The Ravens have added a returner-wide receiver to their roster ahead of Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
De'Anthony Thomas, who returned 13 punts and seven kickoffs for the Kansas City Chiefs this season, was signed to the 53-man roster Tuesday. To make room for Thomas, the Ravens released veteran cornerback Maurice Canady.
Thomas has excellent speed and spent five seasons with the Chiefs after being selected in the fourth round in 2014. He was released by Kansas City on Oct. 22 after fumbling on a punt return for the second time this season against the Denver Broncos in Week 7.
For his career, Thomas has returned 85 punts for 755 yards and a touchdown and has returned 58 kicks with a 24.5-yard career average. The 5-foot-8, 176-pound Thomas has also caught 65 passes for 509 yards and four touchdowns, but he has seen most of his career action on special teams. Head Coach John Harbaugh said Monday that the Ravens' recent special teams play had been inconsistent. Cyrus Jones muffed a punt during Sunday's win over the New England Patriots, Justin Tucker missed an extra point, and Harbaugh was not satisfied with the Ravens' kickoff or punt coverage.
"We were really, really doing a good job early in the year, and it's not as good right now," Harbaugh said. "We're going to play, if not the best special teams, one of the top two or three special teams in the league next week in Cincinnati. So, we better go. We have to crank it. Kickoff coverage wasn't good enough. Kickoff return and punt return weren't good enough. So, we're not happy with it. And we missed an extra point, too. That's just the facts. So, we have to get better there."
Canady was a fourth-round draft pick by Baltimore in 2016 who began this season on the practice squad. He was promoted to the 53-man roster in September, but Canady had not been active since Week 6. Baltimore's cornerback rotation has become deeper since then with the acquisition of Marcus Peters and Jimmy Smith's return from a knee injury. For the season, Canady had one interception, three pass breakups and two tackles.
In another roster move, defensive end Michael Onuoha was signed to the practice squad. Onuoha is an undrafted rookie from Texas A&M - Commerce who was waived by Baltimore in August during the preseason.
Tuesday afternoon, the Miami Dolphins announced they had signed second-year running back De'Lance Turner from the Ravens' practice squad.
