Getty DeSean Jackson on October 17, 2021.
DeSean Jackson will no longer have to wait for that phone call telling him that he can rejoin an NFL roster.
After suiting up for both the Los Angeles Rams and Las Vegas Raiders in 2021, plus being awarded a Super Bowl ring by the Rams before the season, “D-Jax” will now head to the east coast after signing with the Baltimore Ravens on Tuesday, October 18.
Per NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, Jackson got signed following his tryout with the Ravens.
The #Ravens are signing veteran FA WR DeSean Jackson after his workout today, per agent @DrewJRosenhaus.
But it turns out he wasn’t the only former Rams receiver present at the Ravens’ facility. There was another past Ram who was there…one who had a lengthier tenure.
Former 1st Round Ram Worked Out for Ravens as Well
Reported by Aaron Wilson of the Pro Football Network, Tavon Austin joined “D-Jax” for a workout in front of the Ravens.
Ravens worked out Tavon Austin in addition to DeSean Jackson, who was signed to practice squad
Austin had been searching for an NFL home following his departure from another AFC contender the Buffalo Bills. The 32-year-old Austin first got released by the team on August 22 but eventually joined the practice squad. Before his release, he was one of three past Rams on the Bills roster — joining edge rusher Von Miller and tackle/guard Roger Saffold after signing his deal with the Bills on June 2.
The Bills became his third NFL stops in the last three seasons (made stops with the Green Bay Packers and the Jacksonville Jaguars). Austin, however, got released from the Bills’ practice squad on October 5.
The #Bills and WR Tavon Austin have agreed to part ways, as @SalSports reported. Austin was on Buffalo’s practice squad. Will now seek an opportunity for more playing time elsewhere.
Austin first came into the league as the eighth overall pick of the 2013 NFL Draft. He was the first wide receiver taken off the board in that draft class. Two notable wideouts he was taken ahead of? De’Andre Hopkins and Cordarrelle Patterson.
The 5-foot-8, 179-pounder spent the bulk of his NFL career as a Ram. Per Pro Football Reference, he caught 194 career passes and scored 21 total touchdowns (nine rushing) while tallying 2,927 yards from scrimmage. However, he only played one season for Sean McVay which was his first campaign as head coach in 2017, which saw Austin being limited to nine starts and posting just 13 catches for 47 yards.
Austin wasn’t the only former first rounder intertwined with the Rams on this day.
Rams Sever Ties With Former 1st Rounder
Takkarist McKinley and his L.A. homecoming has come to an end.
Announced by the team before noon Pacific, the Rams decided to “terminate all contracts” pertaining to the former 26th overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft.
LA Rams Transactions:
• Reserve/Injured DB Grant Haley, T Joe Noteboom
• Terminated all contracts DE Takk McKinley
• Free Agent Signing T Ty Nsekhe
McKinley’s signing with the Rams on September 21 marked an L.A. return for the revered UCLA Bruins star. Two days after his addition, the Richmond, California native told the L.A. media how it felt great for him to make a reappearance in the City of Angeles.
“It feels great to be on the field again,” McKinley said on September 23. “It’s been a hell of a journey just to get to this point. And just to be able to be back in an NFL locker room, especially the L.A. Rams who just won a Super Bowl, we have a team that’s built together and I’m here to help just whatever I can. I’m very appreciative and it was a great first day.”
However, his Rams tenure includes this sideline meltdown with teammate Justin Hollins in McKinley’s Bay Area return against the San Francisco 49ers. McKinley went on to record 18 total defensive snaps per PFR and delivered an assisted tackle in the Week 5 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
His release sparked further speculation that Carolina Panthers edge rusher Brian Burns was making his way to the Rams, especially after Burns caught the attention of Ram fans with cryptic Instagram stories involving him posting a Ram.
Burns, however, denied his posts indicated that he was on his way to the Rams with this humorous response clip:
Brian burns updated his IG story lol welp.
@JFowlerESPN also reported that it the sense is around the league it would take a massive haul to get burns. Multiple first round picks and possibly more