “Just let the guy run past you? … At the end of the day, we play football. We have pads on. We have all that stuff on for a reason.” Added Hamilton: “I feel like you can’t necessarily [avoid it] because you don’t know exactly what’s gonna happen. You’re trying to get them down by any means necessary.” Banning the hip-drop tackle resulted in a “significant” decrease in injuries, the National Rugby League’s head of football Graham Annesley told The Baltimore Sun. (David Becker/AP) But the NFL believes, as does the NRL, that there is a safer and more effective way for players to continue to tackle while lowering the injury risk, and that it can be officiated consistently. “We still see a number of similar tackles that aren’t necessarily offenses,” Annesley told The Sun. “The ones that we see that aren’t charged under our judiciary code — they still have the grab and the twist, but in many cases the players are much better at their body weight actually hitting the ground before it hits the leg. That’s how most of our coaches have dealt with it here to try and avoid it. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens express interest in Baltimore hosting NFL draft: ‘We’ve begun talks’ Baltimore Ravens | What will the Ravens offense look like with Derrick Henry? John Harbaugh says ‘it’ll look different.’ Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: No. 3 Duke men’s lacrosse bounces back with 11-7 win over No. 8 Denver at Spalding | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Five questions facing the Ravens heading into NFL owners meetings Baltimore Ravens | Ravens tap Chicago-based Levy for concessions at M&T Bank Stadium “There’s still the occasional one that goes wrong … but we’re now seeing much more awareness from the players where they try to move their body weight out of the way of the leg so the body weight hits the ground. The ball carrier’s leg may still finish under the body of the tackler, but we’ve avoided as much as possible the full body weight dropping directly onto the leg.” Still, the NFL Players Association has been steadfast in its opposition to it being banned. “The players oppose any attempt by the NFL to implement a rule prohibiting a ‘swivel hip-drop’ tackle,” it said in a statement after the league’s competition committee’s rule change proposal became public. “While the NFLPA remains committed to improvements to our game with health and safety in mind, we cannot support a rule change that causes confusion for us as players, for coaches, for officials and especially, for fans. We call on the NFL, again, to reconsider implementing this rule.” But the league and its 32 owners disagreed, approving the change with a swift vote Monday. In Australia, meanwhile, the NRL has had its share of controversial calls over the tackle with some players being penalized and others not, causing confusion and discontent with some players, coaches and fans. But it has also resulted in a “significant” decrease in injury, according to Annesley, who said there was always going to be an adjustment period for players and officials but that the change will be beneficial for the long term. “No one wants to see players hurt,” Annesley told The Sun. “We have to balance that against the fact that these are body contact sports where accidents do happen. But we have to make sure there’s a duty of care and that we are always exercising our duty of care to try to keep the players safe as possible.” View the full article

ORLANDO, Fla. — The NFL draft could be coming to Baltimore. Ravens president Sashi Brown said Monday at the NFL owners meetings that he would like to see the city and M&T Bank Stadium host the league’s annual event, and that he has raised the possibility with the NFL. “We’ve begun talks with the NFL,” Brown told reporters in the lobby of the Ritz Carlton Grande Lakes. “The draft has become such a major tentpole event for the league. A lot of cities are interested.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | What will the Ravens offense look like with Derrick Henry? John Harbaugh says ‘it’ll look different.’ Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: No. 3 Duke men’s lacrosse bounces back with 11-7 win over No. 8 Denver at Spalding | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Five questions facing the Ravens heading into NFL owners meetings Baltimore Ravens | Ravens tap Chicago-based Levy for concessions at M&T Bank Stadium Baltimore Ravens | Hip-drop tackle that injured Ravens TE Mark Andrews could be outlawed by NFL next season The first draft took place in 1936 in Philadelphia, where 90 names were written on a blackboard and teams made their selections. It has grown exponentially in size and spectacle since. In its early years, the draft moved around until the league settled on holding it in New York beginning in 1965. It remained there for 50 years until 2015 when it moved to Chicago. It then returned to Philadelphia in 2017, was held in Arlington, Texas, in 2018, Nashville, Tennessee, in 2019, ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut, in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic, Cleveland in 2021, Las Vegas in 2022 and Kansas City, Missouri, last year. This year’s draft will be held April 25-27 in Detroit, while next year’s will be in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Beyond next year, the NFL has yet to announce future draft sites, though the Steelers announced that they have submitted a bid for Pittsburgh to host it in either 2026 or 2027. M&T Bank Stadium, meanwhile, is currently undergoing extensive renovations that began last season and will be rolled out in phases over the next three years with completion slated for 2026. “We think Baltimore’s a great venue for it,” Brown said. “We’re also talking to folks who are developing the Inner Harbor. We’d certainly have to convince the NFL, but we’ll put that pressure on ourselves to try and bring one to Baltimore in the relatively near future.” View the full article

ORLANDO, Fla. — As Ravens coach John Harbaugh sat down with reporters Monday morning at this week’s NFL owners meetings, he checked his phone and texted quarterback Lamar Jackson. By the time the 35-minute session was over, he still hadn’t heard back from the NFL’s two-time Most Valuable Player. Harbaugh just smiled — there was no need to fret, unlike during last year’s gathering when Jackson revealed in a tweet just as the coach arrived that he’d asked Baltimore to trade him after he said the organization failed to meet his value during contract negotiations. With Jackson’s future in Baltimore ensured in the form of a $260 million extension signed in April and the Ravens coming off an NFL-best 13-4 record with an appearance in the AFC championship game, there is far less drama swirling around the team this time around. Still, there was plenty to discuss, most notably an offense that figures to be revamped again with the splash free agent addition of four-time Pro Bowl running back and two-time NFL rushing leader Derrick Henry, an offensive line that will feature three new starters, several players lost to free agency and multiple coaching changes. Asked how different things could look with Henry — easily the best back of Jackson’s tenure and one of the game’s all-time greats who was the centerpiece of the Tennessee Titans his first eight years in the NFL — the coach said he wasn’t sure. Then he used an anecdote about a book on snipers that his wife, Ingrid, was reading on their flight to Florida, in which the subject talked about being able to take advantage of patterns the enemy had fallen into during war. “It’ll look different, there’s no doubt about that,” Harbaugh said. “That’s the one thing we believe in is keeping it moving. You can never keep it the same. “No patterns. We don’t want patterns. We don’t want to be predictable in what we’re doing.” In that unpredictability, however, also comes some uncertainty — at least for now. Jackson has never played with a dominant feature back of Henry’s ilk, and his arrival comes just one season after offensive coordinator Todd Monken was hired to transform Baltimore from a heavy, ground-and-pound scheme to a more wide-open, spread attack. The change last year resulted in career highs for Jackson in passing yards (3,678) and completion percentage (67.2) and Baltimore came within a game of its first Super Bowl appearance in more than a decade. But in its AFC title game loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Ravens running backs strangely accounted for just six carries. Who will block for Henry is also a question. Guards Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson both departed in free agency to the Detroit Lions and New York Jets, respectively, while right tackle Morgan Moses became essentially a salary cap casualty and was traded to the Jets in a pick swap that also cleared $5.5 million in cap space. The only returning starters are Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum and left tackle Ronnie Stanley, who reportedly took a pay cut in restructuring his contract that now features various performance-based incentives after the 30-year-old missed four games because of injury last season and was rotated in a late in the year. One of the keys to the Ravens’ offense in 2024 with Derrick Henry will be unpredictability. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Who will fill the openings remains to be seen, but Baltimore has some potential in-house options between tackle Daniel Faalele, whom Harbaugh said Monday will get a shot to start, along with recently signed guard Josh Jones, Andrew Vorhees, who is a “full go” after suffering a torn ACL at last year’s NFL scouting combine, and Sala Aumavae-Laulu as well as Ben Cleveland. “I expect it to be better than last year,” Harbaugh said of the line. “That’s always the goal, to improve.” Whether the Ravens can improve, or even come close to matching, the kind of success they had on defense and, in particular, getting to the quarterback is also uncertain. Former defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald is now the coach of the Seattle Seahawks, while Ravens inside linebackers coach Zach Orr, 31, was promoted to the role. Former defensive line coach Anthony Weaver and former defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson are now the defensive coordinators for the Miami Dolphins and Titans, with Dennis Johnson and Doug Mallory replacing them. And outside linebackers Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy, who were second and third on the team in sacks last season, are both free agents. But Harbaugh did not rule out the possibility of Clowney or Van Noy returning. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: No. 3 Duke men’s lacrosse bounces back with 11-7 win over No. 8 Denver at Spalding | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Five questions facing the Ravens heading into NFL owners meetings Baltimore Ravens | Ravens tap Chicago-based Levy for concessions at M&T Bank Stadium Baltimore Ravens | Hip-drop tackle that injured Ravens TE Mark Andrews could be outlawed by NFL next season Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens face an even tougher test from stronger AFC North | COMMENTARY “There’s optimism about both,” he said. “Been texting with J.D. and Kyle here and there the last [few] weeks. I’m hopeful we get there.” Asked about a potential timetable for re-signing them, Harbaugh wasn’t sure, saying, “I think it’s just business.” The Ravens’ wide receiver group is also undergoing something of a smaller overhaul after Odell Beckham Jr. was released earlier this month in a salary-related move. Though he is still a free agent, he is not expected to return. For now, Baltimore’s top three receivers are Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor, who re-signed last month. “We drafted two great players in the last three years the first round,” Harbaugh said about Flowers, a rookie last season who led the team in catches and yards, and Bateman. “I would think Rashod and Zay would be excited to step to the front together. That’s where it begins. Then we get a veteran player back in Nelly who did such a great job last year. … He played at a high level, he’s a real versatile player.” From there, however, things get murky with Tylan Wallace and Sean Ryan the only other receivers currently on the roster, though free agents Michael Gallup and Josh Reynolds visited Baltimore recently and there’s always the draft. Jackson has his wish list of potential additions, too. Of course, Jackson and the quarterback position isn’t one Harbaugh has to worry about, unlike this time a year ago. Now it’s about the two of them taking that next step: getting to a Super Bowl. “He’s looking at every aspect of his game,” Harbaugh said. “He starts with himself. That’s what I love about him.” View the full article

No. 5 Syracuse beat No. 3 Duke by six goals on Wednesday, and it was clear Sunday that the Blue Devils were eager to redeem themselves. It took a while before they hit their stride but Duke eventually did, pulling away for an 11-7 win against No. 8 Denver before a crowd of 2,111 at Archbishop Spalding’s Whittles Field in Severn. As expected, it was a physical and highly competitive game until the Blue Devils scored four goals in the final 4:14 to secure the win. That 10-4 loss to Syracuse wasn’t the only motivating force, but it was a factor. Related Articles Sports | No. 7 Maryland men’s lacrosse upset by No. 19 Michigan, 12-11 | ROUNDUP Sports | No. 3 Maryland women’s lacrosse beats Ohio State, 12-6 | ROUNDUP Sports | McDonogh girls lacrosse star Kate Levy, daughter of North Carolina coach, raising game with film study Sports | No. 9 Maryland women’s lacrosse hands No. 2 JMU first loss, 11-8 Sports | No. 7 Maryland men’s lacrosse edges Brown in OT, 14-13 | ROUNDUP A big factor. “We always want to hit the field after losing,” Duke attackman Brennan O’Neill said. “We don’t want to dwell too much on the loss but we want to learn from our mistakes. We want to show each other that one loss doesn’t define us but neither does one win. We don’t want to get too high or get too low, we have to stay on an even keel.” O’Neill paced Duke (9-2) with three goals and midfielders Benn Johnston and Max Sloat and attackman Dyson Williams each had two. Midfielder Joshua Carlson and Michael Lampert had two apiece to lead Denver (6-2). The Blue Devils took control of the game in the final minutes as O’Neill, attackman Josh Zawanda and Williams scored goals. Williams came on an extra-man opportunity and scored to put Duke up 10-6 with 1:30 to go. O’Neill scored an empty net goal with 29 seconds remaining to complete the scoring. But the story of this game wasn’t Duke’s offense but rather its defense, which limited Denver to only one goal and 14 shots in the first half. The Blue Devils, led by long poles Henry Bard, Kenny Brower and Jake Wilson, long stick midfielder Tyler Carpenter, and goalie Patrick Jameison, have held the opposition to only 20 goals in their past three games. Jameison is only a freshman and had nine saves Sunday. This Duke team might be different from the Blue Devils of the past, which were known more for their high-powered offenses. “Every team is unique, every team is different,” Blue Devils coach coach John Danowski said. “In preseason you have a vision of what you want to be, but you don’t know until you play the games. We’re growing and adjusting to what we’re becoming. Our goalie has started to stand up as a freshman and no one really expected that.” Duke supporters celebrate a goal scored during the second half of Sunday’s game at Spalding. The Blue Devils beat Denver, 11-7. (Terrance Williams/Freelance) Danowski also did a good job of neutralizing Denver faceoff specialist Alec Stathakis. The Blue Devils put two long poles on the wings and he won 12 of 22, sometimes outrunning his Duke counterparts to loose balls. But Denver couldn’t win all the scrums, which allowed the Blue Devils to slow the transition game. It was a typical Duke versus Denver game, a physical matchup between two teams that weren’t going to back down. “They are big, athletic and very physical,” O’Neill said. “It was one of those games you knew you had to grind it out and that was expected before the game.” There weren’t many other differences between the two teams except Denver failed to score on three extra-man situations. Pioneers goalie Malcolm Kleban played as well as Jamieison and finished with 10 saves. The Blue Devils, though, led 3-0 at the end of the first quarter and went ahead 4-0 on a goal by Johnston two minutes into the second. Denver finally scored on a shot from attackman Cody Malawsky with 8:05 left in the quarter, but Duke maintained the three-goal lead going into the half. March 24, 2024: Duke Blue Devil players stretch during pre-game warm-ups before an NCAA men’s lacrosse game against the Denver Pioneers, in Severn. (Terrance Williams/for Capital Gazette) March 24, 2024: Denver Pioneers players workout during pre-game warm-ups before an NCAA men’s lacrosse game against the Duke Blue Devils, in Severn. (Terrance Williams/for Capital Gazette) March 24, 2024: Denver Pioneers players walks off the field during pre-game warm-ups before an NCAA men’s lacrosse game against the Duke Blue Devils, in Severn. (Terrance Williams/for Capital Gazette) March 24, 2024: Duke Blue Devil players walks onto the field before an NCAA men’s lacrosse game against the Denver Pioneers, in Severn. (Terrance Williams/for Capital Gazette) March 24, 2024: Duke Blue Devils Max Sloat (15) handles the ball against Denver Pioneers Jake Edinger during the first half of an NCAA men’s lacrosse game, in Severn. (Terrance Williams/for Capital Gazette) March 24, 2024: Duke Blue Devil players celebrate a goal scored by Max Sloat during the first half of an NCAA men’s lacrosse game against the Denver Pioneers, in Severn. (Terrance Williams/for Capital Gazette) March 24, 2024: Duke Blue Devils Brennan O'Neill controls the ball and scores a goal during the first half of an NCAA men’s lacrosse game against the Denver Pioneers, in Severn. (Terrance Williams/for Capital Gazette) March 24, 2024: Duke Blue Devils Kenny Brower (29) looks to pass the ball against Denver Pioneers JJ Sillstrop (5) during the first half of an NCAA men’s lacrosse game, in Severn. (Terrance Williams/for Capital Gazette) March 24, 2024: Denver Pioneers Mic Kelly (21) handles the ball against Duke Blue Devils Tyler Carpenter during the first half of an NCAA men’s lacrosse game, in Severn. (Terrance Williams/for Capital Gazette) March 24, 2024: Denver Pioneers Malcolm Kleban (53) attempts a shot as Duke Blue Devils Henry Bard (5) defends during the first half of an NCAA men’s lacrosse game, in Severn. (Terrance Williams/for Capital Gazette) March 24, 2024: Denver Pioneers Cody Malawsky (17) scores a goal against several Duke Blue Devil defenders during the first half of an NCAA men’s lacrosse game, in Severn. (Terrance Williams/for Capital Gazette) March 24, 2024: Denver Pioneers players celebrate a goal scored by Cody Malawsky during the first half of an NCAA men’s lacrosse game against the Duke Blue Devils, in Severn. (Terrance Williams/for Capital Gazette) March 24, 2024: Duke Blue Devils Jack Gray (20) passes the ball during the first half of an NCAA men’s lacrosse game against the Denver Pioneers, in Severn. (Terrance Williams/for Capital Gazette) March 24, 2024: Duke Blue Devil and Denver Pioneers players compete for the loose ball during the first half of an NCAA men’s lacrosse game, in Severn. (Terrance Williams/for Capital Gazette) March 24, 2024: Denver Pioneers Ty Hussey (28) controls the ball as Duke Blue Devils Aidan Maguire (23) defends during the second half of an NCAA men’s lacrosse game, in Severn. (Terrance Williams/for Capital Gazette) March 24, 2024: Denver Pioneers Stephen Avery (50) looks to pass the ball as he’s defended by several Duke Blue Devils during the second half of an NCAA men’s lacrosse game, in Severn. (Terrance Williams/for Capital Gazette) March 24, 2024: Duke Blue Devils Brennan O'Neill (34) handles the ball against Denver Pioneers Jack DiBenedetto (31) during the second half of an NCAA men’s lacrosse game, in Severn. (Terrance Williams/for Capital Gazette) Duke players celebrate a goal scored by Dyson Williams in the second half of Sunday's game against Denver at Spalding in Severn. (Terrance Williams/Freelance) Fans watch as Duke men's lacrosse takes on Denver at Spalding on Sunday. (Terrance Williams/Freelance) Duke supporters celebrate a goal scored during the second half of Sunday's game at Spalding. The Blue Devils beat Denver, 11-7. (Terrance Williams/Freelance) Show Caption of Expand View the full article

It was nearly a year ago to the day that the collective NFL world — or at least all of Baltimore — momentarily shook. Ravens coach John Harbaugh was about to sit down with reporters at the annual NFL owners meetings in Phoenix when his quarterback, Lamar Jackson, revealed in a tweet that he’d asked to be traded after it was clear the organization had “not been interested in meeting my value.” Harbaugh, who doesn’t have an account on X (formerly Twitter), was of course aware of the request, which had been made privately weeks earlier, but was not expecting it to come out at that moment. A table that had about 10 reporters awaiting his arrival swelled into the dozens with a palpable buzz throughout the Arizona Biltmore ballroom, where there were tables for each of the 15 other AFC coaches. Later, a handful of teams around the NFL strangely disclosed their disinterest in acquiring the Ravens’ star, and things got even wilder when New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft told reporters that rapper Meek Mill had texted him a few days earlier saying Jackson would like to play for the Patriots. Jackson, of course, is still in Baltimore after signing a five-year, $260 million extension a few weeks later, and this year’s meetings in Orlando, Florida, figure to be decidedly less dramatic for the Ravens. Still, there are plenty of questions for owner Steve Bisciotti, general manager Eric DeCosta and Harbaugh after a season in which the Ravens were an NFL-best 13-4 during the regular season, had the league’s Most Valuable Player in Jackson and reached the AFC championship game. In the weeks since that defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs, they lost a handful of key coaches and front office staff, along with several players in free agency. Bisciotti is not expected to be available to the media for a second straight year, though team president Sashi Brown will meet with reporters Monday afternoon. Harbaugh and the other AFC coaches, meanwhile, will speak Monday morning, NFC coaches on Tuesday morning and most other owners and/or general managers are also generally available. Here’s a look at the most pressing questions facing the Ravens going into this year’s meetings. What will the offense look like with the addition of running back Derrick Henry? Henry, who signed a two-year deal with the Ravens earlier this month, was a four-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time NFL rushing champ in eight seasons with the Tennessee Titans, where he also had at least 215 carries in five of the past six years (2019, when he missed the final eight games because of a foot injury, was the exception). The last time Baltimore had a running back with that many carries in a season was a decade ago, when Justin Forsett rushed for 1,266 yards and eight touchdowns on 235 carries in 2014. Charles Krupa/APFormer Titans running back Derrick Henry, left, gives Baltimore a new dimension in the backfield. But how he will be utilized is a key question. (Charles Krupa/AP) But Harbaugh rightfully isn’t worried about Henry fitting into a shotgun-heavy scheme that transitioned into a spread attack under new offensive coordinator Todd Monken last season. “I think you always try to build the offense around the players that you have,” Harbaugh said. “What Derrick does really exceptionally well is going to be where we’re going to move toward, but we’re versatile. “It’s not just his specific talents, because he can run out of any kind of backfield. He can be in the pistol. We can be under . We can be in the gun. He can move around.” To that point, Henry logged the most snaps of his career from the shotgun each of his past two seasons in Tennessee. His 33 and 28 catches in his final two years there were also career highs. And he had success — albeit in small doses — alongside speedy Titans backup quarterback Malik Willis, next to whom Henry averaged 6 yards on 78 carries. Henry is the best back Harbaugh has ever had at his disposal, so it will be both fascinating and critical how he deploys him. What will the starting offensive line be? Of course, how Henry fares will also be dependent upon the Ravens’ reshaped offensive line. Guards Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson have moved on (to the Detroit Lions and New York Jets, respectively), while right tackle Morgan Moses was traded to the Jets. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens tap Chicago-based Levy for concessions at M&T Bank Stadium Baltimore Ravens | Hip-drop tackle that injured Ravens TE Mark Andrews could be outlawed by NFL next season Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens face an even tougher test from stronger AFC North | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Who will be the Ravens’ backup quarterback? Here are some options, plus other free agents still worth pursuing. Baltimore Ravens | Detroit Lions will reportedly sign former Ravens guard Kevin Zeitler to 1-year deal There’s now way around it: Filling three starting roles is a difficult task under the best of circumstances, never mind doing so on a tight budget and with question marks about possible in-house replacements. Harbaugh has been adamant about the offensive line since the Ravens hired him in 2008, and in many years Baltimore has boasted one of the league’s best units. But how he sees next season’s group piecing together will be worth watching. Does he see the recently signed Josh Jones as a starter at right tackle? What about Daniel Faalele and the versatile Patrick Mekari? Can he find two starting guards among Ben Cleveland, Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu and Andrew Vorhees, let alone two? These are all questions that will come up in Orlando and continue to play out in the months ahead. What about all the coaching and front office turnover? The biggest departure on the Ravens’ coaching staff was defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, now the coach of the Seattle Seahawks. But he was hardly the only one, with defensive line coach Anthony Weaver taking the defensive coordinator job with the Miami Dolphins and defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson leaving for the same role with the Titans, among other changes, including in the front office. Harbaugh at least knows his new defensive coordinator well, with Zach Orr having played linebacker for the Ravens from 2014 to 2016 before a congenital neck issue forced him to retire. However, it will be the first time calling plays for Orr, 31, who was Baltimore’s inside linebackers coach for two seasons and an outside linebackers coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars for one. Given all the new hires on his staff, that will undoubtedly put more pressure on Harbaugh. As the second-longest tenured coach in the NFL behind only the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Mike Tomlin, he’s used to it, but it will put him in the spotlight. Jadeveon Clowney is still a free agent. (Jerry Jackson/Staff) Where will the Ravens’ sacks come from next season? Last year, the Ravens became the first team in the modern era to lead the league in sacks, takeaways and points allowed per game. Many of the players who helped them do that, however, could be or will be elsewhere next season. Outside linebackers Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy are free agents. Inside linebacker Patrick Queen signed with the Steelers. Geno Stone went to the Cincinnati Bengals. Cornerback Ronald Darby is with the Jaguars. Baltimore still has defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, who signed a four-year extension, and outside linebacker Odafe Oweh, but who else will provide pressure is a valid concern. Again, the Ravens don’t have the salary cap space to make a big splash on the free agent market, so presumably they’ll turn to the draft and veteran castoffs as usual. There are also questions about what kind of impact outside linebacker David Ojabo will have after he suffered a torn ACL last season following a torn Achilles tendon the previous year. What do the Ravens think of the potential rules changes for next season? The biggest possible change for next season could be on kickoffs. Under a proposal from the competition committee, kickers would still kick from the 35-yard line but the other 10 players would line up at the receiving team’s 40, while at least nine members of the receiving team would line up in a “setup zone” between the 35 and 30. Up to two returners would be allowed to line up in a “landing zone” between the goal line and the 20, and no one other than the kicker and returner(s) can move until the ball hits the ground or a player inside the landing zone. Touchbacks would be marked at the 35 and no fair catches would be allowed. The idea is to increase return rates while also lowering concussion rates. Meanwhile, hip-drop tackles could also be banned. Ravens tight end Mark Andrews suffering a significant ankle injury on one from Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson last season was only the latest moment that has cast scrutiny on the play. Both proposals, among others, could be voted on at the meetings. View the full article

Levy, the Chicago-based hospitality company that manages concessions for Oriole Park at Camden Yards, will take on food and beverage sales for the Ravens, too. The team said Thursday that it has chosen Levy as the exclusive concessionaire at M&T Bank Stadium. The partnership will start this year. The Ravens announced earlier this month that they were parting ways with longtime concessions partner Aramark, which had been in charge of food and beverage at the football stadium since 2003. The decision came four seasons before Aramark’s concessions contract was set to expire, according to a spokesperson for the company. The change was prompted by the Ravens’ recent lease extension and infusion of $430 million in state funds for upgrades to the stadium. The team is planning a major round of renovations that will include expanded concourses, new suites and three plazas with bars, restaurants and shops. The Ravens issued a request for proposals for a concessionaire last fall. “Food and beverage and hospitality has become such a core part of our fans’ gameday experience,” Ravens president Sashi Brown said in a statement. “Throughout the planning of our stadium renovations, we pushed ourselves to evolve every aspect of the fan experience and were heavily focused on our F&B program.” Levy, which also recently landed a concessions contract at the Baltimore Convention Center, already handles concessions at several nearby stadiums in addition to Camden Yards, such as Commanders Field (formerly FedEx Field) in Landover, Nationals Park and Audi Field in the Washington, D.C., and Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen. Levy’s CEO, Andy Lansing, said the company will focus on “bringing wonderful flavors and hospitality to M&T Bank Stadium in a way that celebrates cherished traditions with new and improved modern amenities.” View the full article

The tackle that injured Ravens tight end Mark Andrews last year could be banned by the NFL by next season. The league’s competition committee has formally proposed making hip-drop tackles illegal, resulting in a 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down. The proposal could be voted on at next week’s owners meeting in Orlando, Florida, and would require 24 of 32 votes to be approved. Hip-drop tackles — in which, according to the competition committee, a defender “unweights himself by swiveling and dropping his hips and/or lower body, landing on and trapping the runner’s leg(s) at or below the knee” — have been a significant talking point the past two seasons and there was discussion about a potential rule change going into effect in 2023, but the competition committee never made a formal proposal. NFL data has shown that a player is 25 times more likely to suffer an injury from a hip-drop tackle than other tackles. On the opening drive of last season’s Week 11 game against the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium, Andrews caught a short pass from quarterback Lamar Jackson near the Bengals’ 5-yard line and was tackled by linebacker Logan Wilson, who rolled onto the tight end’s legs as he dragged him down. Jackson threw his helmet to the ground in frustration and knew immediately the injury was severe. Baltimore scored on the drive and won the game, 34-20, but lost Andrews for the remainder of the regular season with a severe ankle injury that included a fractured tibia and ligament damage. The former All-Pro did not return until the AFC championship game. “It’s a tough tackle,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said last November. “Was it even necessary in that situation?” Not everyone necessarily supported outlawing it, however, including two of Andrews’ own teammates at the time. “I hate that Mark is hurt,” said inside linebacker Patrick Queen, now with the Pittsburgh Steelers. “Prayers for him, but at the end of the day, we play football. We play a tackling sport. “I don’t think a hip-drop tackle is that bad of a thing. How else do you want us to tackle? Just let the guy run past you? … At the end of the day, we play football. We have pads on. We have all that stuff on for a reason.” Added safety Kyle Hamilton: “The hip drop, I feel like you can’t necessarily [avoid it] because you don’t know exactly what’s gonna happen. You’re trying to get them down by any means necessary. I mean, if it happens that way, it happens that way. I don’t think anybody means anything malicious by it.” Andrews called his more than two months of rehabilitation and time away “a test” but didn’t have a problem with the tackle. “If they want to ban the tackle, [that’s] fine, but I’m going to go out there and play hard no matter what,” he said in January. “I don’t blame the guy. He’s just playing ball.” Several players, including Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback and three-time Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes, have suffered injuries in recent years on what appear to have been hip-drop tackles. But last season the scrutiny intensified in the wake of the injuries to Andrews as well as New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson. Last year, Rich McKay, chairman of the competition committee, called the hip-drop tackle a “cousin” of the horse-collar tackle, which was banned in 2005. “When they do it, the runner becomes defenseless,” McKay said. “They can’t kick their way out from under. And that’s the problem. That’s where the injury occurs. You see the ankle get trapped underneath the weight of the defender.” The NFL Players’ Association, however, has long been against banning the tackle, a view that has not changed. Former Ravens defensive end Calais Campbell, now with the Atlanta Falcons and a vice president of the league’s executive committee, said in February that while the NFLPA wants to keep players healthy, “there’s only so much you can restrict the game and still call it football.” “A lot of rules that were put in place over the last 10-plus years that made the game a lot safer were big adjustments for players,” Campbell said. “I feel like this particular rule change, I don’t understand how you can police it the right way and allow us to do our job.” In the days after Andrews’ injury, Harbaugh declined to share his thoughts on the idea of a ban, but said if the competition committee decided to do something, “it would be for a good reason.” “Whatever they decide to do, at whatever point in time, you just abide by it, and you say, ‘Hey, it’s what’s best,'” Harbaugh said in November. “Then, in the offseason, I’m sure there will be a debate, and it will be voted on and all that.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Ravens face an even tougher test from stronger AFC North | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Who will be the Ravens’ backup quarterback? Here are some options, plus other free agents still worth pursuing. Baltimore Ravens | Detroit Lions will reportedly sign former Ravens guard Kevin Zeitler to 1-year deal Baltimore Ravens | Odell Beckham Jr. pens emotional farewell to Ravens; Patrick Queen embraces villain role as newest Steeler Baltimore Ravens | Ravens roundtable: Offseason grades, roster questions, AFC North pecking order and more Outlawing the hip-drop tackle is just one of a handful of proposals from the competition committee that could go into effect next season. Others included: revamping kickoffs; adding whether a passer is out of bounds or down by contact before throwing and whether the game clock has expired before a snap to the list of reviewable plays; expanding the rule against crackback blocks to players “who go in motion and move beyond the center to block a defender at or below the knee”; and allowing teams to use a practice squad quarterback as the emergency No. 3 quarterback. Of those, the kickoff proposal would be the biggest on-field rule change in years. Under the proposal, kickers would continue to kick from the 35-yard line, but the other 10 players would line up at the receiving team’s 40. At least nine members of the receiving team would, meanwhile, line up in a “setup zone” between the 35 and 30. As many as two returners would be allowed to line up in a “landing zone” between the goal line and the 20 and no one other than the kicker and returner(s) can move until the ball hits the ground or a player inside the landing zone. Touchbacks would be marked at the 35 and no fair catches would be allowed. Also, if a team wants to attempt an onside kick, it would have to inform officials and would then be allowed to use a traditional kickoff formation. The kickoff proposal is designed to reverse declining return rates while also lowering concussion rates and, if approved, would go into effect for only one season. View the full article

Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin must have studied some Ravens history. He apparently learned a major lesson from former Ravens coach Brian Billick about going down with his star quarterback, which is why the AFC North, already the best division in the NFL, has gotten even stronger during the first wave of free agency. The Ravens selected Kyle Boller with the No. 19 overall pick in the 2003 NFL draft and Billick stuck with the former University of California star until he was fired after a 5-11 season in 2007, which eventually led to Boller leaving in 2008. Tomlin apparently had seen enough of former University of Pittsburgh star Kenny Pickett, a first-round pick in 2022, and traded him to the Philadelphia Eagles last week in a swap of draft picks. Pittsburgh appears to be back in full playoff run mode, and that will make the AFC North more competitive and so, so spicy. There are so many storylines. Will Super Bowl champion quarterback Russell Wilson, signed by the Steelers via free agency, be able to hold off Justin Fields, obtained in a trade with the Chicago Bears, for the starting position? Can Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow return from a season-ending wrist injury last season, and how will wide receiver Tee Higgins’ trade request play out in the locker room? Cleveland has added a top receiver in Jerry Jeudy to team with Amari Cooper, but the status of quarterback Deshaun Watson’s recovery from a broken bone in his right throwing shoulder is more questionable than Burrow’s return. And there has to be mourning in Cleveland because the Browns allowed quarterback Joe Flacco to sign with the Indianapolis Colts and got Jameis Winston as their backup. Ah, boo-hoo. Now, where does that leave the Ravens? Until proven otherwise, they are still defending champions and at the top of the division. This offseason has already been rough for the Ravens, with the team losing three defensive assistants in coordinator Mike Macdonald (Seattle Seahawks coach), defensive line coach Anthony Weaver (Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator) and defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson (Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator). Because of the Ravens’ success in 2023, losing coaches and players in free agency was expected. Running back Gus Edwards (Los Angeles Chargers), safety Geno Stone (Cincinnati), guard John Simpson (New York Jets) and linebacker Patrick Queen (Pittsburgh) all signed elsewhere, but the Ravens did re-sign defensive tackle Justin Madubuike (four years, $98 million) and receiver Nelson Agholor and brought in star running back Derrick Henry for a bargain price of $16 million for two seasons. That’s not to say the Ravens won’t have holes, because they need to find offensive linemen and outside linebackers. There are three major keys for Baltimore heading into 2024. First, it’s imperative for the new assistants to develop strong relationships with the players like their predecessors did. Second, the Ravens will have to either draft an offensive lineman or hope their internal candidates can step in immediately. And lastly, quarterback Lamar Jackson will have to throw more accurately outside the numbers and down the field. Opposing teams are going to stack the line of scrimmage against Henry like they’ve done the past six years. That’s a no-brainer. It’s like Tomlin’s decision in Pittsburgh. Beep, beep, he threw Pickett under the bus. Gone. Now, the Steelers have a more realistic shot. Wilson will always be a diva, but so is Denver Broncos coach Sean Payton, whom Wilson played for last season. The Steelers have been void of on-the-field leadership since quarterback Ben Roethlisberger retired after the 2021 season, but Wilson will bring a new attitude while Fields adds some mobility. Fields has always had a strong arm, but he needs to be in the right place and organization. The Browns acquired wide receiver Jerry Jeudy, a 2020 first-round draft pick, from the Broncos. (AP Photo/Geneva Heffernan) Fields spent three seasons in Chicago, where no one should be forced to play. Go ask Ravens middle linebacker Roquan Smith. As for Queen, he will do well in Pittsburgh because he is a Tomlin-type linebacker. He has good speed, an eye for the ball and can turn into a “fetch” player as a pass rusher. The Steelers also traded for Carolina Panthers cornerback Donte Jackson, so they won’t give up as many deep passes. Baltimore fans need to remember that Pittsburgh hasn’t lost much in free agency and has owned the Ravens recently, winning seven of the past eight meetings and 11 of the past 15. With Cincinnati, it’s all about Burrow because the Bengals are the second best team in the division. They will miss running back Joe Mixon, especially in short yardage situations, but they’ve added Zack Moss, who has averaged 4.3 yards per carry in his first four seasons in the league. The Bengals also signed Mike Gesicki, who will be an upgrade at tight end. The addition of Stone will help in the secondary because he is a smart player. His AFC-leading seven interceptions last season were more a result of his intelligence than his athleticism. The Bengals also re-signed tight end Drew Sample and placed the franchise tag on Higgins. Of course, Higgins prefers to be trade, but we heard that last season from Jackson during his contract negotiations. The bet here is that Higgins will be playing opposite Ja’Marr Chase one way or another when the season starts, giving the Bengals one of the top passing combinations in the NFL again. But a sour attitude can be disruptive early in training camp. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Who will be the Ravens’ backup quarterback? Here are some options, plus other free agents still worth pursuing. Baltimore Ravens | Detroit Lions will reportedly sign former Ravens guard Kevin Zeitler to 1-year deal Baltimore Ravens | Odell Beckham Jr. pens emotional farewell to Ravens; Patrick Queen embraces villain role as newest Steeler Baltimore Ravens | Ravens roundtable: Offseason grades, roster questions, AFC North pecking order and more Baltimore Ravens | Browns agree to terms with Tyler Huntley, former Ravens backup QB The Browns will have an upbeat mood, especially if Watson comes back fully healthy. He was 5-1 last season as a starter before getting hurt in the Browns’ 33-31 upset win against the Ravens in Baltimore last November. The addition of Jeudy will improve the passing game and Winston, despite not having the arm strength or the recent success of Flacco, can be a good stopgap replacement. Regardless, if running back Nick Chubb returns fully healthy from knee surgery, the Browns still have one of the most physical offensive lines in the NFL. Just like every other team in the division, they should be in playoff contention again if everyone stays healthy. Health is always a major factor, but there are also some other common threads in the AFC North. Cleveland still has the best defensive player in the league in end Myles Garrett and Pittsburgh might have the best pass rusher in outside linebacker-end T.J. Watt, who had 19 sacks in 2023. Cleveland and Baltimore can debate for hours which team had the best defense last season. But if the NFL is a quarterback-driven league, then the AFC North sets the standard with Jackson, Burrow, Watson and now Wilson, with Fields and Winston as backups. That’s a star-studded group. That’s what makes this division so promising. Can’t we start the season now? Please. View the full article

The AFC North suddenly has perhaps the best, or at least most intriguing, collection of quarterbacks of any division in football. Nine-time Pro Bowl selection Russell Wilson will attempt to resurrect his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers after being cut loose by the Denver Broncos, while Chicago Bears castoff Justin Fields tries to pry the starting job from him. Joe Burrow and Deshaun Watson, meanwhile, are both returning from season-ending injuries with the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns, respectively. And, of course, there’s the Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, coming off a second career NFL Most Valuable Player Award and looking to bounce back from a poor performance in the AFC championship game as he continues to seek an elusive first trip to a Super Bowl. A less heralded move was that of now ex-Ravens backup quarterback Tyler Huntley bolting for the Browns, agreeing on Sunday to a one-year deal worth the veteran minimum. Given how little Cleveland paid, it’s clear the Ravens had little interest in bringing back Huntley, one of their more than 20 unrestricted free agents entering the offseason, for a fifth year. Though he would have provided familiarity, that was perhaps the problem — Baltimore knew what it had. Over the past three seasons, Huntley started 10 games for the Ravens while Jackson was injured and had a 3-7 record in that span. That included Baltimore’s AFC wild-card game against the Cincinnati Bengals in January 2023, when Huntley was stripped on third-and-goal from the 1-yard-line early in the fourth quarter and defensive end Sam Hubbard returned it 98 yards for the decisive touchdown. Signed by Baltimore as an undrafted rookie out of Utah in 2020, he completed 64.6% of his passes for 1,957 yards and eight touchdowns in the regular season. Huntley now goes from a locker next to Jackson’s to backing up Watson and battling Jameis Winston and 2023 fifth-round pick Dorian Thompson-Robinson on the Browns’ depth chart. But Huntley’s departure also raises a question: Who will be the Ravens’ No. 2 quarterback? Given Jackson’s injury history — he missed 10 games in 2021 and 2022 combined because of injury — it’s a pertinent question. Currently, the only other quarterbacks on Baltimore’s roster are 2023 undrafted rookie Malik Cunningham and veteran Josh Johnson, who has played for an NFL-record 14 teams, turns 38 in May and last week re-signed for another year with the Ravens. Put another way, Baltimore will likely want to bolster that group through free agency and/or next month’s draft. With several other holes to fill on the roster — including offensive tackle, outside linebacker and guard — adding another quarterback is far from the most pressing need, but it is one general manager Eric DeCosta will need to address, among others. Here’s a look at who a few options could be at quarterback through free agency or the draft as well, and what other free agents at other positions the Ravens could still pursue. Saints Vikings FootballAbbie Parr/APQuarterback Joshua Dobbs had an up-and-down 2023 season with the Cardinals and Vikings. (Abbie Parr/AP) Quarterback Joshua Dobbs At 29, Dobbs has already played for seven organizations, including the Browns and Steelers. Last season, he led the Arizona Cardinals to a stunning 28-16 upset of the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3, but success in the desert was short-lived. He went 1-7 for Arizona, which included a loss to the Ravens and was traded to the Minnesota Vikings after Kirk Cousins suffered a season-ending Achilles injury. He came off the bench to lead the Vikings to a comeback victory over the Atlanta Falcons in November after not taking any reps during the week but was eventually benched two games later after struggling. In all, he had a record of 3-9 as a starter last season and threw 13 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. For his career, Dobbs has completed 62.2% of his passes for 2,290 yards, 15 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He also has 496 career rushing yards. Brian Hoyer Hoyer, whose first three years in the league were as Tom Brady’s backup with the New England Patriots, led the Browns to a 6-3 start in his first year as an NFL starter in 2014 but he quickly faded with eight interceptions and just one touchdown his next four games. He signed a two-year, $10.5 million deal with the Houston Texans the following year and was again named the starter but was benched in the fourth quarter of the opener, ended up starting just nine games and has bounced around as a backup since. Last season, Hoyer appeared in three games for the Las Vegas Raiders, including one start, and completed 23 of 42 passes for 231 yards and no touchdowns with two interceptions. Blaine Gabbert The backup to Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes last season, Gabbert started in their meaningless regular-season finale against the Los Angeles Chargers. In his first start since 2018, the 10th overall pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2011 completed 15 of 30 passes for 154 yards with no touchdowns and one interception while also rushing for 46 yards in the 13-12 win. The Ravens could take a flyer on former Florida State star quarterback Jordan Travis in the later rounds of next month’s NFL draft. (Grant Halverson/Getty) Jordan Travis There’s always the possibility that the Ravens will turn to the later rounds of the draft for a quarterback. Travis, who starred at Florida State and was the 2023 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year, guided the Seminoles to an 11-0 start and had them on the path to the College Football Playoff before a devastating season-ending ankle injury. At 6 feet, 1 inch tall and 212 pounds, Travis is an athletic passer who operates well off script. His fundamentals need work and he projects as a developmental prospect, but he is also recovering well, got out of the walking boot he was in a week before the scouting combine and said he expects to be ready to go for rookie minicamp in May or June. He also said he met with just about every team at the combine. Other needs Offensive tackle There aren’t many options left on the free agent market without injury concerns or questions about their ability to start. The best option would likely be for the Ravens to focus on the draft, which has plenty of tackle depth. Then they can revisit the free agent market in another month or two, too. Best free agent options: Trent Brown, Mekhi Becton, Donovan Smith, Yosh Nijman Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Detroit Lions will reportedly sign former Ravens guard Kevin Zeitler to 1-year deal Baltimore Ravens | Chargers sign ex-Ravens center Bradley Bozeman to 1-year contract Baltimore Ravens | Ex-Raven Hollywood Brown signs deal with Chiefs and looks forward to playing with Patrick Mahomes Baltimore Ravens | Odell Beckham Jr. pens emotional farewell to Ravens; Patrick Queen embraces villain role as newest Steeler Baltimore Ravens | Ravens roundtable: Offseason grades, roster questions, AFC North pecking order and more Edge rusher While it seems likely the Ravens will turn to the draft to select another young edge rusher, as they have recently with Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo, they lack a veteran presence with Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy both free agents. Bringing back one of them would make sense and Clowney, who had 9 1/2 sacks last season, would be the best option given his ability as a run defender, but he might be too expensive. Best free agent options: Clowney, Van Noy, Mike Danna, Yannick Ngakoue Guard With John Simpson a New York Jet and the Ravens letting Kevin Zeitler’s contract void, Baltimore will need to replace both guard spots. They have some internal options in Ben Cleveland, Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu and Andrew Vorhees, but a veteran free agent would be a good addition. There’s not much to pick from at this point, though, so the draft could be an option as well. Best free agent options: Zeitler, Dalton Risner, Greg Van Roten, Andrus Peat Cornerback The Ravens have Marlon Humphrey and Brandon Stephens, but they could use another starting-caliber player on the outside, especially if they want to use Humphrey inside. DeCosta is fond of saying the Ravens can never have too many cornerbacks and that proved out last season with a slew of injuries, including to Humphrey. Georgia’s Kamari Lassiter could be that player at the 30th overall pick in the draft, but it would be a surprise if the Ravens still didn’t add another veteran or two at some point, which could include re-signing Arthur Maulet. Best free agent options: Xavien Howard, Stephon Gilmore, Steven Nelson, Adoree’ Jackson View the full article

ALLEN PARK — The Detroit Lions had a hole on their vaunted offensive line after losing Jonah Jackson to the Los Angeles Rams. But they’re reportedly signing former Pro Bowl guard Kevin Zeitler, and his 181 career starts to fill that need, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. With Graham Glasgow back on a three-year deal, the Lions again appear to have one of the most desirable offensive lines in the league locked up. Taylor Decker, Frank Ragnow, Penei Sewell, Glasgow, and Zeitler would be the top five. Zeitler is reportedly on his way to Michigan on Tuesday to take his physical and sign his one-year deal with the franchise. The 2012 first-round pick made his lone Pro Bowl appearance last season with the Baltimore Ravens. Zeitler started 15 games and was a key piece in Baltimore’s run-heavy attack, helping Lamar Jackson hit new heights from the pocket. He has also previously played for the New York Giants, Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals across his 12 seasons in the NFL. Zeitler has logged 12,453 of his 12,459 career snaps at right guard, so it’s possible Glasgow slides next to Decker on the left side. Related: Lions create cap space by restructuring Carlton Davis’ contract Related: Dungeon of Doom: Why are people freaking out about the Lions in free agency? Pro Football Focus graded Zeitler as the 15th-best overall guard among those with at least 20% of their team’s snaps. He was strong against the run but one of the league’s best interior blockers in pass protection. The analytics site graded Zeitler second among all guards in that department. He allowed three sacks and only 21 pressures on 608 pass-blocking reps. He’s been one of the more consistent guards over the last decade-plus of action, especially in pass protection. PFF has routinely recognized Zeitler as among the best guards at keeping the pocket from getting crushed. It’s another classic Brad Holmes signing because it keeps the team’s draft options wide open across the board. The 34-year-old allows the team to postpone the long-term guard conversation for another season while possibly finding a prospect in the draft to mold for starting duties. Another piece for the offensive line has been among the most popular mock draft selections for the Lions at Pick 29, and that’s unlikely to change even after this addition. That said, Zeitler has been as durable as they come, playing at least 15 games in every season dating back to 2015. If Zeitler remains the same guard he’s been, or at least in the ballpark, then the Lions are getting one of the most dependable and bankable options there was on the starting-level open market. PFF ranked Zeitler as the 33rd-best overall free agent. The Athletic had the veteran guard at 44th, so it’s clear the Lions are adding a starting-level talent to keep them trench-rich. They also have Kayode Awosika and Colby Sorsdal in the mix, while Glasgow offers versatility at center in a pinch. ©2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit mlive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. View the full article

COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — Center Bradley Bozeman and linebacker Troy Dye have signed one-year contracts with the Los Angeles Chargers. The team announced the deals on Monday. General manager Joe Hortiz and offensive coordinator Greg Roman both worked with Bozeman in Baltimore. Bozeman was a sixth-round pick by the Ravens in the 2018 draft and was there for four seasons before spending the last two in Carolina. Bozeman is projected to be the Chargers’ starting center with Corey Linsley expected to retire due to a heart issue. Linsley started only three games last season with Will Clapp starting 11 and Brenden Jaimes three. Dye, who spent his first four seasons with Minnesota, is expected to contribute primarily on special teams. He led the Vikings in special teams tackles with 11 in 2021. Chargers special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken directed the Vikings unit in 2021. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl View the full article

By DAVE SKRETTA (AP Sports Writer) KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Hollywood Brown had so many conversations with the Kansas City Chiefs before the 2019 draft that the former Oklahoma star thought that they would select him to pair with Patrick Mahomes in their high-flying offense. Baltimore took him in the first round before Kansas City had the chance. But after a detour through Arizona, where the Ravens traded him and where Brown spent the past two years dealing with nagging injuries and instability at quarterback, the speedy wide receiver finally landed in Kansas City on Monday. Brown signed his one-year deal worth up to $11 million to finally give Mahomes another downfield option in the Chiefs passing attack. “The world has a way of things coming around like that,” Brown said with a smile. Despite beating the San Francisco 49ers for their second straight Super Bowl title, the Chiefs knew they needed to upgrade at wide receiver, where rookie Rashee Rice had become the unquestioned leader almost by default. But they refused to rush into a big-money, long-term deal with one of the top free agents and bided their time until the right opportunity came along. It wasn’t the $50 million guaranteed that the Titans gave Calvin Ridley. Or the $26 million guaranteed the Falcons gave to Darnell Mooney. Or the $24 million Gabe Davis got from the Jaguars or even the $15 million Curtis Samuel got from the Bills. No, it was a relatively low-risk, high-upside deal with a wide receiver the Chiefs had coveted since college. “They were strong on me,” Brown said, “so it was kind of like, mutual interest. That was very appealing.” It was the right deal for Brown, too. He turns 27 in June, which means there is still time in his career to turn a productive season in one of the NFL’s most pass-friendly offenses into a much more lucrative multi-year contract next offseason. “There’s weapons here,” he said, “and I feel like I can come in and complement the guys they have here. And Coach (Andy) Reid? He’s a mastermind. Patrick Mahomes — I’m excited to work with everyone.” Brown had his best season three years ago in Baltimore, when he caught 91 passes for 1,008 yards and six touchdowns. He was traded to the Cardinals the following year, where he had 118 catches for 1,283 yards and seven TDs in those 26 games. Those numbers might seem modest, but consider: Brown had 51 catches for 574 yards and four scores last season, which would have trailed only Rice and tight end Travis Kelce in receptions, yards and TDs for the Chiefs — and he did it in 12 full games. Brown appears to be motivated, too. Mahomes has invited his wide receivers and tight ends to his home in Texas the past couple of offseasons for what amounts to a voluntary training camp, and he was already looking forward to getting down there. “From the outside looking in, he just seems like a guy that’s very passionate,” Brown explained, “and I’m a very passionate person. Wants to do everything necessary to win. That’s what you want. You want to play with someone who is going to push you to the next level. I feel like he’s one of those guys.” Kansas City still has work to do filling out the offense. Marquez Valdes-Scantling was released and fellow wide receivers Richie James and Mecole Hardman are free agents, while Kadarius Toney could be fighting for a job this season, all of which means wide receiver is still a position of need as free agency continues and the NFL draft looms in April. The Chief also need to address the starting left tackle position and running back, where there is little behind Isiah Pacheco. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl View the full article

The first wave of NFL free agency has come and gone. The Ravens made a splash, signing four-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time league rushing champ Derrick Henry, and before that re-signing breakout defensive tackle Justin Madubuike for four more years to shore up what should again be one of the league’s better fronts. They also had a few notable departures, including inside linebacker Patrick Queen signing with the AFC North rival Pittsburgh Steelers and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. officially being released as expected then penning an apparent farewell on social media on Sunday. Both departures were expected and unsurprisingly elicited fervid reaction by fans; and Queen and Beckham each chimed in as well, though with disparate emotions. Their responses and reactions to them perfectly captured the energy of this time of year, when comings and goings shape the future, meaningful football is months away and questions remain over how their voids will be filled. “Swea on everything I appreciate the Flock more than yall could EVER imagine,” Beckham wrote, in part, on Instagram. “Did everything I could wit the opportunities I had. “Thank you for the Vibez! To the City of Baltimore I [mess] wit yall forever FRRRR. And most importantly to my brothers over there this [stuff] a lifetime sentence, I love yall! BiggestTruzzz.” Beckham, whose release last week was a cost-cutting move, was a pricey addition last season at $15 million. He was as much an enticement for quarterback Lamar Jackson to sign an extension as he was a gamble as he missed an entire season after tearing an ACL for a second time during Super Bowl 56 in February 2022. The result was mixed — 35 catches for 565 yards and three touchdowns, only flashes of greatness and plenty of wisdom dispensed on teammates — and while a less expensive reunion was always unlikely, it now seems certain that it won’t happen. For one, Beckham, even at a projected $7 million, per Pro Football Focus, would be too costly for a team that is now about $13 million under the salary cap, has other needs and a full draft class still to come. For another, his signing mostly served its purpose. Queen, meanwhile, has already provided bulletin board material and storylines for next season. But the 24-year-old 2020 first-round draft pick’s words were also revealing. “It’s not even that deep for us players until game week and y’all can’t understand the fact it wasn’t up to me,” Queen said on X, formerly known as Twitter, in part, in the wake of the news he would be joining the Steelers. “I gave y’all everything I had now when it’s time for me to do what I need y’all hurt bout everything I say. Go touch some grass and fill the void in y’all life.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens roundtable: Offseason grades, roster questions, AFC North pecking order and more Baltimore Ravens | Browns agree to terms with Tyler Huntley, former Ravens backup QB Baltimore Ravens | Man who flew drone over Ravens-Chiefs AFC title game sentenced to probation Baltimore Ravens | Steelers trade QB Kenny Pickett to Eagles after signing Russell Wilson Baltimore Ravens | Five things we learned from the Ravens’ first week of free agency Then, 24 minutes later, he fired off another one, saying “Be careful what you wish for,” with a gif of Heath Ledger’s Joker from the 2008 film, “The Dark Knight.” No one can blame Queen, who set a career high in tackles for a second straight year and was selected to his first Pro Bowl, for cashing in. The Ravens declined his fifth-year option last spring, drafted his potential replacement in Trenton Simpson and need to be judicious with their spending, especially with $91 million over the next four seasons remaining on All-Pro inside linebacker Roquan Smith’s deal. Queen, meanwhile, got a three-year deal worth a reported $41 million, or about $13.7 million per year, but the final two years are club options. That makes Queen the fourth-highest-paid inside linebacker in the league in terms of average annual value, but there’s a nearly $4.5 million gap between him and the next highest-paid player, Tremaine Edwards of the Chicago Bears. That Queen didn’t get more nor did he land in Seattle with former Ravens defensive coordinator and now Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald was at the very least interesting if not telling. As for how the Ravens will fill the holes created by Beckham’s and Queen’s exits? Expect next month’s draft and the second week of free agency, which kicked off Monday, to provide the answers. View the full article

It’s been an eventful start to the Ravens’ offseason. After losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game in late January, the team that finished with the NFL’s best regular-season record was picked apart. Defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, defensive line coach Anthony Weaver and defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson were hired elsewhere, right tackle Morgan Moses was traded, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was released and linebacker Patrick Queen, running back Gus Edwards, safety Geno Stone and guard John Simpson were among a host of key contributors who departed in free agency. But the Ravens also solidified their roster, re-signing breakout star Justin Madbuike to a four-year, $98 million extension to anchor the defensive line and adding running back Derrick Henry on a two-year, $16 million deal to give reigning NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson an imposing partner in the backfield. As we look ahead to next month’s NFL draft and the latter stages of free agency, Baltimore Sun reporters Brian Wacker and Childs Walker and columnist Mike Preston answer five questions facing the Ravens. After saying goodbye to several key players and coaches, signing Henry and extending Madubuike, what’s your grade for the Ravens’ offseason so far? Wacker: In some ways it’s incomplete, because they still have significant questions about their offensive line. But for the sake of providing a grade, I give it a B-plus. Re-signing Madubuike and adding Henry are home runs. Madubuike is a rare talent — defensive tackles who can get after the quarterback, stuff the run and wreak havoc up the middle are hard to find and worth keeping long term when you do. Henry, meanwhile, is a difference-maker. Yes, one can argue that the Ravens led the NFL in rushing with a backfield of Gus Edwards, Justice Hill and briefly Keaton Mitchell, but how’d that work out in the playoffs? Henry is a star and his presence should take some of the pressure off Jackson, who was reluctant to run at times against the Chiefs in the AFC championship game. Henry won’t necessarily help Jackson’s accuracy, but his playmaking and ability to churn out yards and wear defenses down will have a significant impact. After all, one of the best ways to beat the Chiefs is to keep the ball out of their hands. Walker: B. It would be easy to look at the net loss of quality players and sound the alarm, but we knew the Ravens’ roster was going to take a significant hit in the first few days of free agency. They did not have enough cap space to bring back every man worth keeping. The question was how general manager Eric DeCosta would operate in this tight window to keep the team on track for another deep playoff run. On that count, he did well, prioritizing and securing an extension for the team’s most precious free agent, Madubuike, and signing Henry, one of the top players available at a position that no longer commands premium salaries. The Ravens have always excelled at identifying which homegrown players they should build around, and Madubuike is another in that line. Henry might not transform a running attack that was already the most efficient in the league, but he will give offensive coordinator Todd Monken even greater firepower to keep defenses off balance. DeCosta still has much work to do, but the moves he has made have fit the greater mission. Preston: The grade so far is incomplete and we won’t have a better handle on the offseason until weeks into training camp. Henry and Madubuike were good signings, but there will be more deals once the free agent market cools down. The second wave will begin once teams pour over their salary cap situations and cut some veterans, who will be available at bargain prices. Plus, the Ravens lost three defensive coaches this offseason, and all three had good relationships with their players. We’ll have to see if the replacements can develop the same rapport. That’s all part of determining the offseason grade. The Ravens only have two returning starters on the offensive line. What’s the best way to rebuild that group for next season? Wacker: Ideally, they’ll be able to draft a tackle they can plug in as a starter on the right side of the line this season, then perhaps shift to the left side if Ronnie Stanley isn’t back in 2025. To fill their two guard spots, they can again turn to the draft as well as their own roster, with Ben Cleveland and perhaps Andrew Vorhees their best in-house options. As for free agency, they couldn’t afford a top-tier lineman like tackle Jonah Williams, who signed with the Arizona Cardinals for $30 million over two years, so at this point it’s best to wait and see what capable veterans are available as free agency enters its second week. Walker: The draft, the draft, the draft. That’s not to say the Ravens won’t add a veteran to compete for one of the three open starting jobs; they likely will sign at least one. They’ll also give real shots to incumbent reserves Cleveland, Daniel Faalele, Vorhees and perhaps Patrick Mekari (though they love to keep him in the super-utility role). But it’s no coincidence that DeCosta embraced a rebuild of one the team’s most important units in a year with one of the deepest offensive line classes in recent memory. He won’t abandon his “best player available mantra,” but he hasn’t exactly hidden the fact he’ll be looking for a rookie starter or two at the end of next month. “We have a good plan,” DeCosta said at Henry’s introductory news conference last week. “We’re fortunate that this draft class is pretty good from that standpoint. I don’t want to call it historically strong, but it looks like a very strong crop of offensive linemen.” That’s a pretty clear statement of intent at a time of year when DeCosta usually practices obfuscation. Preston: The Ravens have been recognized as one of the best drafting teams in the league, and we’re going to find out, especially in terms of offensive linemen. Mekari is a versatile performer who can play anywhere on the line, but I’m not sure his lower body will hold up for 17 games as a starter. In recent years, the Ravens have selected Faalele, Cleveland, Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu and Vorhees in the draft. Besides Vorhees, all three are big run blockers, but the Ravens have struggled in recent seasons with pass protection. Both Faalele and Cleveland struggle with bending their knees, backing up and pass blocking, and we’ve seen that for years in training camp. Vorhees might be the most interesting because he played well during his last season at USC before suffering a torn ACL during the 2023 scouting combine. The Ravens will get some offensive linemen via the draft, but they usually don’t start right away unless taken in the first two rounds. After losing Odell Beckham Jr., how aggressive should the Ravens be in adding another wide receiver this offseason? Wacker: They need to draft a starting-caliber wide receiver. The good news is it’s a deep class, so getting someone who can contribute from the beginning shouldn’t be a problem on Day 2. They should also comb the veteran free agent market, like they did last season when they signed Nelson Agholor to a one-year deal last March. That experience worked out so well for both sides that he re-signed for another year. But with Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Agholor as its top three receivers, Baltimore would ideally like to bolster that group. Walker: They need one more. That’s another rich position in this year’s draft, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Ravens pick another wide receiver in the first few rounds, especially with Bateman potentially approaching the last year of his rookie deal. A splash on par with Beckham would be more surprising, but there are big names potentially available on the trade market, and they have made a few aggressive moves to give themselves more spending power, so it’s not out of the question. Preston: The Ravens need to find a quality speed threat on the outside who can make the difficult catch in traffic or win a jump ball. They have all the other vital ingredients in the passing game, but they need a receiver on the outside, especially with Jackson’s difficulty throwing the deep ball. Bengals wide receiver Tyler Boyd could be a fit for the Ravens as a free agent. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean) Which of the league’s remaining free agents is the best fit for the Ravens? Wacker: Bringing back outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney should be a priority, but at a projected $9 million, per Pro Football Focus, and with several teams interested, he would probably have to be willing to take a lesser, incentive-laden deal to return to a place where he was genuinely happy. Bringing Kyle Van Noy back would be a cheaper, nearly as effective option, though Clowney is much better against the run. The other area of free agent interest should be wide receiver, and Tyler Boyd would be a terrific addition as a slot receiver with good size (6-2, 185 pounds), excellent hands and a willing and capable blocker in the run game. Plus, it would weaken the division rival Cincinnati Bengals. But at a projected $8.25 million a year, per PFF, he is perhaps too expensive. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Browns agree to terms with Tyler Huntley, former Ravens backup QB Baltimore Ravens | Man who flew drone over Ravens-Chiefs AFC title game sentenced to probation Baltimore Ravens | Steelers trade QB Kenny Pickett to Eagles after signing Russell Wilson Baltimore Ravens | Five things we learned from the Ravens’ first week of free agency Baltimore Ravens | Ravens introduce newly signed Derrick Henry | VIDEO Walker: It’s a boring answer, but Clowney. The top offensive linemen don’t feel like great answers, aside from Kevin Zeitler, who wanted to come back to Baltimore and could still help the Ravens on a short deal. But we know DeCosta prefers to fill out his edge rusher group with veterans on short deals, and Clowney in 2023 was his greatest coup, delivering Pro Bowl-level production and durability at a steep discount. Though Clowney loved his time in Baltimore, he has other suitors who might pay more than the Ravens can afford. He’s almost certainly looking for a significant, well-earned raise. But if he and DeCosta can get to an agreeable number, a reunion would be great for both team and player. Clowney has plenty of juice left, and he’s not going to win a Super Bowl ring with the Carolina Panthers. Preston: The Ravens might need to gamble on edge rusher Chase Young or a cornerback like Stephon Gilmore or Steven Nelson. There’s been a lot of player movement in the AFC North, most notably quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields to the Steelers. Which team is the biggest threat to the Ravens? Wacker: The Bengals are still the best team in the division the Ravens will face all year. The return of quarterback Joe Burrow alone from a season-ending wrist injury suffered against Baltimore immediately makes them a contender for the AFC title. They also franchise tagged receiver Tee Higgins and signed former Ravens safety Geno Stone, who should slot in nicely alongside Von Bell and Dax Hill in a three-safety look, with Hill serving as the Bengals’ version of Kyle Hamilton. Cincinnati added defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, who fills a big hole with DJ Reader moving on to the Detroit Lions. The addition of running back Zack Moss also gives the Bengals a solid back who rushed for just shy of 800 yards, including 120 against the Ravens, and averaged 4.3 yards per carry. Walker: It’s still the Bengals with a healthy Burrow at quarterback. The Browns have a stronger overall roster, but they have yet to find any consistent mojo with Deshaun Watson leading their offense. If they falter early, with 2023 savior Joe Flacco no longer around, Cleveland fans could turn on Watson with a fury. The Steelers picked up Wilson for almost nothing, but when was the last time he looked capable of leading a team on a deep run? That leaves the Bengals, who have a lot of improving to do on defense but were the class of the division in 2021 and 2022 with Burrow throwing to his many weapons. It’s reductive to say everything comes down to the quarterbacks, but that’s the lesson the NFL teaches us year after year. Preston: Every team in the AFC North is a threat. If quarterback Joe Burrow returns healthy, the Bengals will be good again. Pittsburgh has added Wilson and Fields, as well as former Ravens linebacker Patrick Queen, so they have talent. Cleveland is Cleveland, but the Browns will be in the playoff picture again. The AFC North is still the best division in football, even though it struggled early in the 2023 season. View the full article

CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Browns have reached into the Ravens’ well again for a quarterback to back up Deshaun Watson. Last year, they called upon former Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco to help save their season when Watson went down with a fractured shoulder. Flacco went 4-1 in his five starts, helping the Browns to clinch only their third playoff berth since 1999. With Flacco at the helm, the Browns lost 45-14 to the Texans in the wild card round. This time around, they’ve agreed to terms on a one-year deal with former Ravens backup quarterback Tyler Huntley, who started a game against the Browns in relief of Lamar Jackson and finished another. The deal is worth the veteran minimum with some incentives. Huntley became a free agent last week, and the Ravens had no plans to re-sign him. Instead, they added Josh Johnson to compete with Malik Cunningham for the backup job. Huntley, 26, joins a quarterback room that includes Watson, new backup QB Jameis Winston, and 2023 fifth-round pick Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Winston, 30, agreed to terms with the Browns last week on a one-year deal worth $4 million, with a chance to make another $4.7 in incentives for games started and victories. The Browns need an extra arm because Watson is recovering from surgery to repair a fractured glenoid bone in his right throwing shoulder, and he won’t be rushed. He’ll start throwing soon in Los Angeles and is expected to be ready for training camp, but he’ll be limited during the offseason program and possibly the June minicamp. Huntley went 0-1 in his lone start against his new team, a 13-3 loss in Cleveland on Dec. 17, 2022. In relief of an injured Jackson, he completed 17 of 30 attempts for 138 yards with no touchdowns and one interception for a 54.6 rating. In 2021, Huntley came off the bench in the second quarter against the Browns after Jackson suffered a sprained ankle, and gave the Browns a scare with a late rally in Cleveland’s 24-22 victory. He went 27 of 38 (71.05) for 270 yards with one touchdown and one interceptions for a 99.7 rating. He also rushed for 45 yards and lost two fumbles. In that game, Myles Garrett executed a strip-scoop-score off Huntley, running the ball back 15 yards for a TD. Garrett set the Browns’ single season record with 16 sacks in that game. Overall against the Browns, Huntley has completed 44 of his 68 attempts (64.71%) for 408 yards, with one touchdown pass and one interception. He’s earned a 79.8 rating. In 2023, Huntley was added to the Pro Bowl roster as a replacement for an injured Josh Allen despite making only four starts. In his four-year career, Huntley, signed by the Ravens as an undrafted rookie out of Utah in 2020, has gone 3-6 with a 64.6 completion percentage, 1,957 yards, eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. He has a career 79.0 rating. ©2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit cleveland.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. View the full article

The Pennsylvania man who prosecutors said flew a drone over M&T Bank Stadium during this year’s AFC championship game pleaded guilty Thursday to a federal airspace violation. Matthew Hebert, of Chadds Ford, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles D. Austin to serve one year of probation and was ordered to pay a $500 fine for the misdemeanor conviction, according to the 44-year-old’s defense attorney, Justin Lake. “Mr. Hebert cooperated with the Government’s investigation from its inception through its conclusion,” Lake said in an emailed statement. “He is grateful that this unfortunate situation is now behind him and for the opportunity to move forward in a positive manner.” NFL security temporarily suspended the Jan. 28 game between the Ravens and the Kansas City Chiefs during the first quarter due to the drone flying over the stadium. Maryland State Police tracked the drone to a landing spot on the 500 block of South Sharp Street in the Otterbein neighborhood, about half a mile away from the stadium. There, state troopers and FBI agents found Hebert, who said he was visiting friends in Baltimore for the postseason game and admitted to flying the drone, but said he relied on his drone’s remote control app to tell him whether he was not allowed to fly it in certain areas, according to a court affidavit. The drone was also not registered, and Hebert didn’t have a remote pilot certification from the Federal Aviation Administration to operate the unmanned device, according to the affidavit. Hebert was not arrested, though he was charged for the drone flight just over a week after the Ravens’ final game of the season, during which Baltimore lost, 17-10, in front of about 71,430 fans, including numerous celebrity guests. Federal and stadium officials highlighted a need for education about airspace rules in statements after the 44-year-old was charged. “Operating a drone requires users to act responsibly and educate themselves on when and how to use them safely,” FBI agent R. Joseph Rothrock of the Baltimore field office said in an early February statement announcing the charges. The FAA implements a temporary flight restriction for any stadium or sporting event with a seating capacity of 30,000 or more during any MLB, NFL or NCAA Division I game, as well as NASCAR, IndyCar Series or ChampCar Series main races. The Maryland Stadium Authority installed drone detection software in 2021 after a drone sighting at a Ravens game in 2020, though drone sightings and ensuing stoppages continued in Baltimore — this past Ravens season alone saw 12 drone violations. There were four total unauthorized drones at the Jan. 28 game, though games are typically paused only when drones fly above the seating bowl and potentially endanger fans. In the complaint against Hebert, authorities said the drone flight they traced to Hebert “resulted in a threat deemed serious enough by NFL Security to temporarily suspend the game.” With Hebert’s plea to the misdemeanor airspace violation, which itself carries a maximum sentence of one year of incarceration, prosecutors dropped other drone-related charges related to the incident that would have totaled a maximum sentence of four years in federal prison. They recommended the probationary sentence and $500 fine, according to Hebert’s plea agreement, in which prosecutors noted that the 44-year-old had promptly accepted responsibility for the offense and was a “Zero Point Offender,” meaning, among other things, that he had no prior criminal convictions. View the full article