Baltimore Ravens

The Carolina Panthers traded wide receiver Diontae Johnson to the Baltimore Ravens on Tuesday.

We’ve agreed in principle on a trade to acquire WR Diontae Johnson from the Carolina Panthers, pending the passing of a physical. pic.twitter.com/iMtdskuEBz

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) October 29, 2024

The Panthers sent the Ravens a sixth-round pick and received a fifth-round pick as part of the deal, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The trade comes less than a year after the Panthers traded cornerback Donte Jackson and made a late-round pick swap to acquire Johnson from the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Johnson went on to make seven starts as the Panthers' top wideout, during which he led the team with 30 catches on 58 targets for 357 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

Given Johnson's expiring contract and the Panthers' 1-7 start to the season, the wideout was a more valuable target for an aspiring postseason contender like the Ravens than a franchise still in the early stages of a rebuild.

The Steelers originally took Johnson with a third-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft. During his five seasons in Pittsburgh, the Toledo product accrued 4,363 receiving yards and 25 receiving touchdowns. He recorded three straight seasons with at least 80 catches for the Steelers, highlighted by his 1,000-yard campaign and Pro Bowl nod in 2021.

After facing scrutiny for what appeared to be a lack of effort on certain plays during his final season with the Steelers, Johnson upped his trade value by serving as a top target despite quarterback uncertainty in Carolina.

After playing through signal-caller turnover in Pittsburgh, where Kenny Pickett, Mason Rudolph and Mitchell Trubisky all earned starts for the Steelers in 2023, Johnson caught passes from both 2023 No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young and veteran Andy Dalton with the Panthers.

Johnson's proven ability to run routes while adjusting to playing with various quarterbacks made him an attractive rental option, although he may not be in Baltimore for long. The 28-year-old wideout is currently set to hit unrestricted free agency next spring.

The tackle that likely ended Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin's season resulted in a fine for Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith.

Per CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones, the NFL has determined that Smith used a hip-drop tackle to bring down Godwin, who suffered a dislocated ankle on the play, late in the fourth quarter of Monday's 41-31 win for the Ravens.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Smith was fined "a little over $16,000."

Jones reported on Tuesday that the league was reviewing the play to determine if it met the definition of a hip-drop tackle.

Bucs head coach Todd Bowles said that Godwin would have surgery on his ankle that would likely keep him out for the rest of the season, but he would have a "chance" to return if they made a deep playoff run.

NFL owners unanimously voted during the offseason to approve a rule change that would remove the hip-drop tackle after a league study of more than 20,000 tackles from the previous two seasons showed lower extremity injuries occurred at a rate 20 times higher than other tackles.

The league's definition of a hip-drop tackle is when a player "grabs the runner with both hands or wraps the runner with both arms; and unweights himself by swiveling and dropping his hips and/or lower body, landing on and trapping the runner's leg at or below the knee."

A hip-drop tackle results in a 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down, but Jones noted that nine such instances of the hip-drop tackle that have been identified by the NFL so far this season haven't resulted in a flag.

Four players received fines from the NFL stemming from hip-drop tackle violations in Week 2. The league holds the right to determine the amount of the fine for a violation based on the severity of the tackle.

Godwin's injury came after the Buccaneers lost Mike Evans earlier in the game against Baltimore due to a hamstring injury. Evans is expected to be out until after Tampa's bye in Week 11.

The Bucs (4-3) have lost two of their last three games and are tied with the Atlanta Falcons for first place in the NFC South.

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith says he is hoping for Chris Godwin's "speedy recovery" after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiver suffered a season-ending ankle injury on a tackle from Smith on Monday night.

Smith was not flagged on the play, which the NFL is currently reviewing.

"First and foremost, just send prayers, and a speedy recovery to Chris," Smith said on Thursday. "Got a lot of respect for him as a player, what he's accomplished throughout this league, and the little I've seen of him, seems like a really good dude... You never want to see anybody go down with any type of injury, but we play a very physical game, and it demands a lot. Bullets are flying pretty fast.

"But I never go into any game to injure any player. I want every player to go back home, safe and sound to their family. Maybe a little sore, but other than that."

Roquan Smith on whether his tackle on Chris Godwin on Monday night was a hip-drop one: “I never go into any game meaning to injure any player. I want every player to go back home safe and sound to their family — maybe a little sore." pic.twitter.com/YiVWfZFmDo

— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) October 24, 2024

Smith declined to discuss whether he had heard from the NFL following the league's decision to review the tackle on Godwin to see if it qualifies as a banned hip-drop tackle.

"That's not really something to discuss in this moment," Smith told reporters.

According to the NFL, a hip-drop tackle occurs "when a defender wraps up a ball carrier and rotates or swivels his hips, unweighting himself and dropping onto ball carrier's legs during the tackle."

A tackle qualifies for the penalty is the defender "grabs the runner with both hands or wraps the runner with both arms," and "unweights himself by swiveling and dropping his hips and/or lower body, landing on and trapping the runner's leg(s) at or below the knee," according to the league.

The tackle in question occurred in the final minute of the Buccaneers' 41-31 loss, when Smith ended Godwin's 21-yard catch-and-run with a tackle.

Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles reported after the game that Godwin had suffered a dislocated ankle, and confirmed on Tuesday that the wideout would undergo surgery.

The injury cut short what was shaping up to be a career season for Godwin, who was playing on an expiring contract in his eighth campaign with the Buccaneers. At the time of his injury, he led all NFL receivers with 50 catches, ranked second with 576 receiving yards and tied for third with five receiving touchdowns.

The NFL has so far fined at least seven players for hip-drop tackles, including Chicago Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards, who was levied a $16,883 fine for a Week 2 play that caused running back Joe Mixon to miss three games with an ankle injury. Smith could be in for a similar fine if the NFL decides the tackle on Godwin fits their criteria.

The success of Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry and Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley with their respective new teams this season appears to be changing the perception of veteran ball carriers in the NFL.

The Athletic's Mike Sando spoke to a league executive who said running backs deserve to be paid what they're worth.

"I think what we're seeing here is that elite backs are still worth paying, especially if they contribute on third down," the exec said. "And then, trying to reinvent the wheel to save a couple bucks generally doesn't work."

The discourse surrounding the running back position has evolved over the last few years, with many teams unwilling to give hefty long-term contracts to aging ball carriers regardless of their previous accolades. For example, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has continued to offer excuses for why the team didn't sign Henry after he became a free agent.

This past offseason, Henry signed a two-year, $20 million deal with the Ravens, while Barkley landed a three-year contract with the Eagles that could be worth up to $46.75 million.

Should’ve scored smh slow af 🤦🏾‍♂️ much love flock 🐦‍⬛💜🤞🏾💪🏾🫡 https://t.co/TwS3iYDWMv

— Derrick Henry  (@KingHenry_2) October 22, 2024

Both players have thrived in their new homes, with Henry leading the league with 873 rushing yards and Barkley ranking third with 658 yards. They have both proven to be difference-makers who can be the focal point of their team's offense despite being on the other side of 25 years old (Henry is 30, Barkley is 27).

After this season, more running backs could be in line to cash in on big-money deals thanks to the precedent set by Henry and Barkley.

Derrick Henry has fit in quite nicely with his new team, the Baltimore Ravens, this season, rushing for 130 or more yards in four of his past five games.

And Lamar Jackson believes the sky is the limit for the superstar running back.

"It's there. I feel like he has a great chance of achieving that," Jackson told reporters when asked if Henry could set the single-season rushing record. "I think he can do it. I believe he can do it."

Derrick Henry is on pace to break Eric Dickerson’s single season rushing mark.

Does Lamar Jackson think Henry can break the record? “I believe he can do it,” Jackson said. pic.twitter.com/28ilbA8rOD

— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) October 23, 2024

The current record is 2,105 yards, set by Eric Dickerson in the 1984 season. He is one of only eight players to exceed 2,000 yards in a season, a list that includes Henry, who rushed for 2,027 yards in the 2020 campaign while still a member of the Tennessee Titans.

Henry is currently averaging 124.7 yards per game, putting him on pace to reach 2,120 yards over the course of a 17-game season (Dickerson set the record in 16 games).

Derrick Henry has more rush yards than these 23 teams 🤯🔥

h/t @AndrewSiciliano pic.twitter.com/ruvsGq2GvN

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 23, 2024

Derrick Henry is now over 200 rushing yards past the rest if the NFL. He has 201 rushing DYAR. That puts him on pace for one of the top 10 seasons since 1979. He probably won't stay on that pace. But wow, has he been good.

— Aaron Schatz 🏈 (@ASchatzNFL) October 22, 2024

Of note, however, is that the 30-year-old is also on pace for 325 carries, which would be the most he's posted in a season since the 2020 campaign (349 carries) and the third most in his career overall.

Will the Ravens continue to give him that type of workload? Will he be able to remain healthy over a full season?

Henry has generally been durable in his career, playing 15 or more games in all but one season. But even losing a single game to injury, or a half, could make it difficult to catch Dickerson.

The mark would be a personal record, but Henry has been quick to attribute his early success in Baltimore to his teammates.

"It takes all 11 guys," he told reporters this week. "[The] offensive line is doing a hell of a job; I mean a hell of a job. Receivers are blocking; [fullback] Pat [Patrick] Ricard being the beast [and] the juggernaut. It takes all of us—we [are] all tied in together to have success and hopefully it keeps going."

If it does, records are going to fall.

The NFL is looking into Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith's tackle on Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin for a potential violation of its new hip-drop tackle rule, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The two-time Pro Bowler would be subject to a fine if the tackle falls under the guidelines.

Here is the play on which Chris Godwin was hurt that now will be under review: https://t.co/wzw0Ob5jPn pic.twitter.com/7JOYezfrsQ

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 22, 2024

The tackle resulted in Godwin dislocating his ankle and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported the 2019 Pro Bowler is due to have surgery this week. NFL Network colleague Tom Pelissero said he isn't expected to return this year.

#Bucs WR Chris Godwin is scheduled to undergo an MRI this morning before having surgery on his dislocated ankle that most likely will end his 2024 season, per sources. @gmfb @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/p47TAKihnB

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 22, 2024

Teams voted unanimously in March to ban hip-drop tackles, which are described as "when a defender wraps up a ball-carrier and rotates or swivels his hips, unweighting himself and dropping onto ball carrier's legs during the tackle."

Based on its research, the league found that hip-drop tackles result in "lower extremity injuries at a rate 20 times higher than other tackles."

However, the rule highlights an ongoing existential dilemma for the NFL. Making the game safer means shifting an even higher burden to defensive players and evolving the sport to a point where it's dramatically different from what fans have come to expect.

In 2023, the NFL Players Association issued a statement voicing its concerns over a hip-drop rule, calling it "unfair to players and unrealistic to implement." The union's sentiment remained the same this spring when it was a topic of discussion again.

Our statement on the swivel hip-drop tackle. pic.twitter.com/8mzhjtPgKu

— NFLPA (@NFLPA) March 20, 2024

NFL executive vice president Troy Vincent told reporters on Oct. 15 the league examined 22 potential instances of a hip-drop tackle. Seven were worthy of a fine and none was flagged for a penalty.

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry jokingly expressed regret for not scoring another touchdown on Monday night after being tackled following an 81-yard run in the third quarter.

The 30-year-old posted to social media after the game, teasing that he is "slow as f--k" after being taken down within the red zone.

Should’ve scored smh slow af 🤦🏾‍♂️ much love flock 🐦‍⬛💜🤞🏾💪🏾🫡 https://t.co/TwS3iYDWMv

— Derrick Henry  (@KingHenry_2) October 22, 2024

The Alabama product finished Monday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with 15 rushing attempts for 169 yards and one touchdown.

During his NFL Draft Combine in 2016, Henry ran a 4.52 in the 40-yard dash, so just to clarify, he is definitely not slow.

Derrick Henry reached a top speed of 21.72 MPH on his 81-yard run, the 5th-fastest speed by a ball carrier this season and the 3rd-fastest of Henry's career.

Zyon McCollum hit 21.85 MPH in pursuit of Henry to save a touchdown on the play.#BALvsTB | #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/RB2Vpf0bNS

— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) October 22, 2024

Henry has accumulated 704 rushing yards this season, along with nine total touchdowns in his first year with the Ravens.

He was selected by the Tennessee Titans with the No. 45 overall pick in 2016 and played eight seasons with them before joining the Baltimore Ravens.

Lamar Jackson defeating an NFC team may be the biggest guarantee in all of sports.

The Baltimore Ravens quarterback led his team to a fifth straight victory with a 41-31 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday at Raymond James Stadium. Baltimore is now 5-2 on the season following a slow start, while Tampa Bay fell to 4-3 with the loss.

Jackson is now an unbelievable 23-1 against NFC foes in his career and has already beaten the Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders this season.

LAMAR THROWS 49-YARD TD BOMB TO RASHOD BATEMAN 🤯

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/0X1t1IQAxd

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 22, 2024

He was brilliant again Monday and went 17-of-22 passing for 281 yards, five touchdowns and zero interceptions while adding 52 yards as a runner. It wasn't just him, as Derrick Henry (169 rushing yards and one touchdown catch), Mark Andrews (two touchdowns) and Rashod Bateman (121 receiving yards and one touchdown) also impressed in the win.

But it was Jackson who drew much of the attention from social media:

Lamar is unreal.

Better than ever.

— Rich Eisen (@richeisen) October 22, 2024

Hoping beyond hope that Lamar Jackson can stay healthy for the playoffs.

— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) October 22, 2024

This is the best Lamar Jackson we've ever seen.

— Bill Barnwell (@billbarnwell) October 22, 2024

Lamar Jackson was already the MVP last year, and I think he's comfortably playing the best football of his career right now.

— Robert Mays (@robertmays) October 22, 2024

There have been seven games in NFL history in which a quarterback had 50+ rushing yards and 5 passing TDs.

Lamar has three of them. pic.twitter.com/AcDH7DDIOj

— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) October 22, 2024

Lamar Jackson getting his 3rd MVP.

— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) October 22, 2024

yeah Lamar Jackson is the best in the world

— year 23 (@johnrivers131) October 22, 2024

lamar jackson, 3x most valuable player.

— Kyron Samuels (@kyronsamuels) October 22, 2024

This is somehow shaping up as Lamar Jackson's best overall season

— Patrick Daugherty (@RotoPat) October 22, 2024

Lamar! Totally different level!

— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) October 22, 2024

Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson

Top Tier!

— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) October 22, 2024

Lamar Jackson has been the best player in the league this season by a lot

— Tony Jones (@Tjonesonthenba) October 22, 2024

WHO playing better than LAMAR??? Seriously this the best I ever seen him

— LeSean Shady Mccoy (@CutonDime25) October 22, 2024

LAMAR JACKSON HAS BECOME THE FAVORITE TO WIN NFL MVP (+280) @DKSportsbook pic.twitter.com/bIvugYXxJd

— br_betting (@br_betting) October 22, 2024

To call the first half a roller coaster for a Tampa Bay team already facing the daunting task of playing against Jackson as an NFC club would be quite the understatement. Initially, it looked as if the home team would roll when it jumped out to a 10-0 lead behind Mike Evans' 100th career touchdown.

And then it didn't.

Jackson responded with touchdown passes to Andrews and Justice Hill, and the Buccaneers also had a particularly disastrous possession when Evans dropped a touchdown pass and grabbed his hamstring in obvious pain. He never returned, and Baker Mayfield added insult to injury when he threw a poor interception to Marlon Humphrey in the end zone.

Humphrey added a second interception as Baltimore took a 17-10 lead into intermission, although the cornerback was ruled out for the second half with a knee injury.

Jackson made sure the Ravens didn't need him down the stretch.

Perhaps his best throw of the evening came on a 49-yard rainbow to Bateman for a touchdown, and he followed that by breaking the game open with another touchdown pass to Andrews. The Andrews score capped off a drive that started with an 81-yard run from Henry as the Ravens showed off all their offensive weapons.

The Ravens are COOKING.

📺: #BALvsTB on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/dDkCrm8ycx

— NFL (@NFL) October 22, 2024

A defenses WORST NIGHTMARE

Derrick Henry behind his own 10 yard line 😳

(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/vHtfWbXUIp

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) October 22, 2024

The rest of the game was largely a formality even though Tampa Bay cut into the deficit after recovering Jackson's backward pass and scoring a touchdown on the ensuing possession. The star quarterback more than made up for the one mistake by blocking for Henry on a long run and then finding the running back with his fifth touchdown pass of the day.

Jackson looks the part of an MVP candidate, which would, in turn, set the Ravens up to compete for a Super Bowl as the season progresses.

First, though, is an upcoming divisional showdown against the Cleveland Browns as they look to extend their winning streak following a dominant performance against Tampa Bay.

Lamar Jackson isn't focused on MVP buzz.

The Baltimore Ravens quarterback told reporters Thursday that he's concentrating on leading his team to a Super Bowl victory instead of eyeing individual accolades.

"I really don't care about the hype," Jackson said, via ESPN's Jamison Hensley. "I'm not going to dwell on an MVP trophy, or anything like that. I never have. Even when I won it, I never dwelled on it. It was about me just trying to win each and every game I'm in. And same thing from now, I'm still trying to win these games to get to February and win in February."

The 27-year-old is coming off the second MVP victory of his career in 2023, helping the Ravens finish with the best record in the AFC at 13-4. One of the few blemishes on Jackson's résumé is a lack of postseason success, though.

He owns a record of just 2-4 in six playoff starts. Baltimore's 2023 season came to an end in the AFC Championship Game, falling to the Kansas City Chiefs by the final score of 17-10.

LAMAR GETS PICKED OFF 😳

(via @NFL)
pic.twitter.com/eu0E1eJk0x

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 28, 2024

The Ravens started their 2024 campaign on a low note, losing their first two contests. They've been able to bounce back due to Jackson's heroics, winning four straight games to sit atop the AFC North.

Over that four-game span, he completed 70.3 percent of his throws for 1,009 yards and eight touchdowns compared to one interception. Jackson also added 236 yards and two more scores on the ground.

ONLY LAMAR. WOW.

📺: #BALvsCIN on CBS/Paramount+
📱: https://t.co/waVpO8ZBqG pic.twitter.com/KenO7criwG

— NFL (@NFL) October 6, 2024

"I just feel like everything is slowing down even more," Jackson said, per Hensley. "Just from the [seven] years I've been in the league and seeing all types of defenses, seeing all types of blitzes. Everything is just second nature right now."

If he's able to help continue Baltimore's win streak while thriving both inside and outside the pocket, he'll be a top candidate to earn MVP honors for the third time in his career. However, Jackson has made it clear that he's only concerned with making the playoffs and succeeding in the postseason.

Lamar Jackson's decorated career added another huge milestone on Sunday.

The Baltimore Ravens quarterback moved into second place all-time on the NFL rushing list among quarterbacks, passing Cam Newton. He now has the all-time leader, Michael Vick, in his sights:

Lamar Jackson has passed Cam Newton for 2nd-most rush yards all-time for a QB 🔥 (5,628 Rush Yards)

He now only trails @MichaelVick (6,109 Rush Yards) pic.twitter.com/XxbPnlCbyn

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 13, 2024

Lamar Jackson is now second on the all-time quarterback rushing yards list, passing Cam Newton — in 56 fewer games.

H/T @ravenshttps://t.co/4Eh6dV5YkV pic.twitter.com/SvWlwZ9lTJ

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) October 13, 2024

Jackson, 27, came into Sunday's play having another excellent season, throwing for 1,206 yards, nine touchdowns and one interception, completing 65.3 percent of his passes. He remains a dynamic threat on the ground as well, rushing for 363 yards and two scores in the team's first five games.

That has him on pace to easily eclipse 1,000 rushing yards for the third time in his career. Jackson is one of just three quarterbacks in NFL history to hit that milestone, having done so in both 2019 (1,206 yards) and 2020 (1,005 yards). Only Justin Fields (1,143 yards and 2022) and Vick (1,039 yards in 2006) have joined him in that illustrious club, and Jackson is the only player to do it more than once.

Jackson will almost assuredly catch Vick's rushing yards record, but one mark that may be well out of reach for him is rushing touchdowns. While the Ravens' superstar has found the end zone 31 times in his career, the record-holder among quarterbacks is Newton, with a whopping 75 rushing scores.

The active player most likely to catch him is Josh Allen, who currently has 55 rushing touchdowns in his career. Jalen Hurts is a candidate as well, with 43.

Regardless, Jackson is putting together a Hall of Fame career. About the only thing the two-time MVP and three-time Pro Bowler hasn't accomplished is winning a Super Bowl title, but he helped lead Baltimore to the postseason in five of his first six seasons.

Jackson would almost assuredly take a title over the individual accolades. But there's little doubt that he's having a special career.