Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith was fined $35,822 for two Week 8 infractions against the Buffalo Bills. He received a $17,911 fine for a facemask grab and helmet twist on quarterback Josh Allen during a touchdown sneak, and an identical fine for unsportsmanlike conduct after hitting wide receiver DJ Moore in the first quarter. Despite the viral incidents, Smith avoids suspension and remains active for Thursday Night Football in Week 9. The penalties highlight the NFL's crackdown on dangerous hits even as Smith continues to command a lucrative per‑game salary.
In a 36-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills, rookie outside linebacker Zion Young showed why the Ravens see him stepping into a larger role after Tavius Robinson’s injury. Young recorded 1 tackle, 1 assist, and a pressure on just 35 snaps, displaying a 100% pass‑rush win rate, strong run‑stop instincts and the ability to disengage multiple blockers. With Robinson sidelined, Young is primed to start on early downs, while veteran Roquan Smith posted a career‑high 8 tackles, a forced fumble and dominant coverage against the Bills. The piece highlights Young’s growing impact and the defensive boost he could provide for Baltimore.
Baltimore's veteran running back has an answer on his future.
After a 36-10 drubbing by Buffalo, the Ravens entered Thursday’s game against Jacksonville and quickly fell behind 33-10. Offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford was captured on Prime Video shouting at his unit as the offense sputtered, highlighted by rookie QB Joe Fagnano’s 10-of-18, 60‑yard effort and two interceptions. The line has been unstable all season, rotating eight five‑man combos since center Tyler Linderbaum’s departure, though new center Cam Jurgens earned top grades in the loss. The defeat drops Baltimore to 4‑5, extending a four‑game skid before they host the 0‑7 Chargers on Monday Night Football.
Josh Allen solidifies his lead in the 2026 NFL MVP race after a brace‑filled Week 8 win over Baltimore. Despite a shaky first half—completing just 42.1% of his passes and throwing an interception—Allen rebounded spectacularly, hitting 13 of 15 second‑half attempts for 316 yards and two long touchdowns, including a 43‑yard strike to DJ Moore. His 0.25 EPA per dropback tops the league, and his 60.1 passing EPA ranks fifth, keeping him ahead of Brock Purdy and Joe Burrow. Allen’s resilience and dual‑threat play keep the Bills in contention and his MVP bid strongest heading into the second half of the season.
Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith receives two fines totaling nearly $36,000 for unnecessary roughness penalties in the Week 8 loss to the Buffalo Bills. One fine comes from twisting Bills QB Josh Allen’s facemask nearly 180 degrees on a touchdown run, and the other follows a hit on a defenseless player early in the game. These penalties bring Smith’s 2026 season total to three fines, including an $11,941 fine from Week 2. No other Ravens or Bills players were fined, and the NFL directs half of fine revenue to player‑support and youth programs.
Adam Schefter tells ESPN that the Baltimore Ravens will not trade veteran running back Derrick Henry before the upcoming trade deadline, quashing rumors that could impact the Pittsburgh Steelers' roster moves for their stretch‑run. The confirmation means the Steelers must look elsewhere for upgrades as the deadline looms.
The Cleveland Browns held a workout on Friday, evaluating five players as they grapple with injuries at running back and defensive line. Running backs Ulysses Bentley IV and Elijah Tau‑Tolliver—both undrafted free agents with stints at the Colts, Ravens, and practice squads—joined the session, along with defensive backs Austin Brown, Darren Hall and Jerrick Reed, who have bounced between multiple NFL teams. The moves come as RBs Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson miss time and DT Maliek Collins sits out Sunday’s game with an elbow injury.
With the NFL trade deadline looming on Tuesday, the Baltimore Ravens have confirmed they are unlikely to move star running back Derrick Henry. ESPN insider Adam Schefter reports that, despite the team's 4-5 record and dwindling playoff hopes, the Ravens have no plans to trade the 32‑year‑old, who has logged 175 carries for 689 yards and eight touchdowns this season. Henry's production has dipped amid Lamar Jackson's absence, but the franchise expects to keep him unless an irresistible offer surfaces. The update fuels speculation about potential moves as the deadline approaches.
After a dominant Week 8 victory over the Baltimore Ravens, the Buffalo Bills improve to 6-1 and sit alone atop the AFC, sparking a surge in fan confidence to 86%—a 23‑point jump. New head coach Joe Brady and defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard, backed by safety Damar Hamlin’s standout performance, are credited with the turnaround. Josh Allen is currently the league’s MVP, while a fan poll shows 72% want the Bills to add another safety before the trade deadline. Week 9 pits the Bills against an equally 6‑1 Minnesota Vikings squad, whose fans remain skeptical at just 17% confidence. The article examines the Bills’ momentum and upcoming challenges.
Lamar Jackson’s thumb surgery doesn’t entirely rule out a 2026 comeback, but his return hinges on veteran Jacoby Brissett keeping the Ravens in the AFC playoff hunt. After Jackson’s thumb injury in the 36-10 Week 8 loss to Jacksonville, the team placed him on IR. The Ravens recently traded for Brissett, sending a 2027 fifth‑round pick, a 2027 fourth‑rounder and a 2028 seventh‑rounder to Arizona. Brissett now must steer Baltimore through a tough stretch, including a Nov. 16 game against the 0‑7 Chargers, before Jackson could be cleared for a late‑season return.
Skip Bayless tells Stephen A. Smith that the Dallas Cowboys’ 2024 coaching hire of Brian Schottenheimer was a missed opportunity – he argues Jerry Jones should have chased Jim Harbaugh. Bayless praises Harbaugh’s success at Stanford, Michigan, the 49ers and the Chargers, claiming his “commanding” style would have revived a Cowboys team struggling, in part due to quarterback issues. He predicts Jones would reject Harbaugh’s independence, and notes that while the Ravens eventually land Harbaugh, the Cowboys continue down a shaky path.
Despite the fact that the Baltimore Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson have yet to agree to a new contract, there is reportedly mutual interest in the two sides remaining together long term.
The Ravens endure a brutal Thursday Night Football loss, falling 33-10 to the Jaguars for a fourth straight defeat. Quarterback injuries to Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley force the team to shuffle its depth chart. After briefly elevating practice‑squad rookie Austin Reed, the Ravens trade for veteran Jacoby Brissett and cut Reed on Friday, as reported by Adam Schefter. Brissett now assumes the starting role while Reed seeks another opportunity. The move underscores Baltimore’s mounting struggles on both offense and defense.
ESPN's Seth Walder gave Arizona a B and Baltimore a B+ for their respective roles in the deal.
The New York Giants have reached out to the Baltimore Ravens to gauge the trade market for veteran running back Justice Hill, according to Adam Schefter. The 28‑year‑old, a 2019 fourth‑round pick, currently has a two‑year, $4.5 million contract and has logged 240 rushing yards and a touchdown in nine games this season (7.3 yards per carry). Schefter notes Hill, not Derrick Henry, prompted the Giants’ inquiry.
The New York Giants, sitting 4-2-1 atop the NFC East ahead of Week 9, appear unlikely to land a major running back before the NFL trade deadline. Reports link them to a possible Jonathan Taylor deal, but the Indianapolis Colts have rebuffed offers, including a 2027 second‑round pick. The Titans’ Tony Pollard is another target, yet Tennessee is unwilling to move him, focusing instead on WR Calvin Ridley. The Ravens have also shut down trade talks for Derrick Henry, confirming he’ll stay in Baltimore. With all three coveted backs—Taylor, Pollard, and Henry—off the market, the Giants may need to stick with their existing roster.
The Cleveland Browns have outperformed low preseason expectations, sitting 5-3 heading into Week 9 against the New Orleans Saints. Despite a rookie‑heavy roster, a new coaching staff, quarterback uncertainty, and the trade of a star defender, the Browns secured five wins—four on the road—against opponents like the Buccaneers, Panthers, Steelers, Ravens and Titans, often as underdogs. The offense shows clear improvement over last year, while the defense remains among the league’s better units despite a dip from its previous dominance. Analysts label the team as average but youthful, with playoff hopes still alive as they face a tough mid‑season stretch.
The Denver Broncos, chasing the AFC West crown and a top conference record, are scrambling for a tight end before the trade deadline. A reported attempt to acquire Arizona Cardinals star Trey McBride fell through, prompting the Broncos to target four realistic options: veteran Dallas Goedert (Eagles), former Broncos Michael Mayer (Raiders), seasoned Dalton Schultz (Texans), and three‑time Pro Bowler Mark Andrews (Ravens). Each player offers a different blend of production and cost, with the Eagles and Texans likely to move their veterans for draft picks, while the Raiders and Ravens could consider deals despite division and playoff pressures. The article outlines the trade angles and potential price tags as Tuesday, 4 PM ET, approaches.
On Thursday night, the Baltimore Ravens endure a 33-10 blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars at M&T Bank Stadium, falling 20 points behind early in the fourth quarter. With starter Lamar Jackson and backup Tyler Huntley sidelined, third‑string rookie Joe Fagnano throws 10 of 18 for 20 yards, two interceptions, and no touchdowns. Amid the drab action, broadcaster Al Michaels spends over four minutes recounting the Jaguars' early history and Tom Coughlin’s hiring, a segment interrupted only by an interception. Prime Video follows with The Allman Brothers’ “Ramblin’ Man,” while the Ravens slip to a 4‑5 record and a four‑game losing streak.
The Indianapolis Colts have told every team that inquired they will not trade quarterback Daniel Jones, damning news for clubs scrambling for a starter before the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday. Jones, who signed a two‑year, $88 million deal in March, has attracted interest from teams like the Ravens and Vikings amid league‑wide QB uncertainty. With the market already thin, his unavailability forces quarterback‑needy teams to look elsewhere or stick with current options.
The Ravens cleared $8.66 million in cap space by converting DT Nnamdi Madubuike’s base salary to a signing bonus, enabling the acquisition of quarterback Jacoby Brissett and a 2027 fifth‑round pick from the Cardinals for a 2027 fourth‑rounder and a 2028 seventh‑rounder. The move also saw the release of backup QB Austin Reed, who never appeared in a regular‑season snap. With Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley on injured reserve, Baltimore, now 4‑5, looks to debut 33‑year‑old Brissett in Week 10 against the Chargers.
The Ravens have cut quarterback Austin Reed, just weeks after adding him to the practice squad, NFL reporter Adam Schefter confirms. The move follows Baltimore’s trade for veteran Jacoby Brissett amid a spate of injuries at the QB spot. Reed, 26, entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Chicago Bears in 2024, bounced between practice squads and a futures deal, and spent a brief stint at Ravens training camp in August. He logged 14,488 passing yards and 138 TDs over 52 college games.
Adam Schefter says the Baltimore Ravens are unlikely to trade veteran running back Derrick Henry before the deadline. The 32‑year‑old, a former Titans second‑round pick, has a two‑year, $30 million extension with Baltimore after a $16 million deal last year. In 2026 he’s logged 158 carries for 632 yards (4.0 YPC) and eight rushing TDs, plus 12 receptions for 75 yards and a receiving TD in eight games. The report notes his contract history and that updates will follow.
The New York Giants are pivoting to Justice Hill as a backup plan after reports that a trade for Jonathan Taylor stalled and the Ravens refuse to move Derrick Henry, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Hill, a versatile pass‑catching back who posted a 65‑yard TD and averaged 5 yards per carry with 39 receptions for 389 yards in 2024, could pair with Giants’ power runner Cam Skattebo to boost New York’s backfield before the NFL trade deadline. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Vikings have entered the race for Colts star Jonathan Taylor, keeping the trade market active as the deadline approaches.