Stay with RavenCountry.com for all the latest roster moves by the Baltimore Ravens and the rest of the NFL – NFL Tracker
GEOFF MAGLIOCHETTIUPDATED:DEC 7, 2023 2:55 PM ESTORIGINAL:DEC 6, 2023
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DEC 7 RAVENS COORDINATORS TO HEAD COACHING JOBS? Over the past two offseasons, the Baltimore Ravens have had to separately fill the respective defensive and offensive coordinator spots. Come this winter/spring, they may have to fill both.
Anonymous NFL executives hinted to Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post that Mike Macdonald and Todd Monken, the respective heads of the Ravens’ defense and offense, could find themselves promoted to the top spot come this offseason.
“I think they’re both getting (head coaching) jobs,” one general manager told La Canfora. “(Head coach) John (Harbaugh) has to know that’s a real possibility. They’re both going to get interviews.”
Another unnamed executive said that Monken, in his first season at the helm of Baltimore’s offense, could have the inside edge thanks to prior experience: Monken spent three seasons wearing the top headset at the University of Southern Mississippi and he also two national championship rings from his time as the Georgia Bulldogs’ offense coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
“Baltimore is going to lose them both. I like the OC more than the DC,” the latter executive said. “The OC is going to be somebody’s head coach, man. He’s done it (at Southern Mississippi) before. His offense was great at Georgia. He’s ready.”
DEC 6 RAMS SIGN MASON CROSBY BEFORE RAVENS GAME The Baltimore Ravens could face a new kicker when the Los Angeles Rams come to town this weekend.
The Rams announced that they have signed 16-year veteran Mason Crosby to the practice squad.
Crosby, 39, kicked in every game for the Green Bay Packers from 2007-22. Now, he could join the Rams as they fight for a playoff spot.
The Ravens host the Rams on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
DEC 5 WALTER PAYTON MAN OF THE YEAR NOMINEE The Baltimore Ravens have announced starting inside linebacker Roquan Smith was nominated as their Walter Payton Man of the Year candidate, via the team’s official Twitter account Tuesday.
The Walter Payton Man of the Year award “recognizes an NFL player for his excellence on and off the field. Smith is one of 32 nominees for the award which was last won by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. The winner will be announced on February 8 during the NFL Honors which will air live on CBS at 9 p.m. (EST).
DEC 4 REED PULLS FOR CLEVELANDER FLACCO One Baltimore Raven is delivering an olive branch to the Cleveland Browns in the wake of recent events.
Ravens great Ed Reed is among the many watching the Browns with great interest after his former AFC North divisional rival added his ex-teammate Joe Flacco under center. Flacco, the longtime franchise quarterback in Charm City and Super Bowl XLVI MVP, made his orange-helmeted debut on Sunday in the wake of injuries to starters Deshaun Watson and Dorian Thompson-Robinson as the Browns fight for an elusive playoff spot.
“It might be a Cinderella thing,” Reed declared in a conversation with NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. “It might be awesome if Joe can get them to the playoffs.”
Reed outright pulling from the Browns and Flacco dressing in Cleveland colors might prove equally shocking to Ravens fans, but the former assured supporters that it could always be worse.
“It’s not like he’s going to the Steelers, man!” Reed said in regards to those worried about Flacco committing treason. “He’s somewhere that actually has a connection to Baltimore.”
Reed, of course, refers to the Ravens’ 1996 formation that spawned from the Browns’ controversial move away from Cleveland. The history of the franchise remained in Ohio while the Ravens have been regarded as a de facto expansion franchise. Baltimore has dominated the ensuing divisional rivalry to the tune of a 36-14 record since Cleveland’s return, though the two sides split the season series this time around.
Flacco, 38, put up respectable numbers in his Browns debut, going 23-of-44 for 252 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception in a 36-19 interconference loss to the Los Angeles Rams. As it stands, the Browns (7-5) placed sixth in the AFC and hold one of three wild card spots between four teams with matching records. They return to action on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars (1 p.m. ET, CBS).
DEC 4 RAVENS LOSE NO. 1 SEED IN AFC The Baltimore Ravens’ time atop the AFC has come to an end for the time being.
The Miami Dolphins’ 45-15 win over the Washington Commanders improved their record to 9-3 and moved them atop the AFC. The Ravens (9-3) are now the No. 2 seed as they’re currently on their bye week.
The Kansas City Chiefs fell behind Baltimore and Miami by a game after their 27-19 loss to the Green Bay Packers. The Jacksonville Jaguars (8-3) will have a chance to have the same record as the Ravens and Dolphins with a win on Monday Night Football against the Cincinnati Bengals (5-6).
Baltimore will have its chances to reclaim the No. 1 seed later this month when they face the Jaguars in Jacksonville on Dec. 17 and on Dec. 31 when it hosts Miami.
NOV 30 MADUBUIKE DESTINED FOR FRANCHISE TAG? Adam Schefter revealed that the Baltimore Ravens attempted to lock down the future of standout pass rusher Justin Madubuike before this season began. The failure to do so … and Madubuike’s finest professional season to date … could force the Ravens to place the franchise tag on him.
“Baltimore put on a press to sign him this summer, he rolled the dice, he bet on himself,” Schefter said on his eponymous podcast. “If they can’t get him re-signed they’ll probably have to use their franchise tag on him.”
Madubuike has certainly cashed in on that bet: he’s already set a new career-high with 10 sacks, one of 10 defenders to reach double-figures in quarterback takedowns this season.
NOV 29 DESEAN JACKSON TO ANNOUNCE RETIREMENT Three-time Pro Bowl receiver DeSean Jackson is set to announce his retirement on Friday, his 37th birthday. It will end a 15-year career that finished with the Baltimore Ravens last season. Jackson is set to sign an honorary contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, his original and longest-tenured NFL employers (2008-13, 2019-20).
“DeSean Jackson was a dynamic playmaker who captivated Eagles fans with his game-breaking speed, unique skill set, and explosive play,” Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said in a statement on the team’s official site. “What made DeSean truly stand out during his accomplished 15-year career was his ability to make miraculous plays look routine.
Jackson’s final NFL action thus came with the Ravens, who had him on the field for seven games last season. He earned 153 yards on nine receptions in that span. His other NFL stops include Washington, Tampa Bay, Los Angeles (Rams), and Las Vegas.
NOV 28 SUNDAY REF EXPLAINS STONE NO-CALL Some felt that the Baltimore Ravens caught an early break in Sunday’s 20-10 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers: on the hosts’ opening drive, quarterback Justin Herbert’s scramble out of bounds five yards away from the end zone wasn’t enough to avoid a heavy hit from Ravens defender Geno Stone, leading to brief extracirriculars between the two sides before order was restored.
Only post-play penalties were called and the Chargers eventually settled for a Cameron Dicker field goal that opened scoring. Referee Alan Eck further exonerated Stone after the game, saying that the Baltimore defender committed to the tackle before Herbert stepped out of bounds.
“While he was still in bounds, the defender committed to the tackle,” Eck said, in the pool report curated by PFWA member Joe Reedy “As his foot landed out of bounds, the defender made contact. So, since the defender already committed to the tackle while the quarterback was in bounds, it was deemed a legal hit.”
NOV 27 THE FALL OF TUCKER Ravens kicker Justin Tucker has been the best kicker in the NFL almost since he came into the league as an undrafted free agent in 2012 from the University of Texas. But not anymore.
The 34-year-old Austin Westlake product missed a 44-yard attempt in the Ravens’ 20-10 win over the Chargers on Sunday night, which dropped his season field goal percentage to a career-low 80.8 percent.
Tucker didn’t just relinquish the title of “most accurate ever,” he’s not even average this season.
The NFL average is 85.8 percent, far above Tucker’s 80.8 success rate. The Ravens rank No. 23 of the 32 NFL teams in field goal percentage.
NOV 21 ED REED DID IT FIRST Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, and Philadelphia Eagles defender Jalen Carter offered tribute on Monday night: in the midst of Philadelphia’s widely-viewed 21-17 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, Carter attempted to intercept a Patrick Mahomes spike at the end of the first half with a dive past the line of scrimmage as the ball left the passer’s hand.
According to former Ravens defender Dominique Foxworth, Ed Reed attempted a similar gambit against Joe Flacco in a Baltimore practice of yesteryear.
“One time, actually it was more than one time, I saw Joe Flacco complete a pass and they get ready to spike the ball, Foxworth recalled. “Ed Reed creeps up to the line of scrimmage, Joe Flacco snaps it and steps back and spikes the ball. Ed Reed dives under the center’s leg to try to catch the spike and hits his hand.”
Reed, one of the most lauded secondary defenders in recent NFL memory certainly didn’t need any help in the race to be the Ravens’ all-time leader in interceptions: over 11 seasons in Charm City (2002-12) earned 61 interceptions, 30 more than his closest competitor Ray Lewis.
NOV 20 RAVENS WORK OUT POSSIBLE ANDREWS REPLACEMENT The Baltimore Ravens lost starting tight end Mark Andrews in Thursday’s 34-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, and despite the ankle injury not being as bad as originally feared, they have already started looking at making a potential signing.
