First things first today, we have some housekeeping to take care of. As reported by Field Yates, Ravens WR Devon Williams was placed on the Reserve/Did Not Report list on Wednesday afternoon.
The Ravens have placed rookie WR Devon Williams on the reserve/did not report list.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) July 20, 2022
A big-bodied target out of Oregon, Williams was one of the intriguing undrafted players in Baltimore this summer, especially considering his path to the roster may be easier than others in different positions.
Alas, it would have been surprising to see Williams make an impact in 2022. In all likelihood, a strong showing in the preseason still would have led to a Practice Squad spot.
Along with the Williams news, The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec reported a few other notes from Wednesday:
Three Ravens moves on today's personnel notice:
UDFA WR Devon Williams (Oregon) to reserve/did not report list.
The Ravens got roster exemption for UDFA RB Ricky Person (N.C. State). Person was listed as exempt/left squad.
WR Binjimen Victor went on non-football injury list.— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) July 20, 2022
Just like with the undrafted rookie receiver, it’s unlikely any of these updates will be particularly consequential, but they are worth noting.
The situation with QB Lamar Jackson’s contract continues to be more interesting. Rather than calling it a situation, it really is becoming a bit of a saga.
As Sports Illustrated’s Todd Karpovich wrote Wednesday morning, it’s integral that Jackson and Baltimore brass strike a deal in the coming weeks to months.
The #Ravens and Lamar Jackson need to reach an agreement on a new contract before it becomes a major distraction in training camp and during the season. #RavensFlock https://t.co/iTDy8PQ1Gf via @toddkarpovich
— Todd Karpovich (@toddkarpovich) July 20, 2022
It’s no surprise that Karpovich’s piece is a great read, but it’s an even greater point – if the two sides don’t agree on an extension, the pressure to do so will grow and the attention paid to the lack of a deal will trickle into the season.
We’ve already seen numerous times how polarizing a figure Jackson is in the media’s eyes. It may not be fair, but the Ravens quarterback draws a great deal of attention, and nothing is more dramatic than the negotiation of a face-of-the-franchise contract.
This could easily become a distraction if it isn’t nipped in the bud before Week 1.
With all the focus on Jackson’s contract, I’ve been surprised how little commotion there’s been about late offseason moves. On Wednesday’s rendition of The Final Drive, Garrett Downing highlighted a few areas the team could make a trade to improve:
Could the Ravens make another move before the start of training camp? pic.twitter.com/qefX5pmxGO
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) July 20, 2022
In my eyes, neither of these positions is worth making a splash for, particularly OLB. I absolutely see the argument for strengthening the WR room, though I agree with Downing that it would be nothing more than a depth piece.
As for OLB, I firmly believe Baltimore’s last addition (barring injury) was Justin Houston. The veteran is a proven leader with a decent floor in terms of production, while others will have plenty of opportunities to shine.
I always enjoy ending these with a fun close to the piece.
This week in particular, a great deal of NFL teams are getting alternate jerseys ready for their 2022 season, and I’ve seen some going around the Twitterverse for the Ravens. Here’s an example:
MAKE IT HAPPEN @Ravens @Lj_era8 pic.twitter.com/8MpguVdepX
— Anthony 🏁 (@AntMob7) July 20, 2022
I won’t focus too much on the uniforms themselves, simply because I doubt the jerseys would look much different from our regular set. However, I have seen the Maryland flag-checkered helmet circulate before.
For me, this is not what I’d like to see. These helmets have too much going on, and while I don’t mind the purple helmet, I believe it’d look far better with gold accents. If this is what Baltimore rolls out, I’d be disappointed. What are your thoughts?
