The Ravens have trimmed the roster down to 53 players going into the regular season.
Here are the players who were released Saturday afternoon:
RB Justin Forsett
QB Josh Johnson
OG Vladimir Ducasse
LB Arthur Brown
S Terrence Brooks
LB Brennen Beyer
WR Daniel Brown
WR Jeremy Butler
OT Blaine Clausell
RB Stephen Houston
DT Kapron Lewis-Moore
OLB Victor Ochi
LB Patrick Onwausor
WR Keenan Reynolds
C Matt Skura
DB Julian Wilson
In addition to the cuts, the following players were placed on injured reserve:
WR Michael Campanaro
WR Chris Matthews
OT De'Ondre Wesley
DB Carrington Byndom (waived/injured)
Second-year tight ends Darren Waller and Nick Boyle also opened up roster spots because they are suspended to open the season. Waller is suspended four games and Boyle will be out 10 games.
The most surprising move of the cuts was the decision to release Forsett, who has been the team's starting running back the last two years. Cutting him leaves the Ravens with just two healthy running backs in Terrance West and Buck Allen. Rookie running back Kenneth Dixon was impressive in the preseason, but a knee injury in the third game is expected to sideline him the first few games.
Forsett, 30, was just one year into a three-year deal with the Ravens that he signed in March of 2015. In his two years with Baltimore, Forsett played 26 games and rushed for 1,907 yards and 10 touchdowns. Â He was voted to the Pro Bowl after a breakout 2014 season.
The plot thickens.. 樂 #GodIsInControl — Justin Forsett (@JForsett) September 3, 2016
The other notable moves include cutting Brooks, Reynolds, Butler and Arthur Brown.
Brown (second round) and Brooks (third round) were both former high draft picks, but they had yet to turn the corner in their development. They would both have been backups if they made the team, and the Ravens opted to use their roster spots elsewhere.
Butler was the team's biggest playermaker of the preseason, but that wasn't enough to carve out a role at a crowded receiver position. The Ravens decided to carry just five wide receivers, unless they make any more changes at the position heading into the regular season.
With Campanaro, he just couldn't shake the injury problems that have plagued him throughout his career. He missed time in training camp with a calf issue, and now he's headed to injured reserve for the third year in a row.
In terms of the players who made the team, undrafted rookie Michael Pierce was one of the biggest surprises. He had a stellar preseason and he will make it 13 years in a row that an undrafted rookie has made Baltimore's roster coming out of training camp.
Keeping cornerback Sheldon Price was also somewhat unexpected, as keeping him gives the Ravens seven cornerbacks on the squad. Baltimore may have decided to keep him given that they've seen how valuable cornerback depth has been over the last few years.
The Ravens could still have roster movement over the next week. Safety Matt Elam, who is sidelined for several weeks with a knee injury, could go to injured reserve to open a roster spot.
The Ravens could also be scouring the waiver wire for veterans that could bolster positions of need. For example, veteran returner Devin Hester worked out for the Ravens Friday and Saturday, and signing him seems like a possibility because the Ravens don't have another clear-cut returner on the roster.
