The Baltimore Ravens are searching for help at wide receiver, and their latest move suggests they’re not done yet.
With rookie Ja’Kobi Lane expected to miss several weeks after injuring his wrist against the Indianapolis Colts, Baltimore has already had to patch together its receiver room. The team signed Gage Larvadain to the practice squad and promoted Chris Moore to the active roster, but the injuries keep stacking up, and the need for more depth is still obvious.
That’s why the Ravens brought in veteran Brandin Cooks for a workout, according to Mike Garafolo. If Baltimore signs him, Cooks would become the eighth team of his NFL career. He is also tied for the record for the most traded player in NFL history, having been dealt four times, alongside Eric Dickerson and Kiko Alonso.
The concern doesn’t stop with Lane. Zay Flowers could also be unavailable for Baltimore’s Week 2 matchup with New Orleans after missing practice this week because of a hamstring injury he suffered in Week 1 against the Colts.
That issue is especially worrying because Flowers had already been dealing with hamstring trouble during training camp. The Ravens shut him down two weeks before the season opener, but the injury either hasn’t fully cleared or has flared back up.
With Lane heading toward surgery and Flowers in question, Baltimore’s receiver depth is thin enough that another injury would be a real problem. Cooks may not be the final answer, but the workout shows the Ravens are looking hard for immediate help.
In Other News...
Robert Kraft Is Now At The Center Of A Growing NFL Controversy
Robert Kraft has landed in the middle of a messy music-world fight after reportedly pushing Macklemore off Ed Sheerans tour in response to comments the rapper made during a Sept. 4 show. Kraft, who cited those remarks and a history of antisemitic rhetoric as reasons for the removal, also made a $2 million pledge for humanitarian aid after a phone call with Sheeran, turning what started as a concert controversy into something much bigger.
The story has quickly widened beyond two performers and one tour stop. Other stadium owners, including David Tepper, Arthur Blank and Jeffrey Lurie, were reported to back Krafts stance, while several of Sheerans opening acts have since withdrawn from the tour in solidarity with Macklemore, leaving the situation unresolved and the fallout still spreading. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Coaches Are Already Talking Up One Rookies Week 1 Impact
Namdi Obiazor didnt need a flash play to make an impression in his first regular-season outing. The rookie linebacker was mostly a special teams presence in the Patriots opener, logging 20 snaps there and making two tackles on kickoffs, a useful debut for a player still working behind other linebackers on the depth chart.
What stood out was how quickly New Englands coaches moved to spotlight him. Special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer and inside linebackers coach Vinny DePalma both praised Obiazors effort and upside, suggesting the Patriots already view him as more than a fill-in on coverage units. If that early trust holds, his role on special teams could become one of the more interesting rookie developments to follow this season. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Injury Report Could Change Everything Against Pittsburgh
The Patriots Week 2 prep has already taken on a different feel with the injury report becoming as important as the matchup itself. New England released its latest list alongside Pittsburgh, and it offers a clearer picture of who is tracking toward Sunday and who is still working through problems. For the Patriots, the mix is uneven: Dametrious Crownover and Carlton Davis III were among the players who did not take part in recent practices because of injuries, while Robert Spillane and TreVeyon Henderson are expected to suit up.
Pittsburgh has its own questions, with Michael Pittmans status uncertain and Joey Porter Jr. looking unlikely to play. For a game that could hinge on a handful of matchups and a few key absences, both sides are monitoring the final availability closely. The Patriots will get a better sense of how much flexibility they have only when the rest of the weeks practice work is done, and there is still room for the picture to shift before kickoff. [Read more 🡒]