HEADLINES

Matt Elam

Ravens To Bring Matt Elam Back From IR

October 25th, 2016 at 10:44am CST by Zachary Links

Safety Matt Elam will soon make his 2016 debut. The team announced that Elam is practicing today. The Ravens now have three weeks to make a call on whether to activate Elam, who is recovering from preseason knee surgery. Matt Elam

Elam, a 2013 first-round pick, missed the entire 2015 season with a biceps injury. His offseason knee injury was frustrating for both player and team alike, but he’ll now try and get things back on track. The Ravens are on bye this week, so Elam will have some extra time to get ready before facing the Steelers on Nov. 6.

The safety showed plenty of promise through his first two years in the league, compiling 127 tackles, seven passes defended, and an interception in 32 games. If the Ravens do not activate Elam in the next 21 days, they cannot put him on the field this season.

Ravens Place Carl Davis, Matt Elam on IR

September 5th, 2016 at 1:52pm CST by Ben Levine

The Ravens placed a pair of defenders on the injured reserve this afternoon. Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun tweets that the team has placed defensive tackle Carl Davis and safety Matt Elam on the injured reserve list. Zrebiec notes that the team will use the open roster spots on return man Devin Hester and running back Justin Forsett.

Matt ElamDavis, 24, suffered an ankle injury during his team’s final preseason game. The former third-rounder played in 13 games (three starts) as a rookie, compiling 11 tackles and two passes defended. Roster Resource projected Davis to serve as the team’s top reserve nose tackle.

Elam, 24, was the Ravens’ first-round pick back in 2013. The safety showed plenty of promise through his first two years in the league, compiling 127 tackles, seven passes defended, and an interception in 32 games. Elam missed all of 2015 with a biceps injury, and he was battling a knee injury throughout this preseason.

Ravens Get Roster To 53

September 3rd, 2016 at 3:38pm CST by Rory Parks

The Ravens have announced the moves that take their roster to 53:

Placed On IR:

Lewis-Moore, the Ravens’ sixth-round pick out of Notre Dame in 2013, had a tough beginning to his professional career, landing on IR in each of his first two seasons with the club. He finally made cracked the 53-man roster last year, appearing in five games for the Ravens. Baltimore has always liked his upside as a pass rusher, but he found himself squeezed out of a deep defensive line group this season.

Cutting Brooks was a bit of a surprise, as the former third-rounder was playing well early in the preseason. There was some optimism that Brooks would be able to leapfrog former first-rounder Matt Elam on the depth chart, but the 25-year-old was unable to carve out a role during his two years (plus preseason) on the team.

Zach Links contributed to this post

Ravens S Matt Elam To Undergo Knee Surgery

August 22nd, 2016 at 11:45am CST by Zachary Links

Ravens safety Matt Elam will undergo arthroscopic surgery to repair a chip in his knee, as ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley tweets. It’s not a season-ending injury but will sideline him “a number of weeks into early part of the season,” coach John Harbaugh told reporters. Matt Elam

[RELATED: Breshad Perriman Off Of PUP List]

The Ravens will have to decide whether to carry Elam on the 53-man roster, cut him, or place him on IR-designated to return. With Eric Weddle, Lardarius Webb, Kendrick Lewis, and Terrence Brooks at safety, Baltimore should be able to get by just fine for however long he’s out. In fact, Elam’s spot on the 53-man roster wasn’t necessarily a lock anyway. With solid play in recent weeks, Brooks arguably leapfrogged Elam on merit.

The Ravens declined Elam’s fifth-year option for 2017 earlier this offseason. Elam, 25 in September, started 26 regular season contests at safety for the Ravens during his first two NFL seasons. Releasing Elam would save Baltimore $1.33MM.

In other Ravens news, tight end Dennis Pitta has a fractured finger and will be kept off the field for now to avoid additional damage. Pitta has been looking to make his way back from a second major hip fracture but he is now being held back by a new injury. The injury came as a result of a fight, Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun tweets.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

North Notes: McCown, Iloka, Vikes, Lions

August 11th, 2016 at 5:24pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Interestingly, the Browns’ decision to give Robert Griffin III all of their first-team reps in training camp before naming him their starting quarterback Tuesday was backup Josh McCown‘s idea, writes Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.

“(McCown) was the guy that came to me and said, ‘Hey coach, make sure this guy gets all the reps he needs to be the best he can be,”’ said first-year Browns head coach Hue Jackson. “(He said) ‘you know who I am.’ Obviously he would love to have the job too, but I think he understands his role.”

That was an unselfish move by McCown, who was ostensibly going to compete for the No. 1 job with Griffin, the Browns’ most noteworthy offseason addition. The 37-year-old has instead served as a mentor to Griffin, 26, with Jackson saying,“A lot of him getting better has to do with Josh McCown.”

As a result of both his leadership and his status as a quality reserve, the Browns would like to retain McCown, notes Cabot, who points out that they rejected Dallas’ attempt to acquire him last week.

More from the NFL’s North-based divisions:

  • Before he re-signed with the Bengals for five years and $30MM in March, standout safety George Iloka considered accepting an offer from the Vikings, he said Wednesday (via Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press). Joining the Vikings would’ve meant playing for head coach Mike Zimmer, whom Iloka worked under from 2012-13 when Zimmer was the Bengals’ defensive coordinator. “If I was going there, I was going because of Zim,” Iloka, 26, revealed. “I know what type of locker room he has there just by the type of coach he is. But I really wanted to come back. My chances of leaving Cincinnati weren’t too high, and I’m back.’’
  • The versatility of big-money offseason signing Marvin Jones, including his ability to cause damage downfield, could make him the Lions’ No. 1 receiver, says Kyle Meinke of MLive.com (video link). Whereas Golden Tate is at his best as a short- to medium-yardage option, quarterback Matthew Stafford has targeted Jones all over the field in training camp, per Meinke, who praises the 26-year-old’s route-running abilities. Fulfilling the role of a No. 1 wideout would be new for Jones, who played second fiddle to elite receiver AJ Green in Cincinnati from 2012-15. Still, Jones is fresh off a productive year (65 catches, 816 yards and four touchdowns), which led the Calvin Johnson-less Lions to award him a five-year, $40MM contract in free agency.
  • In an early projection of the Ravens’ 53-man roster, Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun lists safety Matt Elam and inside linebacker Arthur Brown (the club’s first- and second-round picks from 2013) as players on track to miss the cut. Elam could lose his spot to Terrence Brooks, who has impressed in training camp, per Zrebiec. Notably, the Ravens declined Elam’s fifth-year option for 2017 earlier this offseason, which came after he struggled in 2014 and then missed the 2015 campaign because of a biceps tear. Releasing Elam, who also has a suspension in his past, would save Baltimore $1.33MM. The club would free up less than $900K by parting with Brown, who has amassed just 17 tackles and a half-sack in 34 games (zero starts).
  • In case you missed it, scouting guru Dave-Te Thomas ran down which Bears rookies could make impacts this year.

Ravens Decline Matt Elam’s 2017 Option

May 2nd, 2016 at 1:50pm CST by Luke Adams

As expected, the Ravens won’t be picking up safety Matt Elam‘s fifth-year option for the 2017 season, tweets Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun. Elam will be eligible for free agency after the 2016 campaign, assuming Baltimore keeps him on its roster through the year.Matt Elam

Elam, 24, started 26 regular season contests at safety for the Ravens during his first two NFL seasons. However, having led the team in missed tackles and struggled mightily in coverage, he was bumped from Baltimore’s lineup in favor of Will Hill down the stretch in 2014.

Elam entered 2015 looking to redeem himself, but suffered a complete biceps tear in training camp, ending his season. He was also suspended one game for violating the league’s policy on substances of abuse.

Heading into training camp this year, Elam figures to compete for the No. 3 safety job in Baltimore’s secondary. If he looks good, he could win that job and earn himself some playing time. However, if he keeps slipping down the depth chart, he’ll be in danger of losing his roster spot entirely. If the Ravens were to cut him, they’d remove his $1.328MM base salary from their 2016 cap.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Ravens’ Matt Elam Suspended One Game

October 31st, 2015 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

SATURDAY, 8:56am: Elam has been shifted from the injured reserve to the reserve-suspended list for this week, reports Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).

FRIDAY, 3:52pm: Safety Matt Elam has been suspended one game for violating the NFL’s policy on substances of abuse, the Ravens announced today (via Twitter). Elam has been on Baltimore’s injured reserve list all season, so he’ll serve his suspension immediately, and it won’t affect him next year, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).

“We have been aware of this situation for a while,” the Ravens said in a statement (via Twitter). “Matt has been in our building rehabbing his injury on a regular basis, and he will continue to do so.”

Elam, 24, started 26 regular season contests at safety for the Ravens during his first two NFL seasons. However, having led the team in missed tackles and struggled mightily in coverage, he was bumped from Baltimore’s lineup in favor of Will Hill down the stretch in 2014. Elam entered 2015 looking to redeem himself, but suffered a complete biceps tear in training camp, ending his season.

While Elam won’t miss any games due to his one-game suspension, he’ll miss out on a pay check, reducing his 2015 salary by 1/17th (about $60K).

AFC Notes: Green, Albert, Mathis

August 29th, 2015 at 6:41pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

With Julio Jones being the latest star receiver to sign a contract extension this summer, joining Dez Bryant, Demaryius Thomas and T.Y. Hilton, all eyes turn to the Bengals’ A.J. Green. The 27-year-old has been one of the best playmakers in the league since the Bengals took him in the first round of the 2011 draft and is a season away from potentially becoming a free agent.

The deals awarded to Jones, Bryant, Thomas and Hilton (all five-year accords worth $70-plus million with guarantees ranging from $39MM to $47MM) have set the market for Green, according to CBS Sports’ Joel Corry – who tweets that guaranteed money will be a sticking point for the two sides. Corry added in another tweet that the Bengals don’t guarantee base salary in veteran deals, so they might have to compromise by giving Green the biggest signing bonus in franchise history.

Jones’ extension will kick in next season, which means he’ll play 2015 under the same one-year, $10.18MM option as Green. Considering that, Jones’ contract is more relevant to Green than the ones given to Bryant, Thomas and Hilton, per Corry (Twitter link). Green’s numbers compare favorably to those of Jones, who has added 249 catches and 26 touchdowns in 49 regular-season games. Green has been more durable, appearing in 60 regular-season games, and more productive (329 receptions and 35 scores). He also has outpaced Jones in 1,000-yard seasons (four to two) and Pro Bowl nods (again, four to two). Add all of that up and the likelihood is that the Bengals will have to give Green a richer deal than Jones’ in order to keep him.

Here’s more from the AFC:

  • Dolphins left tackle Branden Albert tore his ACL last season and has been working toward a return since. While it’s unlikely Albert will be ready for Week 1, Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald doesn’t rule it out (Twitter link). On the other hand, ESPN’s Adam Caplan tweets that Albert probably won’t return until Week 3.
  • Broncos guard Evan Mathis – whom the team signed earlier this week – is on track for the opener, Troy Renck of The Denver Post reports (Twitter link).
  • Denver’s Week 1 opponent, the Ravens, will definitely be without Matt Elam, Brent Urban and Lorenzo Taliaferro, per Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
  • In the unlikely event Seattle trades linebacker Bruce Irvin before the season, Ryan O’Halloran doesn’t expect the Jaguars to acquire the three-year veteran. Jags general manager David Caldwell isn’t one to trade picks in the first three rounds, tweeted O’Halloran – who added that Irvin’s contract status (one year before free agency) makes the chances of an acquisition even more remote for Jacksonville.

Ravens’ Brent Urban Injured, Could Miss Season

August 8th, 2015 at 10:40am CST by Ben Levine

Ravens defensive end Brent Urban tore his biceps during Thursday’s practice, and Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun reports that the 2014 draft pick could miss the entire season.

The former fourth-rounder was injured on what Zrebiec described as a “minimal contact drill.” The reporter notes that it takes about 12 weeks to recover from that type of bicep injury, which presents the Ravens with an interesting choice.

The team could opt to put the 24-year-old on the season-ending injured reserve, or they could choose to place him on the injured reserve with a designation to return. The latter option would mean he’d have to miss at least the first eight weeks of the 2015 season.

Each team can only place on player on the injured reserve with a designation to return, and the Ravens may be forced to choose between Urban and recently -injured safety Matt Elam. Initial reports suggested that the defensive back would be placed on the season-ending IR, but Zrebiec wonders if the team could ultimately slap him with the designation to return.

A knee injury during training camp forced Urban to miss all of last season, and the defensive end had reportedly made a lot of progress in his recovery. The writer notes that Urban was expected to play a prominent role on the defensive line, serving as a backup to Chris Canty and Lawrence Guy.

Ravens’ Matt Elam Done For Season

August 3rd, 2015 at 3:08pm CST by Zachary Links

Ravens safety Matt Elam suffered a complete biceps tear and will require surgery, a source tells Ed Werder of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Elam will be placed on season-ending IR. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, head coach John Harbaugh didn’t sound too optimistic about Elam’s status.

“I’m sure it’s very disappointing for him,” he said. “He’s very serious in great shape and then has a freak injury.”

Last season, Elam was bumped from the Ravens’ lineup in favor of Will Hill and he was looking to redeem himself in 2015. The former Florida safety was selected the No. 32 overall pick in the 2013 draft and hasn’t lived up to his billing so far. Elam was moved to strong safety in 2014, a position that should have been more in line with his skill set, but he led the team in missed tackles and struggled mightily in coverage.

Elam was not projected to start at safety this year, but he was slated to be a key backup to Hill and Kendrick Lewis. Now, the Ravens could be in the market for some secondary help.

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