Getty The Ravens are reportedly hosting free agent WR DeSean Jackson for a visit.
The Baltimore Ravens are exploring adding more talent to their wide receiver room with their top option at the position, second-year wideout Rashod Bateman, dealing with an injury. According to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter on Monday, October 17, the team will host 14-year veteran DeSean Jackson for a visit, per his agent Drew Rosenhaus.
Veteran free-agent WR DeSean Jackson is scheduled to visit the Ravens on Tuesday, his agent @DrewJRosenhaus confirmed. At 35, Jackson wants to continue playing.
The former three-time Pro Bowler publically expressed his desire to continue his playing career in a recent appearance on the I AM ATHLETE podcast where he listed the Ravens on the shortlist of teams that he’d like to play for.
Ahead of them, he listed the Philadelphia Eagles, the team that drafted him in the second round of the 2008 NFL draft and who he spent the first eight years of his career atop the list. Second, he mentioned the Green Bay Packers whose quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, attended the same college as him albeit at different times.
When DeSean Jackson told @IAMATHLETEpod a couple days ago that he wanted to play, he said why the Ravens were one of his top options:
“I like Lamar Jackson’s game right now, man. Baltimore. Jackson and Jackson. … I like to support the young fella.”
What Does D-Jax Still Have Left In The Tank?
While many may see the Ravens interest in a veteran receiver who will be 36 years old before Christmas as a sign of desperation, Jackson proved last year in stints with two different teams that he can still stretch the field well into his mid-30s.
He began the 2021 season with the Los Angeles Rams where averaged 19.4 yards a catch on 12 receptions and 19 targets before ending the year with the Las Vegas Raiders where he averaged 27.1 yards a reception on eight catches and 15 targets per Pro Football Reference.
D-JAX. 75 YARDS. #RamsHouse
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Over half of his 58 career touchdowns catches have gone for 50 or more yards with 34 which is the second-highest figure in league history behind only Hall of Fame wideout Jerry Rice according to Pro Sports Outlook. Two of those long-scoring plays came last year, one with both of his teams.
Most career TD of 50+ YDS in NFL history:
1. Jerry Rice (36)
2. DeSean Jackson (34)
3. Randy Moss (29)
T4. Lance Alworth & Terrell Owens (27)
Ravens Signing Another Pass Rusher
Jackson isn’t the only experienced and proven player that the team is being linked to at the start of the week. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Ravens are going to sign outside linebacker Devon Kennard per a source.
More edge help in Baltimore: OLB Devon Kennard is signing to the #Ravens practice squad, source said. He’s been active for every game this year in AZ.
According to Pro Football Reference, the nine-year veteran edge defender has appeared in 116 games and made 73 career starts including one this year in five games with the Arizona Cardinals. During his nearly decade in the league, he has recorded 26.5 career sacks, 63 quarterback hits, and 353 total tackles including 53 for a loss, 4 forced fumbles, 6 fumble recoveries, 10 pass deflections, and 1 interception.
He has spent the previous two seasons with the Cardinals where he recorded 3.0 sacks. In the two seasons prior to that he recorded 7.0 sacks in back-to-back seasons with the Detroit Lions. Kennard began his career with the New York Giants after getting drafted in the fifth round of the 2014 NFL draft out of USC and recorded 9.5 sacks in four seasons.
His addition would mark the fourth edge defender that the Ravens have signed since the regular season started, joining fellow veterans Jeremiah Attaochu and Brandon Copeland who are already on the practice squad and Jason Pierre-Paul who has been quite the find through his first three games on the active roster.