Former Cleveland Browns receiver Gage Larvadain is getting another NFL opportunity with one of Cleveland’s biggest rivals.
The Baltimore Ravens signed Larvadain to their practice squad Tuesday, giving the second-year receiver a fresh start after he failed to make Cleveland’s roster. Baltimore needed depth following injuries to receivers Zay Flowers and Ja’Kobi Lane.
Larvadain, 23, joined the Browns as an undrafted free agent out of South Carolina in 2025. He earned an initial roster spot after catching nine passes for 94 yards and a touchdown during the preseason.
His rookie season included movement between the active roster and practice squad, but Larvadain eventually carved out a role. He appeared in 13 games, catching seven passes for 71 yards while handling much of Cleveland’s punt-return work. The 5-foot-8 receiver returned 24 punts for 167 yards.
The Browns waived Larvadain during final roster cuts this summer. His receiving production remains modest, but his experience on special teams gives him another way to compete for playing time in Baltimore.
Gage Larvadain Built Close Bond With Shedeur Sanders
Larvadain’s time in Cleveland also produced a friendship with quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
The two entered the NFL together in 2025 and spent considerable time working together as rookies. Their connection extended beyond team practices, with offseason throwing sessions helping them build chemistry.
“Yeah, that’s my dog,” Larvadain said of Sanders during the 2025 preseason. “I mean, he cool man.”
Larvadain explained that their offseason arrangement made sense for both players: He needed a quarterback to throw him passes, and Sanders needed someone to catch them. Sanders also publicly supported Larvadain, posting a photo of the two together after Cleveland briefly waived the receiver last September.
Now, they could wind up on opposite sidelines. The Browns host the Ravens on Oct. 18 in the first of their two meetings this season.
There is a chance Sanders could be under center by then if Cleveland’s offense continues to sputter with Deshaun Watson.
Browns Need More From Deshaun Watson and Struggling Offense
The Browns have plenty to fix before Baltimore comes to town, starting with an offense that stumbled through a 34-10 season-opening loss to Jacksonville.
Watson finished 16-of-22 for 205 yards, one touchdown and one interception in his first regular-season appearance since 2024. Those numbers offered a kinder picture than the performance itself.
He threw an interception on Cleveland’s opening possession, and the Browns managed just 95 net yards in the first half. His lone touchdown came on a 46-yard pass to rookie Denzel Boston with 1:52 remaining and the outcome already settled. Cleveland finished with 11 penalties for 75 yards.
Monken expects Watson to start against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and said he saw some encouraging things on the tape.
“It’s only been two weeks he’s gotten all the reps, and there were some really good things on film, some things that you can build on, and there were some others that operationally, we’ve got to get better at,” Monken said. “There’s only so many looks you get from week to week, be it red zone concepts, third down concepts, and I did think that when he had time, when he understood the concepts, he didn’t play tentative, that he let it rip. Even the touchdown at the end, sure that was garbage time, but that was on their one corner. That was their starters out there and that was a communication between him and the receiver. So, there was a lot of things to build on. Was it perfect? Of course not. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have scored as few points as we did. But I’d like to see how we can build on that. I liked his week of practice last week and I think he’s only going to continue to get better. ”
Watson will get another opportunity on Sunday against Tampa Bay. Another disjointed performance would only increase the pressure to give Sanders his chance.
Ex-Browns Receiver and Shedeur Sanders Pal Signs With Rival