Baltimore Ravens

Legendary quarterback and Fox analyst Tom Brady had some high praise for Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson while calling Sunday's game against the Cowboys, even giving him a new nickname: "The Eraser."

Jackson reacted to his new label while speaking to reporters on Wednesday, saying it's "dope" for Brady to have dubbed him with the moniker:

Brady's admiration for Jackson dates all the way back to his playing days while he was still a member of the New England Patriots:

Jackson helped lead the Ravens to a 28-25 road victory over the Cowboys in Week 3 by throwing for 182 yards and a touchdown on 12-of-15 passing while adding 14 carries for 87 yards and another score. The game was not as close as the final score suggested, as Dallas scored 19 points in the fourth quarter to make it a respectable contest.

The two-time reigning NFL MVP is one of the most dynamic players in the league, and now he has a fun nickname to go with it.

"The Eraser" will try to lead Baltimore to its second victory of the year in a marquee matchup against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night Football.

The Baltimore Ravens are reportedly signing veteran defensive end Yannick Ngakoue, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Ngakoue, 29, appeared in nine games for the Ravens in the 2020 season, registering three sacks. He last played for the Chicago Bears in the 2023 season, posting 22 tackles, four sacks, six tackles for loss and seven quarterback hits in 13 starts.

For his career, Ngakoue has notched 69 total sacks.

Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic noted that Ngakoue will initially return to the Ravens on the practice squad.

Three games into the 2024 season, the Ravens have notched 10 sacks, ninth in the NFL. Outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy (four) has led that charge, though teams can never have enough quality options off the edge.

The Baltimore defense looked fantastic in the first three quarters against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, holding them to just three points as the Ravens stormed to a 28-3 lead. But the Cowboys made things interesting in a hectic fourth quarter, putting up 19 points to make things tight.

After letting the Kansas City Chiefs put 27 points on them in a Week 1 loss and the Las Vegas Raiders score 26 in a surprising Week 2 loss, the defense letting up against Dallas was a concerning development.

A slow start on that side of the ball isn't the biggest surprise, given the team has a new defensive coordinator in Zach Orr. Perhaps the addition of Ngakoue will bolster the pass rush and help the Ravens return to the form that saw them finish sixth in the NFL last season in yards allowed (301.4 YPG) and was tops in points allowed (16.5 PPG).

There was a time when Justin Tucker making field goals was about the most automatic thing in football, but that hasn't been the case in 2024.

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh doesn't seem particularly worried.

"He's everything that you want in a player and friend," Harbaugh told reporters Monday. "It's just a technique issue he's working through right now. He's got a technique thing going on. He'll work through it. He knows exactly what it is and just needs to smooth it back out. I'm very confident that he will."

Tucker is 5-of-8 on field goals this season, which is a 62.5 percent conversion rate and well below his career mark of 89.7 percent.

The biggest concern is from distance, as he was just 1-of-5 on attempts from at least 50 yards last season and is 0-for-2 in the same category in 2024. Perhaps age is becoming something of a concern, as he is set to turn 35 years old in November and has been kicking in the league since 2012.

Still, Tucker is arguably the best kicker in NFL history.

His resume includes a Super Bowl title, five First-Team All-Pro selections, seven Pro Bowl nods, three different seasons when he led the league in made field goals and six different seasons when he connected on better than 90 percent of his field goals, including in 2021 when he led the league at 94.6 percent and also drilled an NFL-record 66-yarder.

If anyone is capable of working through the technique issue that has hampered his game of late, it is Tucker.

And he will have a chance to prove it won't be a concern moving forward when the Ravens host the Buffalo Bills in a high-profile clash between presumed AFC contenders on Sunday.

The Baltimore Ravens and running back Justice Hill reportedly agreed to a contract extension Friday.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Hill and the Ravens came to terms on a two-year, $6 million deal.

Hill, 26, has spent his entire five-year career in Baltimore, and he is now under contract with the team through the 2026 campaign thanks to his new pact.

Baltimore originally selected Hill in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL draft after he enjoyed a standout collegiate career at Oklahoma State that included two 1,000-yard rushing seasons and 30 total rushing touchdowns over three seasons.

Despite that, Hill had a fairly limited role in the Ravens' offense over his first three seasons, averaging about 182 rushing yards, eight catches for 49 yards and less than one touchdown per year during that stretch.

Hill was utilized far more often last season, though, perhaps due in large part to the fact that running back J.K. Dobbins was lost for the season after just one game, while veteran running back Melvin Gordon struggled.

Gus Edwards was the Ravens' go-to running back as a rusher last season, but Hill was the primary third-down back, and his stats improved as a result.

In fact, Hill set career highs across the board with 84 carries for 387 yards and three touchdowns, plus 28 receptions for 206 yards and a score.

The Ravens' backfield underwent some significant changes during the offseason, as both Edwards and Dobbins signed with the Los Angeles Chargers in free agency, while Baltimore signed longtime Tennessee Titans running back and potential future Hall of Famer Derrick Henry.

For now, the Ravens have only two true running backs on their active roster in Henry and Hill since Keaton Mitchell is on the physically unable to perform list.

Henry is the unquestioned go-to guy on early downs, in short-yardage situations and around the goal line, but Hill has had significant usage as well.

Hill played 54 percent of the Ravens' offensive snaps in each of their first two games, and he was especially productive in a Week 1 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, catching six passes for 52 yards since Baltimore was playing from behind.

He had only two grabs for 10 yards in a Week 2 upset loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, but Hill did rush four times for 22 yards.

While he may not be a superstar or a player capable of taking on a heavy workload on a regular basis, Hill is a quality running back and clearly someone who has earned the trust of head coach John Harbaugh.

As one of the few true workhorse running backs in the current NFL, Derrick Henry doesn't think that style of player will go out of fashion when teams recognize they have someone capable of handling a high volume of carries.

Speaking to ESPN's Jamison Hensley and Todd Archer, Henry explained the value of a "bell cow" running back will continue to last well into the future:

"I feel like if you got a guy, a bell cow that can run the ball, why not let him run it? If he's effective and he's a staple of the offense with the passing game, why not just be effective with both? Even though we know it's the passing league, I feel like the guys that are consistent and play at a high level each and every week, teams will feed them and let them go do their thing."

Henry's comments come as the Ravens are still figuring out the best way to utilize him in their offense after he signed a two-year, $16 million contract with the team as a free agent in March.

The Ravens only gave Henry one carry on their final three drives in Sunday's loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Even if you ignore the final possession when they only had 27 seconds to get in range for a potential game-tying field goal, he still got the ball just once when they were in a positive or neutral game script.

Henry put the Ravens up 23-13 with a three-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. He had six carries for 38 yards on that nine-play drive. The four-time Pro Bowler finished the game with 18 carries, 84 yards and one score.

Head coach John Harbaugh told reporters on Sept. 9—four days after the Ravens' Week 1 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs—they didn't sign Henry with the intention of making him a guy who "gets the ball 30 times a game."

Henry's 31 carries through two games ranks 14th in the NFL. His 15.5 attempts per game is on pace to be his fewest in a season since 2018 (13.4) when he was splitting carries with Dion Lewis.

Now that Henry is 30 years old, it's probably wise to ease some of the burden on his legs. He led the NFL in rushing attempts in four of the previous five seasons. The one time he didn't was in 2021 when a Jones fracture limited him to eight games in the regular season, but he was averaging a career-high 27.4 carries per game prior to the injury.

Henry's limited usage to start this season can also be explained by protection issues up front. Offensive coordinator Todd Monken told reporters on Thursday they "have to own it" when asked about the criticism that's been directed at the offensive line through two games.

Per FantasyPros.com, Henry ranks 54th among all running backs with 1.4 yards before contact per attempt this season. The three players ahead of him are Chubba Hubbard, D'Onta Foreman and Miles Sanders tied at 1.6.

There is nothing from how Henry is running through two games that suggests he can't still be a bell cow-type of running back. The Ravens just need improved play on the offensive line to take full advantage of his skill set as they look to dig out of an 0-2 hole.

The Baltimore Ravens have lost close games to the Kansas City Chiefs (27-20) and Las Vegas Raiders (26-23) to begin the season at 0-2.

When speaking with reporters Wednesday, Jackson said that the Ravens are "beating ourselves," citing penalties and missed opportunities, including his own missed throws. ESPN's Jamison Hensley relayed the remarks.

Penalties have certainly hurt the Ravens, especially in Week 2. The Ravens committed 11 penalties (for 109 yards) to the Raiders' three (for 15 yards). In Week 1, Baltimore had seven penalties (for 64 yards) to the Chiefs' six penalties (for 45 yards).

As far as missed throws go, Jackson notably missed a wide-open Zay Flowers in the back of the end zone in the closing seconds of his team's eventual loss to the Chiefs.

He then found Isaiah Likely for a catch that was first called a touchdown, but replay later showed that the tight end stepped out-of-bounds, ending the game.

Week 2 was a tough blow for the entire Ravens team, which led 23-13 early in the fourth quarter. But the Raiders scored 13 unanswered points (field goal, touchdown, field goal) over three straight drives.

Meanwhile, the Ravens' offense finished the day with two three-and-outs and a last-gasp drive that ended with Baltimore running out of time before getting into field goal range.

Jackson, the reigning NFL MVP, is understandably taking responsibility as the team's leader. It's also early yet, and the Ravens can certainly turn things around with him leading the way. Baltimore is coming off a 13-win season that resulted in the AFC's top seed, and much of that talent returned in 2024.

The Ravens will look to enter the win column Sunday when the team visits the Dallas Cowboys.

After being released by the Buffalo Bills just before the 2024 season, Gable Steveson has not given up on his quest to transition from wrestling to a football career.

Per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, the former Olympic gold medalist and WWE signee worked out for the Baltimore Ravens on Monday.

A 6'0", 280-pound defensive tackle, Steveson saw action in two out of Buffalo's three preseason games and recorded three total tackles. Despite never playing organized football before, he said he was enjoying the experience of trying to make it in the NFL.

"I knew it was all going to be new," he said after his first preseason appearance. "You gotta do what you gotta do, man. I'm blessed to be in the spot that I am, and I had a great time."

Steveson was a two-time NCAA heavyweight champion at the University of Minnesota and finished his collegiate career with a record of 83-2. He won a gold medal in heavyweight freestyle wrestling at the Tokyo Olympics before pursuing a professional wrestling career in WWE.

Steveson made his first pro wrestling appearance at WrestleMania 38 in 2022 before joining the company's developmental brand, NXT. He had his first match at The Great American Bash in July 2023, but his performance was criticized by fans. WWE opted to release him from his contract in May, and he signed with the Bills that same month.

It will be an uphill battle for Steveson to overcome his lack of experience and land a spot on an NFL roster, but he has the athleticism and appears to be committed enough to earn some consideration among teams seeking depth on their rosters.

After the Baltimore Ravens suffered a disappointing 26-23 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, veteran safety Eddie Jackson called out the referees for some questionable penalties.

A defensive pass interference call on Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens in the fourth quarter set the Raiders up on the 1-yard line and allowed them to score a game-tying touchdown. Jackson lamented the call while speaking to reporters after the game.

"I'm not a ref or an official, but I feel like a couple of those were B.S. calls," Jackson said. "In a situation like that, with the game on the line like that, that type of call …"

In all, the Ravens were flagged 11 times and it cost them 109 yards. The Raiders were called for just three penalties for 15 yards.

After losing to the defending Super Bowl champion Kanas City Chiefs in the season opener, Baltimore was expected to bounce back at home against Las Vegas. Unfortunately, the Ravens' mistakes allowed the Raiders to keep things close before Daniel Carlson kicked a go-ahead 38-yard field goal with 27 seconds left to send the Ravens to their second straight loss.

Baltimore will try to bounce back when it visits the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3.

Baltimore Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins has missed practice time this week leading up to Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders because of a neck injury, and head coach John Harbaugh provided more details Friday.

"Nate was in a car accident a couple days ago," Harbaugh told reporters. "They were kind of working through it. Looks like he's not going to be able to make it to the game, so he'll be out for the game. He's fine, he's healthy, he's fine, but not going to be able to play."

Baltimore selected Wiggins out of Clemson with the No. 30 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft, and he played 17 defensive snaps in the first game of his career against the Kansas City Chiefs.

While the Ravens lost the game, the rookie allowed just one yard in coverage and received an impressive overall grade from Pro Football Focus:

He figured to potentially see even more time against the Raiders given his solid debut and the reality that Las Vegas likely wouldn't be as challenging as a matchup with the two-time reigning Super Bowl champions, but he will be sidelined because of the injury.

"Nate's going to be fine," defensive coordinator Zach Orr told reporters Thursday. "Nate's going to play a lot of football for us. He's going to play a lot of great football for us. I think [he's going to] just continue to come in and continue to work, and he played well in the [Kansas City] game as well. The better he plays, the more he's going to be out there."

The silver lining is Harbaugh's comments suggest Wiggins likely won't miss too much time.

The Ravens might need him for the following three games against presumed playoff contenders in the Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals, so making sure he is ready to go and not rushing back could be a priority.

In the meantime, look for the AFC North team to rely even more on Marlon Humphrey, Brandon Stephens and Jalyn Armour-Davis at cornerback.

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy was not happy with how the Kansas City Chiefs' training staff handled his fractured orbital bone during last Thursday's season opener, and he isn't the only one.

"I think this was an unfortunate situation," NFL Players Association executive director Lloyd Howell said Thursday, per ESPN's Jamison Hensley. "Thank God for Kyle's situation [that] it wasn't worse. But here we are with the first game of the season, we got many more games to play. We just can't have that."

He also said, "We've done our investigation. We've made the necessary parties aware of how we've got to improve, and I'm sure we will improve."

The NFL fired back at this claim, however, defending the actions by the medical staffs.

"It's disappointing the NFLPA would publicize unsupported conclusions without attempting to understand the facts," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said in a prepared statement, per Hensley. "We have reviewed the case with the Chiefs' and Ravens' medical staffs and are comfortable he received appropriate care."

Howell's comments come after Van Noy expressed his displeasure with the entire situation and revealed it took trainers an entire quarter before fully evaluating him.

"I was disappointed in the way the training staff of the Chiefs handled the situation," Van Noy said, per Kyle Phoenix of SB Nation. "When things like that hurt, especially something that could be serious like mine was, you're supposed to rely on the team's training staff or their doctors and I was supposed to see an ophthalmologist—which is somebody who checks out eye(s), performs eye surgery and they took an entire quarter to get down to talk to me in the locker room. Which, to me, is unacceptable."

He wasn't pleased with what he saw as a lack of urgency.

"Because then you start thinking, 'what if I was trying to go back in the game? What if I was really really hurt?' I know mine was moderate but it's still serious because it's an eye [injury]," he said. "And your expectation of someone to be down there as the training staff asked them to be down there would have had a little more urgency. The way it took time was super unprofessional to me. Especially because there were people in there too. One of the doctors, or the friend of the doctor was in there double-cup fisted, styrofoam cups like everything was good and I just felt that was unprofessional."

Van Noy is yet to return to practice following the injury.

This situation came after the Chiefs made headlines in the offseason by receiving an "F" grade for training staff in the NFLPA's team report cards. The team's training staff was also rated as the worst in the NFL.

"I understand how Kansas City, the players have given that training room an F. Because with my experience, I would have probably gave them an F, too," Van Noy said. "Yeah, they ended up figuring a little bit, but it was just, the unprofessionalism."

Kansas City ended up winning the game 27-20, and Van Noy was eventually ruled out after exiting.

The Ravens have not officially ruled out the linebacker for their Week 2 game against the Las Vegas Raiders, but they revealed he once again did not participate in practice Thursday as he nurses his eye injury.