The Baltimore Ravens received good news after Monday's waiver deadline, with the majority of their young roster cuts going unclaimed around the NFL. Twenty-seven players waived by Baltimore cleared waivers and are now free to negotiate practice-squad contracts with the Ravens or opportunities with other teams.
That group includes several players Baltimore could have legitimate interest in retaining, including defensive lineman Rayshaun Benny, outside linebackers Adisa Isaac and Kaimon Rucker, offensive tackle Gerad Lichtenhan, cornerback Robert Longerbeam and quarterback Austin Reed.
Baltimore officially waived 28 players Sunday while getting down to its initial 53-man roster. Offensive lineman Corey Bullock was the exception among that group
after the Carolina Panthers claimed him Monday.
The Ravens can now begin rebuilding the developmental depth they carried throughout training camp.
Here are the Baltimore players who cleared waivers:
Quarterback
- Austin Reed
Running back/fullback
- Dontae McMillan
- Lucas Scott
- Elijah Tau-Tolliver
Wide receiver
- Cortez Braham Jr.
- Xavier Guillory
- Cornelius Johnson
- Octavian Smith Jr.
- Dayton Wade
Tight end
- Ty Pezza
Offensive line
- Evan Beerntsen
- Nick Dawkins
- Gerad Lichtenhan
Defensive line
- Rayshaun Benny
- Aaron Graves
- David Olajiga
- Dion Wilson Jr.
Linebacker/edge
- Michael Barrett
- Dominic DeLuca
- Adisa Isaac
- Jamon Johnson
- Carl Jones Jr.
- Kaimon Rucker
Defensive back
- Robert Longerbeam
- Marquise Robinson
- Silas Walters
- Lardarius Webb Jr.
Several names stand out as obvious practice-squad candidates.
Lichtenhan may be near the top of that list. Baltimore was already expected to pursue a practice-squad reunion if the offensive tackle cleared waivers. He spent last season on the practice squad and competed for one of the final reserve offensive line jobs throughout the summer. Benny is another intriguing option. The former Michigan defensive lineman was a seventh-round selection this spring but couldn't crack a deep interior group after Aeneas Peebles strengthened his grip on a roster spot.
Isaac's availability may be particularly valuable. A former third-round pick, he has dealt with injuries during his first two NFL seasons but remains a developmental pass rusher with traits that Baltimore could continue to try to unlock.
Rucker also generated flashes during the preseason, while Longerbeam was part of an unusually deep cornerback competition. Baltimore's secondary depth was strong enough that even several players who performed well throughout August couldn't survive final cuts.
Reed gives the Ravens an obvious developmental quarterback option after Lamar Jackson, Tyler Huntley and Joe Fagnano made the initial roster. Dayton Wade, Xavier Guillory, Cornelius Johnson and Cortez Braham Jr. also give Baltimore options at wide receiver after one of the more competitive position battles of training camp.
Clearing waivers doesn't guarantee any of the 27 players will return. Each is now able to negotiate with other teams, and an organization can offer a spot on either its active roster or practice squad. But Baltimore now has the opportunity it wanted when making many of Sunday's difficult cuts: keeping a significant portion of its developmental roster in the building.
NFL teams can carry 16 players on the standard practice squad, meaning the Ravens won't be able to retain everyone. The next series of decisions will determine which young players Baltimore believes are worth continuing to develop behind its initial 53-man roster.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens have 27 players clear waivers after roster cuts
