Getty Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Jaylon Moore makes a catch during 2021 training camp.
The Baltimore Ravens have cut wide receiver Jaylon Moore, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, beginning their roster cuts down to 80 players by the 4:00 p.m. deadline on August 23.
Moore’s release is somewhat surprising after a strong training camp from the 25-year-old receiver, but he failed to translate that success to the Ravens’ first two preseason games with just two catches for 15 yards. He occasionally flashed on special teams in practice, but that wasn’t enough to keep him in Baltimore, especially after the arrival of ex-Chiefs wideout Demarcus Robinson.
Though Moore was consistently getting open and making catches in scrimmages, the 5-foot-11 speedster doesn’t bring anything different to a Ravens wide receiver room that already includes Devin Duvernay and Tylan Wallace.
Moore earned just two targets on 25 routes run in the preseason, per Pro Football Focus, while undrafted rookies Makai Polk and Shemar Bridges played more snaps and drew more targets. Polk and Bridges are 6-foot-3 and 6-foot-4, respectively, a clear indication of that the Ravens are looking to add some size to their receiving corps.
Releasing Moore now rather than keeping him in the mix until final roster cut-downs gives him a chance to catch on with another team that might be in greater need of his skillset.
Demarcus Robinson Contract Details Revealed
Moore’s release comes on the heels of Demarcus Robinson’s addition to the Ravens receiving corps, with Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson reporting his contract details on August 22.
Demarcus Robinson officially signed with Ravens on a one-year, $1.035 million deal that includes $895,000 fully guaranteed, which is $575,000 more than previous $320,000 guarantee with Raiders, who recently released him. Veteran wide receiver should provide boost to Ravens
More than 85% of Robinson’s contract is fully guaranteed, indicating that the Ravens intend to keep him on their 53-man roster as their fifth wide receiver.
That would complicate the path to a roster spot for Polk, Bridges and the rest of Baltimore’s young undrafted receivers competing to make the team.
Bridges stole the show with multiple contested catches against the Titans on August 11, but caught just one of his three targets the following week in Arizona. Polk ranks second on the team with seven catches in the preseason behind only rookie phenom Isaiah Likely, while Raleigh Webb has two catches of more than 30 yards.
Both Bridges and Webb have shown promise on special teams, something that has always been vital to making a roster spot under head coach John Harbaugh.
Ravens Still Need Multiple Cuts
With Robinson’s signing, the Ravens will need to make five more roster moves after Moore’s release, per Zrebiec.
Ravens have to make 6 moves assuming DeMarcus Robinson’s signing becomes official by 4 pm today. Cutting WR Jaylon Moore will be one. Ravens also have option of moving RB Gus Edwards to reserve PUP list; and putting OLB David Ojabo on reserve NFI. Neither will be ready for Wk 1.
That could include moving running back Gus Edwards to the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list, which would sideline him until at least Week 5 of the regular season as he recovers from a torn ACL suffered in 2021.
Second-round pick David Ojabo could also be placed on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury list to free up another spot, as he is not expected to make his Ravens debut until at least October as he rehabs a ruptured Achilles suffered in March.
Other cuts could include Diego Fagot and Zakoby McClain, who have fallen behind Joss Ross in the Ravens’ linebacker competition, as well as Chuck Wiley, who was briefly released by the team last week before an injury necessitated his return.