Countdown to 53: Ravens Roster Cuts Tracker

The Baltimore Ravens have began cutting their roster down to 53 players ahead of Tuesday’s 4pm E.T. deadline. Follow along to see analysis of the latest cuts, plus a few players around the league that the Ravens might be interested in.

Monday August 26 11:11 PM

The following players have been cut, per a team announcement:

WR Sean Ryan

Ryan spent the 2023 season on the Ravens’ practice squad after going undrafted out of Rutgers. His solid but unspectacular performance throughout training camp showed a limit on his ceiling. He consistently stacked good reps but failed to make splash plays downfield. Ryan did not stand out on special teams, either, further dampening his chances of making the 53-man roster. He made one catch for eight yards against the Packers on August 24.

Ryan is a candidate to be re-signed to the Ravens’ practice squad for the 2024 season if he clears waivers, which is likely given the depth of WR talent around the NFL. Another year in Baltimore could give him a leg up as he pursues a roster spot in 2025.

WR Russell Gage

Gage was one of several veteran receivers that the Ravens signed over the summer, along with Keith Kirkwood and Anthony Miller. Gage signed in Baltimore on August 6, but struggled to stay healthy throughout camp. He didn’t make any catches in the Ravens’ three preseason games and didn’t factor into special teams.

Gage’s $167,000 signing bonus will count as dead money towards the Ravens’ 2024 salary cap, which currently sits at just $5.5 million, per OverTheCap, the lowest in the NFL. Cutting Gage on Monday as opposed to Tuesday suggests that the Ravens wanted to give him a chance to catch on with another team instead of attempting to retain him on the practice squad.

TEs Mike Rigerman and Riley Sharp

The Ravens signed Rigerman as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Findlay, where he earned Greater Midwest Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year and Division II Second-Team All-American honors in 2023. Baltimore’s tight end room was already set with Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely, and Charlie Kolar, and the emergence of WR-turned-TE Qadir Ismail over the summer pushed Rigerman even further down the depth chart. Rigerman didn’t make many glaring mistakes at training camp, but he didn’t separate himself from the pack, either. He didn’t make any catches in the Ravens’ preseason game.

Sharp is another undrafted rookie tight end who failed to stand out in training camp. He converted to the position from linebacker during his senior year at Oregon State. He recorded two catches for 15 yards and lost a fumble across the Ravens’ three preseason games. Rigerman and Sharp could stay on the Ravens’ practice squad if they clears waivers, especially if Ismail gets picked up by another team. Baltimore’s heavy usage of tight ends on offense means they’ll need to keep some depth in case of injury.

OL Darrell Simpson

Simpson is an undrafted rookie out of Tulsa who started all 12 games for the Hurricanes in 2023. Though the Ravens had three open offensive line positions this summer, Simpson never factored into the competition. He was a reserve offensive tackle throughout training camp and only played 17 snaps across Baltimore’s first three preseason games.

Simpson is a candidate to return to the Ravens’ practice squad. If Daniel Faalele starts at guard, the Ravens will only have one backup offensive tackle. Though Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu could play there in a pinch, Baltimore will want to keep some more depth at the position.

DL Tramel Walthour

Walthour was a member of the University of Georgia’s loaded defensive line in college before signing with the Ravens as an undrafted rookie earlier this year. He was never going to crack the 53-man roster with Baltimore returning all five of their defensive line rotation from last season, but he still put together a nice preseason with seven total tackles and 0.5 sacks.

Walthour’s biggest training camp highlight was an interception of Devin Leary at the line of scrimmage that the rookie nearly returned for a touchdown. Walthour might end up on the Ravens’ practice squad, but he might not be the team’s first choice at the position after a solid training camp from C.J. Ravenell.

P Jack Browning

Browning signed with the Ravens later in the summer as an undrafted rookie out of San Diego State, where he handled kickoffs, field goals, PATs, and punts. With Jordan Stout firmly entrenched as Baltimore’s punter, Browning was a camp leg and did not make any appearances in the preseason.

G Tashawn Manning

Manning didn’t figure into the competition for either guard spot and played mostly with the reserves during training camp. He spent 2023 on the Ravens’ practice squad after going undrafted out of Kentucky. If he clears waivers, he will likely return to the practice squad this season.

The post Countdown to 53: Ravens Roster Cuts Tracker appeared first on Russell Street Report.

Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2024/08/26/camp-notes/countdown-to-53-ravens-roster-cuts-tracker/