Dez Bryant‘s comeback date appears set. The Ravens are promoting the former Pro Bowl wide receiver to their active roster.
Bryant will dress for Baltimore’s Week 9 game against the Colts and will have a role, per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (via Twitter). Bryant has reportedly performed well in practice and offers the type of veteran presence and third down target that the Ravens have been missing.
It has been a long road back for Bryant, a 2010 first-round pick. The Cowboys let Bryant walk in free agency in 2018, and after he turned down a multiyear Ravens offer, he ended up on a low-level deal in New Orleans. Bryant did not have a chance to play in a game as a Saint, suffering an Achilles tear in practice. That led him to miss the 2019 season as well, and he joined the Ravens’ practice squad in late October. But three days after his 32nd birthday, Bryant will be on the field once again.
The all-time leader in Cowboys receiving touchdowns (73), Bryant joins a Ravens receiving corps that has not been particularly effective this season. Lamar Jackson‘s regression from his MVP form has played a major role in the team’s aerial struggles, and Bryant would give Jackson a possession receiver to complement Marquise Brown, who voiced frustration about his lack of involvement in Baltimore’s offense last week.