HEADLINES

Justin Forsett

Forsett Hoping For Long-Term Deal With Ravens

November 26th, 2014 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Former Ravens running back Ray Rice, who entered the season as the team’s lead runner, has dominated off-field NFL headlines around the league this season, but it’s another running back whose play on the field has been the big story in Baltimore recently. Justin Forsett is having a career year as the No. 1 back in Baltimore, and he tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun that he hopes to stick around beyond the 2014 season.

“This is a great place, a great organization,” Forsett said. “It’s hard not to want to be here. Definitely, I’m sure after the season sometime they’ll get something done. I would love to sign here. I’ve been waiting my whole career to find a home somewhere to not have to move every offseason. So, that would be nice.”

Forsett, 29, played for the Colts, Seahawks, Texans, and Jaguars before signing with the Ravens this past offseason, and was typically used as a backup or change-of-pace back, occasionally contributing in the return game as well. This season, he’s already blown past his previous career-high in carries, rushing 155 times for 903 yards, for an impressive 5.8 yards per carry. He’s also added seven touchdowns, and has been at his best in recent weeks — in Baltimore’s last two games, the former seventh-round pick has nearly 300 rushing yards and four TDs.

Playing on a minimum contract this year, with a base salary of $730K and a cap hit of just $570K, Forsett will certainly be in line for a raise this winter. While it’s not clear yet if the Ravens will aggressively try to lock him up, it appears as if Forsett is at least interested in giving them first dibs, prior to hitting the open market.

AFC Mailbags: Tannehill, Landry, Forsett, Shorts

November 15th, 2014 at 9:36am CST by Ben Levine

It’s Saturday, and that means a fresh batch of NFL mailbags from ESPN.com’s writers. Let’s start with some interesting notes out of the AFC…

Ravens Links: Reed, Reid, Smith, Hill, Forsett

November 8th, 2014 at 8:57pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Ravens have had incredible struggles in the secondary, and that group only got worse as Jimmy Smith was officially moved to the IR. With their rival Steelers bringing legends James Harrison and Brett Keisel back into the fold to sure up their defense, Ravens fans have been left wondering if Ed Reed could be an option for a unit that could use some help.

There is no chance the team brings Reed back in any capacity other than on a one day contract to retire as a Raven, writes Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. He writes that Reed showed nothing on the field last year, either with the Texans or the Jets, and that he would no longer inspire fear roaming center field at free safety.

He adds that bringing him back as a coach or a motivator would be a bad idea, as Reed had become a headache for the team towards the end of his tenure in Baltimore.

Here are some other links from around the Ravens’ organization:

  • In his mailbag, Hensley also addresses how the recent purge in the secondary will shape up for the team, how linebacker Arthur Brown is progressing within the defense, and the positions of interest the team should focus on in free agency and the 2015 NFL Draft.
  • Offensive tackle Jah Reid underwent surgery on his broken hand, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Whether or not Reid will return at some point this season has not been decided as of yet.
  • With Jimmy Smith done for the season, there are questions as to whether the Ravens will be able to stop any legitimate quarterbacks the rest of the season. Brett Foote of EbonyBird.com examines what the team can do to survive the season so thin in the defensive backfield.
  • The team only has five interceptions on the season, and Smith is the only member of the secondary contributing to that figure. However, the team believes it could have the answer to improve that, and expects safety Will Hill to be the team’s top ballhawk now that is returning to the field, writes Garrett Downing of BaltimoreRavens.com.
  • Justin Forsett was cut by the Jaguars in March, but got the opportunity to compete for carries with the Ravens this offseason, with the added bonus of knowing incumbent starter Ray Rice would have to miss two games with a suspension. However, with Rice‘s eventual release from the team gave Forsett the best opportunity of his career, according to offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak, as reported by the Associated Press on SFGate.com. “This is probably his biggest opportunity as a player,” Kubiak said. “And he’s really taking advantage of it.”
  • The entire Ravens’ backfield should get credit for the improved running game, write Bryan Stauffer of NumberFire.com. Bernard Pierce, Justin Forsett, and Lorenzo Taliaferro are piecing together a formidable unit that has been more productive than last year’s combination of Pierce and Rice.

AFC Notes: Mallett, Clowney, Broncos, Ravens

November 2nd, 2014 at 10:02pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Texans lost 31-21 to an Eagles’ team that was led on offense by backup quarterback Mark Sanchez. In Houston, their own backup quarterback made waves after the game, tweeting a message that stirred up unrest among Texans’ fans, according to Ultimate Texans.

“I’m staying focused for when the time comes…seize the opportunity #justwaiting,” wrote Mallett.

The Texans are 4-5 and Ryan Fitzpatrick has been underwhelming as the starting quarterback, leaving Mallet and rookie Tom Savage as options for the team going forward.

Here are some other notes from around the AFC:

  • The Texans are growing frustrated with Jadeveon Clowney‘s absence from the field, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). He had missed a number of weeks with a knee injury, and as he is getting healthier, he missed today’s matchup against the Eagles with an illness. The team wants him to be more mature in dealing with his injuries, according to Rapoport (via Twitter).
  • The Broncos and Patriots both had themes for their offseasons, writes Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. The Broncos wanted to get tougher on defense, and the Patriots were focused on becoming more physical in the secondary. Those themes dictated the moves each team made all offseason.
  • The Ravens are making the most of their free agent acquisitions, with many of their unappreciated signings coming up big for the team through the first half of the season, writes Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Running back Justin Forsett, receiver Steve Smith, and tight end Owen Daniels have all contributed big numbers to the offense so far this year.

AFC North Notes: Forsett, Steelers, Gresham

October 19th, 2014 at 10:46am CST by Rory Parks

After Justin Forsett‘s surprising emergence as the Ravens‘ best running back this season, fans are wondering if he will have a future in Baltimore beyond 2014. Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes that it is too early to answer that question, particularly since Forsett is a small back that cannot withstand a big workload and is 29 years old. Hensley notes that Baltimore could certainly give Forsett a “modest” two-year contract at the end of the year, but the team remains high on younger players such as Bernard Pierce and Lorenzo Taliaferro.

  • In the same piece, Hensley writes that if the Ravens‘ offense continues its upward trajectory under new OC Gary Kubiak, the chances increase that Kubiak will get another crack at a head coaching job in 2015. If that happens, current quarterbacks coach Rick Dennison, Kubiak’s right-hand man, would likely leave with Kubiak, and the Ravens ‘ only other legitimate in-house option would be current offensive line coach Juan Castillo. In other words, if Kubiak leaves, expect Baltimore to bring in an outside candidate to replace him.
  • Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes that an appeal hearing date has been set in the Ray Rice case, and a final decision could be handed down by mid-November, which means that Rice could be reinstated and eligible to play within the next four weeks. Whether a team would take the risk and sign him is another story, but La Canfora points to the Colts and Patriots as potential landing spots.
  • Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes that, although the Steelers prefer to “reload” rather than “rebuild,” that strategy has them currently caught in no man’s land: “not good enough to compete for a championship, but not bad enough to select high in the draft.”Although their decision to not entirely rebuild the roster in recent years is understandable, given that they have a franchise quarterback, the declining performance of some of the team’s veterans may soon make Pittsburgh’s front office reevaluate its strategy going forward.
  • Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal describes how Browns OC Kyle Shanahan, like Kubiak, is reestablishing himself as a viable head coaching candidate as he leads Cleveland’s suddenly potent offense.
  • With the trade deadline just over a week away, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets that Bengals TE Jermaine Gresham, who is in a contract year, could be available for the right price.

AFC North Links: Ravens, Bengals, Browns, Steelers

July 19th, 2014 at 7:31pm CST by Ben Levine

When Anquan Boldin left the Ravens last offseason, it looked like former undrafted rookie Deonte Thompson could potentially step up and fill the void. However, the former Florida Gator struggled during his sophomore season. The wideout missed the first three games with a foot injury and was reportedly arrested in February (the case was dropped).

As a result, Thompson is trying to make up for lost time. With the odds stacked against him, the 25-year-old is hoping for a breakout season. Via Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com…

“It’s a big year,” Thompson said. “I’m motivated, man. I’m so motivated. You can’t take anything for granted out here. You have to give it your all.

“It’s going to be a great competition, man. No doubt. The cream always rises to the top, so the best will definitely stick out.”

Thompson also touched on his disappointing 2013 season…

“Everything was going good and I felt like the sky was going to be the limit, then bam, I get hurt.

“When I got back, just catching back up and trying to get back in, the season’s already rolling and guys are plugged in. That really set me back.”

Thompson certainly has some competition for a roster spot. Besides shoo-ins Torrey Smith, Steve Smith, Marlon Brown and Jacoby Jones, he’ll also have to compete with Jeremy Butler, Michael Campanaro and LaQuan Williams.

Let’s check out some more news from the AFC North…

Sunday Roundup: Bills Ownership, NFC West

July 13th, 2014 at 4:41pm CST by Rory Parks

In May, Former Sabres owner B. Thomas Golisano and Syracuse developer Scott Congel had preliminary talks to form a partnership and purchase the Bills. Now, however, those conversations are dead, writes Tim Graham of The Buffalo News. According to Graham, Golisano would still like to bid on the team by himself, and Congel may also be interested in purchasing the club on his own. If Golisano were to buy the club, he would not rule out selling a minority share in the team to Congel.

Now for some more links from around the league:

  • Rich Campbell of The Chicago Tribune lays out a “superlative guide” to the Bears‘ training camp, naming Marquess Wilson the player “most likely to succeed”–Wilson emerged from spring workouts as the team’s clear No. 3 receiver–and declaring the team’s fiercest frontline position battle to be at the safety position.
  • Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk continues PFT’s series of preseason power rankings by looking at the Rams. Crabtree notes that the team still lacks a true No. 1 receiver and depth along the secondary, and despite adding quality talent in the draft and boasting perhaps the best defensive line in the game, St. Louis plays in the league’s best division and so will probably remain on the outside looking in.
  • Speaking of the talented NFC West, Kent Somers of AZCentral.com examines the Cardinals‘ outlook for the 2014 campaign. Somers notes that the Cards, who finished 10-6 under first-year head coach Bruce Arians in 2013, should see continued improvement as they continue to settle into Arians’ offensive system. There is talent up and down the roster, but the rebuilt offensive line and the linebacker group–which lost Karlos Dansby to free agency and Daryl Washington to suspension–could hold the team back.
  • Seahawks‘ pass rusher Bruce Irvin, who underwent hip surgery this offseason, is progressing well, writes Todd Dybas of The News Tribune. Although Irvin tweeted last month that he would return by training camp, which opens July 25, Dybas notes that he will be sidelined quite a bit longer than that.
  • Defensive lineman Vance Walker, who signed a three-year, $13MM free agent contract with the Chiefs this offseason, is feeling right at home with his new club, writes Terez A. Paylor of The Kansas City Star.
  • Bo Smolka of CSNBaltimore.com examines the battle for the Ravens‘ No. 3 running back spot. Smolka notes that if Ray Rice is suspended as expected, both Justin Forsett and rookie Lorenzo Taliaferro will make the club and Baltimore can reexamine its options when Rice returns. However, if Rice somehow escapes suspension, Smolka predicts that Rice, Bernard Pierce, and Taliaferro will make up the team’s running back corps.

Ravens Sign Justin Forsett

April 7th, 2014 at 10:02am CST by Luke Adams

MONDAY 10:02am: Like Cody, Forsett also received a veteran-minimum deal for $730k, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).

FRIDAY 11:12am: A day after agreeing to terms with tight end Owen Daniels, the Ravens have added more depth to the offense by bringing aboard another player who spent time with Gary Kubiak in Houston. Baltimore has signed running back Justin Forsett to a one-year contract, the club announced today in a press release.

Forsett, who will join his fourth team in four years by inking a deal with the Ravens, played for current Baltimore offensive coordinator Kubiak in 2012 with the Texans. Although the 28-year-old’s usage has declined over the years since he tallied 118 carries and 33 receptions for the Seahawks in 2010, he’ll provide some depth in the Ravens’ backfield, and could contribute on third downs as well.

Given Ray Rice‘s legal troubles and the fact that Bernard Pierce continues to recover from a shoulder injury, the Ravens had been in the market for a running back. Signing Forsett will help fortify the position, but it won’t necessarily preclude the club from drafting a back in the middle rounds next month, tweets Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com.

Jaguars Release Justin Forsett

March 11th, 2014 at 7:50am CST by Luke Adams

The Jaguars have cut running back Justin Forsett, reports ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). While $100K of prorated bonus money will still count against the team’s cap for 2014, Jacksonville avoids paying Forsett his $1.1MM base salary and a $50K workout bonus.

Forsett, 28, appeared in only 100 snaps and had just six carries for 31 yards in his first season with the Jags. The former seventh-round pick battled foot issues throughout the season and was buried on the depth chart behind Maurice Jones-Drew and Jordan Todman. Forsett will become an unrestricted free agent.

AFC Notes: Broncos, Browns, Raiders, Jaguars

March 2nd, 2014 at 6:06pm CST by Ben Levine

A couple of notes from around the AFC on this Sunday evening…