Torrey Smith - Pro Football Rumors

Sunday Roundup: Smith, Broyles, Johnson

July 6th, 2014 at 12:53pm CST by Rory Parks

Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith entered the league out of the University of Maryland with high upside and explosive play-making ability, but he was still very raw. He struggled with drops in training camp prior to his rookie season in 2011, but he was given a chance to start against the Rams in Week 3 of that year when Lee Evans went down with an injury. In the first quarter in St. Louis, Smith recorded the first three receptions of his pro career; they all went for touchdowns.

Since then, even if Smith has not been the team’s No. 1 wideout by name, he has been the receiving threat that has garnered the most attention from opposing defenses. He has quietly become one of the premier deep threats in the game, but, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk points out, he enters his contract season with very little fanfare. The Ravens would like to extend his contract, but no progress has been made on that front as of yet. Although new offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak does not run a pure West Coast offense–which means that Joe Flacco will still have a chance to take a few deep shots per game to burners like Smith and Jacoby Jones–Smith must become a more reliable short and intermediate route runner in order to thrive and earn a contract on par with some of the better receivers in the league. As Florio notes, Smith has every reason to emerge as one of the better wideouts in the game in 2014, and, given his work ethic and the strides he has made thus far, it would be foolish to bet against him.

Now for some more notes from around the league:

Speaking of Smith and the Ravens‘ receiving corps, Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com writes that, although the top four receivers are set–Torrey Smith, Steve Smith Sr., Marlon Brown, and Jones–the battle among the remaining wideouts will be an intense one. Seventh-round pick Michael Campanaro could emerge as a reliable slot receiver, the team has been impressed with undrafted find Jeremy Butler, and veterans like Deonte Thompson and LaQuan Williams will also have a shot.
Joseph Person of The Charlotte Observer writes that, despite losing Smith Sr. and Jordan Gross, the Panthers‘ leadership void can be adequately filled by franchise cornerstones like Cam Newton and Luke Kuechly, who have slowly developed into locker room leaders.
Free agent offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie is not only looking for a job, but he probably needs one, writes Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. Despite having made tens of millions of dollars in the league, McKinnie has not managed his money wisely and recently had his car repossessed.
Ryan Broyles, who is attempting to secure a spot as the Lions‘ primary slot receiver, has made good progress in his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon, writes Carlos Monarrez of The Detroit Free Press.
Josh Katzenstein of The Detroit News takes a crack at the Lions‘ starting lineups for 2014, and he also notes that the competitions at right tackle, strongside linebacker, and kicker will be ones to watch.
In a column for CBSSports.com, and in the wake of an arbitrator’s ruling in Jimmy Graham‘s grievance case, recently-retired tight end Tony Gonzalez argues that players should be paid based on their production rather than their position.
The NFL announced the suspensions of Dion Jordan and Rokevious Watkins on Friday, which has left some to wonder why there has not been an official announcement regarding Eagles‘ right tackle Lane Johnson‘s suspension. Tim McManus of PhillyMag.com explains the league’s process when a player tests positive for a banned substance and posits that Johnson is still going through that process.

Ravens Notes: Rice, Butler, Smith

July 4th, 2014 at 10:50am CST by Rob DiRe

Joe Flacco has been keeping a close eye on the progress of running back Ray Rice this offseason, and says the former All-Pro has looked impressive, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. “He’s definitely in good shape,” said Flacco. “I don’t know if he’s any quicker or anything like that; you’ll have to ask him. I can say he definitely looks good and he’s running the ball well. Our guys are creating some room out there even with no pads on.” Rice has reportedly dropped 20 pounds this offseason after struggling with injuries and performance in 2013.

Here are some other notes from around the Raven offseason:

Undrafted rookie Jeremy Butler has already gotten off to a good start with the Ravens, writes Wilson. Butler has been talking to receivers coach Bobby Engram since before the draft, and the two have big hopes for their union. “I bring that physicality to the table and overpower defenders,” said Butler. “I’m just a hard-nosed Ravens style player. I can bring that element to the offense.”
The Ravens struggled on offense last season, but they hope that the fireworks will return in 2014, writes Clifton Brown of CSNBaltimore.com. The team ranked 30th in the NFL in big plays (run plays of 10+ yards or pass plays of 25+ yards), but Brown writes that with big-play weapons Jacoby Jones and Rice back and healthy, new offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak should be able to move the ball down field.
Another big play receiver, Torrey Smith, is looking for a new contract, but there might be a few bumps to smooth out on the way to an extension, writes Brett Foote of EbonyBird.com. Smith plays like an elite wide receiver at times, but also has a reputation as a one trick pony. Deep threats that do not provide versatility usually have ceilings on how much they are valued, and Foote compares Smith’s potential contract to the likes of the deals received by Antonio Brown and DeSean Jackson, both of which average less than $9MM per year.

Ravens Notes: Extensions, Ross, Franks, Rice

June 23rd, 2014 at 8:59am CST by Luke Adams

When the Ravens signed five players to their roster at the end of last week’s minicamp, most of the new additions were veterans, or at least players who have spent some time with an NFL club for a season or two. That’s not the case for Nick DiMarco, an undrafted rookie who was cut by the Jets shortly after being signed by the team in May. The William Penn product has joined the Ravens in search of a regular-season roster spot, and while it may be an uphill battle, he tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun that he intends to do everything he can to impress his coaches.

Here’s more on the Ravens, from Wilson’s Sun colleague, Jeff Zrebiec:

While there’s not much going on around the NFL for the next month, it would be a good time for the Ravens to address potential contract extensions for wideout Torrey Smith and defensive lineman Haloti Ngata, says Zrebiec. Smith is entering the final season of his rookie deal, while Ngata has two years left on his pact.
After signing veterans Chris Canty and Marcus Spears and using a third-round pick on Brandon Williams in 2013, the Ravens didn’t see much improvement on their defensive line last season, so the team was forced to address the position again this year. However, Zrebiec thinks it could be a much-improved group in 2014, given the promise already being shown by draftees Timmy Jernigan and Brent Urban.
Zrebiec views recent signees Aaron Ross and Dominique Franks as insurance policies for Baltimore, and expects the team to give Chykie Brown and Asa Jackson every opportunity to earn the No. 3 cornerback job. Ross and Franks may ultimately end up competing for a single roster spot.
Although there’s no timetable for the NFL to make its announcement on a Ray Rice suspension, commissioner Roger Goodell likely won’t want to prolong it, assuming he has all the information he needs. As such, we could get the news on Rice very soon.

AFC Notes: Rice, Browns, Jaguars

May 24th, 2014 at 7:30pm CST by Ben Levine

Ray Rice tried to clear the air in a recent press conference, but that won’t stop the NFL from penalizing the Pro-Bowl running back under the league’s personal-conduct policy. The Ravens are prepared for a multiple-game suspension and Rice will meet soon with commissioner Roger Goodell, writes Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun.

Team President Dick Cass spoke on the matter: “I’m assuming he will meet with the commissioner at some point in the near future and make a decision about what discipline, if any, is appropriate. I’m not going to speculate. The commissioner is going to decide that. I’m going to leave it to the commissioner.”

Teammate Torrey Smith added: “You do something that draws attention like this, it deserves punishment. Whatever it may be, whether it’s fines or suspensions, I can’t really say. Something happens like that and, obviously, it doesn’t look good on him on him or the league or the organization. Whatever punishments they dish out, he’ll handle it and we’ll handle it as a team and we’ll accept it.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from the AFC…

When asked if the Browns could re-sign Armanti Edwards to be the team’s return man, ESPN.com’s Pat McManamon squashed the idea.
Excluding Red Bryant and Tyson Alualu, ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco says that Chris Clemons and Andre Branch are the only defensive ends that are locks to make the Jaguars roster. DiRocco believes the competition will ultimately be between Gerald Rivers and Chris Smith, unless the duo outplays Jason Babin in camp.
DiRocco also points out that there are only seven Jaguars remaining from Gene Smith‘s four drafts.

AFC North Rumors: Browns, Ravens, Smith

March 26th, 2014 at 8:24pm CST by Zachary Links

New Browns coach Mike Pettine is eager to get more sacks out of linebackers Barkevious Mingo and Paul Kruger, writes Mary Kay Cabot of the Plain Dealer. “We really liked Barkevious coming out of LSU a year ago, so he’s a guy that has freakish ability,” Pettine said. “But he’s got some technique things that need to get cleaned up.” More on the Browns and Ravens..

The Ravens have made it known that a new deal for wide receiver Torrey Smith is a priority and it sounds like the interest is mutual, writes Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. “Everybody knows I want to be in Baltimore for the long haul,” Smith said. “Even when my playing days are long gone, I’m still be here. It’s something I’m looking forward to. I’m pretty sure and hopeful that it will be able to happen one day. It’s a business. I’m not losing any sleep wondering what’s going to happen contractually.”
The Ravens met today with veteran unrestricted free agent nose tackle Terrence Cody, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. If Baltimore re-signs Cody, he would likely figure into the defensive line rotation as a backup.
The Browns are using one of their 30 official visits on Texas guard Trey Hopkins, tweets Tony Pauline of DraftInsider.net. Hopkins is a legitimate late round or undrafted free agent prospect.

Ravens Notes: Smith, Rice, Harbaugh

March 24th, 2014 at 5:42pm CST by Matt Feminis

With NFL owners meeting in Orlando, Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun provided an assessment of the Ravens following their busy month thus far. At this stage, the team is mostly monitoring the market in search of budget-friendly opportunities, but they’re not done spending. According to Zrebiec, the Ravens still need a starting offensive lineman, be it right tackle or left guard, as well as depth at running back, tight end, inside linebacker, defensive back and defensive line.

In other Ravens news:

Also prominent on the agenda is Torrey Smith, whose contract owner Steve Bisciotti wants to extend prior to the draft, according to Matt Zenitz of the Carroll County Times (via Twitter). Zenitz says Smith’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, is scheduled to speak with team brass during this week’s meetings.
Head coach John Harbaugh got a year tacked onto his contract, which now has four years remaining, per Zrebiec (via Twitter).
Owner Steve Bisciotti told Zrebiec there is no circumstance in which Ray Rice is not a Raven in 2014 (via Twitter).
Kelechi Osemele, who is recovering from back surgery and could play left guard or right tackle next season, is progressing well if a recent Instagram video is any indication.
Finally, the team was awarded four compensatory picks (max allowed) in the upcoming draft: a third-round pick (No. 99 overall), two fourths (Nos. 134 and 138) and a fifth (No. 175). Since Ozzie Newsome’s arrival in 1996, the Ravens have been awarded 41 compensatory picks, eight more than any other team, points out Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post (via Twitter).