Ravens Plan On Signing Two Wide Receivers, Nicks Not One
It's been less than 24 hours since the Ravens reportedly worked out three wide receivers at the Under Armour Performance Center, and during that time, fan-favorite Jacoby Jones was also released by the San Diego Chargers.
We have the results from those workouts, and the answer to the burning question everyone is asking: Is a Ravens-Jones reunion on its way? (Skip to the next section for the answer to Jones.)
After reportedly bringing in wide receivers Hakeem Nicks, Joe Morgan and Chuck Jacobs for a tryout, the Ravens did not immediately sign big-name Nicks, but reportedly plan on signing the other two.
The Ravens will ink Morgan, a former New Orleans Saint, according to ESPN's Ed Werder. Also, the former San Francisco 49ers receiver, Jacobs, will be added to the practice squad, according to The Baltimore Sun's Jon Meoli.
Nicks is the most popular of the three receivers that tried out, but it's not surprising that he wasn't signed after four other teams also worked him out and passed. Nicks, 27, is coming off several injuries that have derailed his career. He set career lows last season with 38 receptions and 405 yards receiving.
Instead, the Ravens chose Morgan and Jacobs over Nicks. Both signees have shown potential with their former teams in the past, but injuries have been major road blocks.
Morgan, 27, has had an on-again, off-again relationship with the Saints that dates back to when he first joined the team as an undrafted rookie out of Walsh in 2011. During that time, he's only accumulated 14 career catches in 21 games, and spent two of those seasons on injured reserve.
One of the best games of Morgan's career actually came against the Ravens last season when he made a 62-yard reception and had a 67-yard run.
"The Saints have continued to bring him back because of his big-play ability and his blocking ability, but he wasn't being used this season as a fifth receiver," wrote ESPN's Mike Triplett when Morgan was released on Oct. 6.
Jacobs is in his second NFL season, coming into the league as an undrafted rookie out of Utah State. He hasn't played in the regular season.
"Jacobs isn't a splash signing," wrote Baltimore Beatdown's Matthew Stevens. "[His] scouting report coming out of Utah State has a number of positives, mainly that he is an athletic receiver that plays with passion and has can find himself open. The biggest negative on him is that he is really a one-speed wide receiver that, despite his 40 time, lacks a deep burst. At 6-foot tall and 178* *pounds, Jacobs could find himself as a return specialist or a slot receiver for the Ravens."
Unlikely Jones Returns To Ravens
We all love Jacoby Jones. The Ravens probably don't win Super Bowl XLVII without him.
But as much as he pulls on Baltimore fans' heartstrings, don't expect him to return after the Chargers released him Tuesday.
"Fans should remember him fondly. That said, I think it's a door that should stay closed," wrote 105.7 The Fan's Ken Weinman.
What say you, Jamison Hensley? The Ravens are thin at wide receiver and aren't 100 percent solid at returner. Isn't Jones better than other free agents or the ones they are signing? At least a tryout?
"No, no and no," says Hensley.
"He wouldn't be an improvement, even for a Ravens wide receiver group that doesn't have Steve Smith Sr. or Breshad Perriman. Let's not forget he dropped five passes as a receiver and muffed two punts in 2014, which led to Baltimore releasing him in February."
There have been jokes that Jones was already playing for the Ravens when the Chargers came to town Sunday. He wasn't a factor in the return game, other than allowing a punt bounce past him to the 3-yard line, setting up a Ravens' go-ahead touchdown. Even with Chargers receivers Stevie Johnson hurting and Keenan Allen knocked out of the game, they still didn't use Jones on offense.
Before being released, Jones was having his worst year since 2007 by averaging just 21.4 yards on kickoffs, and he totaled minus-4 yards on punt returns.
"If the Ravens let sentiment affect their signings, Ed Reed and Haloti Ngata would still be on the team," wrote Hensley. "It would be fitting if Jones' last game came in Baltimore, a place where he created so many great memories."
Perriman Return 'Weeks Away'
Ravens fans are still waiting for a Breshad Perriman sighting, and they may not have to wait much longer.
Werder reported that the Ravens' first round pick is "weeks away" from a return.
Who knows how many weeks that is, but it wouldn't hurt if they got the speedster on the field for the majority of the second half of the season. Even if the Ravens don't make the playoffs, The Baltimore Sun's* *Jeff Zrebiec sees big value in getting Perriman on the field this year.
"The reality is barring a miraculous turnaround, we're not talking about a playoff team here," he wrote. "But the final month and a half of the regular season will be an important developmental time for the organization. The Ravens need to know what they have in some of these young players before they have to make a bunch of key offseason decisions.
"Even if Perriman comes back for just four or five games, those are important snaps for him to begin to knock off some rust and get used to the NFL game. And it also gives the Ravens an opportunity to see how far Perriman is along in his transition to the NFL. This has been a lost season for Perriman, but there's still something to be gained for both him and the team."
Pitta Has One More Week to Decide
This is the week that could decide tight end Dennis Pitta's career.
He has seven more days to choose to play this season or sit for the rest of it, which, in his mind, would end his professional football career.
Per the physically unable to perform list rules, Pitta has to make a decision by 4 p.m. next Wednesday, which marks exactly 21 days after he returned to practice.
Ravens Wisely Stand Pat At Trade Deadline
It would have been exciting to see the Ravens make a trade before yesterday's 4 p.m. deadline.
And I'm willing to bet the fake Ian Rapoport Twitter account got a few Ravens fans excited before realizing the team really didn't trade for Anquan Boldin. The account has since been suspended.
The Ravens stood pat as the deadline came and went, and WNST's Luke Jones thinks that was a smart decision.
"With their playoff hopes all but gone at the midway point of the season, the Ravens were wise to hold on to future draft resources instead of making a deal for a short-term fix at receiver or another position of need," wrote Jones.
Ray Lewis 'Fell Out Of Bed Laughing' At Impersonation
If you haven't seen it by now, watch this hilarious trick-or-treat impersonation of Ray Lewis.
The future Hall of Famer got a look at it, and was thoroughly amused.
"I fell out of the bed I was laughing so hard," Lewis said on ESPN's Monday Night Football pregame show. "My favorite part was when he said, 'Trick or treat with effort.'"
Part 1 of @raylewis Halloween pre-Game speech!! Motivation pic.twitter.com/XVPk4oETbj — Travis Johnson (@trapj99) October 31, 2015
Hahahahah part of a motivational @raylewis Halloween Pre-game pic.twitter.com/FoE9BqWQFX — Travis Johnson (@trapj99) October 31, 2015
Quick Hits
https://t.co/DIJuaNzec4 pic.twitter.com/Bv2xwpd6Fe — Steve Smith Sr (@89SteveSmith) November 3, 2015
