Dec 11, 2022; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Philadelphia Eagles tight end Jack Stoll (89) fights off a tackle by New York Giants safety Tony Jefferson (36) during the second half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

Tony Jefferson to retire after 9 seasons

Defensive back Tony Jefferson is retiring after nine seasons in the NFL and plans to become a scout with the Baltimore Ravens, ESPN reported Thursday.

Jefferson, 31, played in nine games (one start) last season with the New York Giants, his fourth and final team.

He finishes with 9.5 sacks, four interceptions, 24 passes defensed and 492 tackles in 113 games (67 starts) with the Arizona Cardinals (2013-16), Baltimore Ravens (2017-21), San Francisco 49ers (2021) and Giants.

Jefferson played in just 20 games the past three seasons.

The Cardinals signed Jefferson as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma in 2013.

–Field Level Media

Nov 6, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Mike Thomas (80) catches a pass during warmups prior to the game against the Carolina Panthers at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

Ravens WR Mike Thomas separates shoulder

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Mike Thomas might require surgery after separating his shoulder during organized team activities on Wednesday, coach John Harbaugh said.

Thomas, 28, was signed to the practice squad last December and is on a one-year contract for the 2023 season. He’s listed as third string on the team’s WR depth chart.

Thomas has 30 career catches for 366 yards and a touchdown in 76 games (four starts) with the Los Angeles Rams (2016-19) and Cincinnati Bengals (2020-22). He was a sixth-round pick of the Rams in the 2016 draft.

Ravens top wideout Rashod Bateman returned during OTAs this week after a Lisfranc injury cut short his 2022 season. Bateman underwent foot surgery.

Bateman, 23, ended the 2022 season with 15 catches for 285 yards and two touchdowns in six games (five starts). Bateman had 46 catches for 515 yards and a TD in 12 games in 2021.

–Field Level Media

May 4, 2023; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson speaks during a press conference at Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Brent Skeen-USA TODAY Sports

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson misses first day of OTAs

Baltimore Ravens quarterback and newly minted highest-paid player in NFL history Lamar Jackson missed the first day of OTAs on Monday, but he is expected to report this week.

It’s unclear why Jackson wasn’t there Monday. OTAs are voluntary. Jackson has also missed the team’s voluntary workouts.

The Ravens are implementing a new offense under new offensive coordinator Todd Monken.

Jackson signed a five-year contract worth $260 million days ahead of the NFL draft. The deal included $185 million in guaranteed money.

Jackson missed the final five games of the 2022 regular season, plus the wild-card playoff loss at Cincinnati, with a knee sprain. It was the second straight season in which his season ended with an injury. He missed the final four games in 2021 due to a ankle injury.

In 12 games last season, Jackson threw for 2,242 yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also led the Ravens in rushing with 764 yards and three touchdowns.

Jackson has played in 70 games (61 starts) since the Ravens selected him with the last pick of the first round in the 2018 NFL Draft. He has completed 63.7 percent of his passes for 12,209 yards with 101 touchdowns and 38 interceptions. He has run for 4,437 yards and 24 scores.

He has a 45-16 record as a starter.

–Field Level Media

Jan 29, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick (7) sacks San Francisco 49ers quarterback Josh Johnson (17) during the first quarter in the NFC Championship game at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Ravens sign QB Josh Johnson

Josh Johnson returned for a third stint with the Baltimore Ravens and joined a five-man depth chart at quarterback.

Terms were not reported Monday.

Johnson, 37, has played for 14 NFL teams, which includes playing for the Ravens in 2016 and 2021.

Johnson played in the NFC Championship Game as an emergency substitute for injured San Francisco 49ers starter Brock Purdy but left that loss to the Philadelphia Eagles with a concussion.

Lamar Jackson signed a new contract and is entrenched as the starter for the Ravens, provided he’s healthy. Jackson has missed 10 games the past two seasons due to injury.

Baltimore signed undrafted free agent Nolan Harrison out of Delaware to join the roster following the 2023 draft.

They will compete with Tyler Huntley and Anthony Brown for the primary backup role behind Jackson.

Johnson has played in 39 career games, with 2,280 yards passing, 13 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.

Drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2008, Johnson previously played for the Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, Indianapolis Colts, Buffalo Bills, New York Giants, Houston Texans, Las Vegas Raiders, Washington Commanders, Detroit Lions, Denver Broncos and 49ers.

–Field Level Media

Oct 30, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA;  New Orleans Saints quarterback Andy Dalton (14) is chased out the pocket and passes downfield against Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (26) during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Ravens near deal with CB Rock Ya-Sin

Cornerback Rock Ya-Sin agreed to a one-year, $6 million deal with the Baltimore Ravens, according to multiple reports.

Ya-Sin was a second-round pick (34th overall) of the Colts in 2019 who spent last season with the Las Vegas Raiders after three seasons in Indianapolis.

Ya-Sin, 26, started nine of 11 games played with the Raiders last season. He played primarily outside but was used to defend slot receivers more frequently with the Colts.

Pro Football Focus charting showed Ya-Sin allowed a career-low 82.6 passer rating when targeted last season, but he missed the final five games with a knee injury.

He started 29 of 41 games with the Colts.

In 52 career games (38 starts), Ya-Sin has 183 tackles, 27 passes defended and two interceptions.

–Field Level Media

Dec 4, 2022; Baltimore, Maryland, USA;  Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) drops back to pass during the first quarter against the Denver Broncos at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Lamar Jackson agrees to record 5-year extension with Ravens

Franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson is staying with the Baltimore Ravens on a five-year contract, agreeing to terms Thursday mere hours before the start of the NFL draft.

Financial terms were not yet released, but NFL Network reported the deal was worth $260 million. The average annual value of $52 million would make Jackson the highest-paid player in NFL history.

The deal includes $185 million in guaranteed money, CBS Sports reported.

After the Philadelphia Eagles awarded quarterback Jalen Hurts a record-setting five-year, $255 million extension on April 17, the Ravens “offered (Jackson) a deal that trumped it,” per NFL Network.

The Ravens revealed the news by posting a video message from Jackson on social media.

“You know, for the last few months, there’s been a lot of ‘he said, she said.’ A lot of nail-biting, a lot of head-scratching going on. But for the next five years, there’s a lot of flock going on,” Jackson told the camera, a reference to the team’s “Ravens Flock” nickname for Baltimore’s fan base.

The agreement ends a lengthy saga that heated up this spring when the 2019 NFL MVP revealed he’d requested a trade on March 2.

Jackson, 26, represented himself in negotiations. Talks geared toward a long-term deal were launched more than a year ago, general manager Eric DeCosta said.

Jackson missed the final five games of the 2022 regular season, plus the wild-card playoff loss at Cincinnati, with a knee sprain. He did not travel with the Ravens for the game against the Bengals, sparking speculation he was ready to move on in the offseason.

It was the second straight season in which his season ended with an injury. He missed the final four games in 2021 due to a ankle injury.

The Ravens placed the $32.41 million non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson at the deadline in early March. Under the terms of the tag, Jackson was free to talk to other teams who could have made an offer sheet; if the Ravens then chose not to match the offer sheet, they would command two first-round picks in exchange for Jackson.

Baltimore signed free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. this month and he said he hoped to catch passes from Jackson but was given no assurances that Jackson would be his teammate.

In 12 games last season, Jackson threw for 2,242 yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also led the Ravens in rushing with 764 yards and three touchdowns.

Jackson has played in 70 games (61 starts) since the Ravens selected him with the last pick of the first round in the 2018 NFL Draft. He has completed 63.7 percent of his passes for 12,209 yards with 101 touchdowns and 38 interceptions. He has run for 4,437 yards and 24 scores.

He has a 45-16 record as a starter.

–Field Level Media

Feb 5, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; AFC quarterback Tyler Huntley of the Baltimore Ravens (2) throws the ball against the NFC during the Pro Bowl Games at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Ravens QB Tyler Huntley signs RFA tender

The Baltimore Ravens now have two quarterbacks under contract for 2023, neither one named Lamar Jackson.

Tyler Huntley signed his one-year, restricted free agent tender worth $2.627 million on Monday. He joins Anthony Brown as one of two QBs the Ravens have in the fold.

The Ravens and Jackson remain in a stalemate. The Ravens placed the franchise tag on Jackson, who has said he won’t sign it and instead wants to be traded.

The Ravens placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson on March 7, five days after he says he requested the trade. The sides failed to reach agreement on a new contract despite negotiations that have lasted more than a year.

Jackson has until July 17 to sign the tender, or sign a long-term deal with the club, with the latter appearing unlikely now.

Until he signs the $32.41 million tender, Jackson is free to meet with other teams and agree to a long-term deal with one of them. The Ravens, by using the franchise tag, have refusal rights and can match any offer sheet Jackson receives. If the Ravens choose not to match a contract offer, they would command two first-round picks in exchange for Jackson.

If Jackson doesn’t find a suitor and if the Ravens refuse to trade him, Jackson will be forced to play on the tender or sit out the 2023 season.

Huntley appeared in six games (four starts) for the Ravens in 2022, throwing for 658 yards and two touchdowns against three interceptions, earning is first Pro Bowl nod.

He’s 3-5 as a starter across three seasons in Baltimore.

–Field Level Media

Feb 4, 2023; Paradise, NV, USA; AFC quarterback Tyler Huntley of the Baltimore Ravens (2) throws the ball during Pro Bowl Games practice at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Ravens QB Tyler Huntley to sign tender

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley plans to sign his restricted free agent tender on Monday, NFL Network reported Friday.

The tender is worth $2.627 million for the 2023 season and Huntley, 25, will become an unrestricted free agent in 2024.

Huntley has been working out at the team facilities and plans to throw with his teammates this weekend in Tampa, Fla., per the report.

Huntley was selected for the Pro Bowl Games last season after completing 75 of 112 passes for 658 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions in four starts (2-2 record) for the Ravens. He rushed for 137 yards and one TD.

Undrafted out of Utah in 2020, Huntley has completed 65.6 percent of his passes for 1,754 yards with five TDs and seven picks in 15 career games (eight starts).

The signing of Huntley provides a little insurance for Baltimore as uncertainty continues to swirl around former NFL MVP Lamar Jackson’s future with the Ravens.

Jackson continues to seek a long-term deal and has not signed the non-exclusive franchise tag that would pay him $32 million next season.

–Field Level Media

Apr 13, 2023; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. walks into his introduction press conference at Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Ravens WR Odell Beckham Jr. a suspect in assault

Newly signed Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has been named as a suspect in an assault investigation in Los Angeles, TMZ Sports reported Friday.

According to the report, a woman told police that Beckham put his hand around her neck at local hotspot Delilah several weeks ago and grabbed her throat with “light pressure.”

Beckham and the woman remained at the club the rest of the night without further incident, and the woman contacted police a few days later, per the report.

A representative for Beckham told TMZ Sports that they are unaware of any investigation and that the wideout vehemently denies doing anything wrong.

“We were contacted about an investigation and reviewed the videos, the claim is false,” John Terzian, owner of Delilah, told TMZ. “There is no evidence of this person even being in the area where she claims the incident occurred.”

The report comes less than two weeks after the three-time Pro Bowl wideout signed a $15 million deal with the Ravens for the 2023 season.

Beckham, 30, missed the 2022 season after tearing his left ACL during the Los Angeles Rams’ Super Bowl LVI win against the Cincinnati Bengals on Feb. 13, 2022.

Beckham has 531 catches for 7,367 yards and 56 touchdowns in 96 career games (91 starts) with the New York Giants (2014-18), Cleveland Browns (2019-21) and Rams. He exceeded 1,000 receiving yards in five of his first six seasons.

–Field Level Media

Jul 20, 2022; Los Angeles, CA, USA; NFL football player Odell Beckham Jr. and partner Lauren Wood with son Zydn arrive at the Red Carpet for the 2022 ESPY at Dolby Theater. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Ravens WR Odell Beckham Jr. hopes for pairing with Lamar Jackson

Odell Beckham Jr. joined the Baltimore Ravens with zero assurances from quarterback Lamar Jackson that they’d be teammates.

Beckham, 30, signed his one-year contract with the Ravens on Thursday and is set to return to the NFL after sitting out last season while recovering from a torn ACL.

But Beckham doesn’t mind sharing that he’s hopeful Jackson, unsigned and in a contract standoff with the Ravens, is back with Baltimore soon.

They had dinner together after the veteran receiver agreed to a $15 million contract for the 2023 season, Beckham said, but only the “possibility” of sharing the same locker room is on the table as of Thursday.

“It’s been more from afar; we haven’t kicked it or anything like that. My favorite player growing up was Mike Vick,” Beckham said in a video interview with Ravens.com. “He gave me many flashes of it. … If he was left-handed I think we’d all see it even more. Tremendous talent, tremendous quarterback. Somebody who I look forward to having the opportunity to play for and catch passes from. Somebody I’ve admired from afar for a long time now.”

Beckham said after a workout for NFL teams last month that he’s feeling close to full strength. He’s 14 months removed from surgery and said the emotional toll of a second major knee injury and surgery was more taxing than the physical recovery.

“Now it’s just knowing there’s five months to the season, it’s nowhere hear I’ll be in September,” Beckham said.

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said he hasn’t connected with Jackson since Beckham’s deal was announced.

“Lamar is in our plans,” DeCosta said. “We’re hopeful to still get a long-term deal. He’s the right player for this team.”

Beckham’s health is not a concern for the Ravens, DeCosta said, but he didn’t address the rumor mill connecting Jackson to the Indianapolis Colts and other QB-needy teams who could make the former MVP an offer at any time.

In such a scenario, the Ravens could match. If no offers come from other teams, Jackson has the option to play under the $32.416 million tag or sit out the entire season to protest the tag unless the sides come to agreement on a long-term contract by July 15.

–Field Level Media