On Monday, the Baltimore Ravens added two undrafted free agents that attended rookie minicamp on a tryout basis to the 90-man roster. Former Baylor quarterback Jalan McClendon and Texas offensive guard, Patrick Vahe made the cut after impressing coaches at minicamp. Vahe was originally believed to have signed with the Ravens before minicamp, but instead, he signs with Baltimore after camp. The two additions bring the Ravens roster count up to 91, one over the actual limit. But, as ESPN’s Jamison Hensley reported, the Ravens confirmed that German fullback, Christopher Ezeala will be exempt from the roster limit for the second straight year.
Undrafted free agents are on the move all throughout the league today. Most notably, Ravens tryout, running back L.J. Scott signed with the Cleveland Browns. Scott has a skillset similar to Le’veon Bell, and many were interested to see if he could make the Ravens roster. All hope surrounding his future in Baltimore was dashed with the news of his departure, however.
The Ravens have a history of finding undrafted free agents that go on to have successful careers in Baltimore. The most notable recent examples include Justin Tucker and Michael Pierce. Tucker is the most accurate kicker in NFL history, and will likely have his likeness installed in Canton one day. He recently signed a 4 year, $23.05 million contract that will keep him in Baltimore through the 2020 season. Pierce is a defensive tackle that is breaking the game for Baltimore. He finished out the last year of his rookie contract last year, and the Ravens placed a second-round restricted free agent tender on him to ensure that no other team would pursue him. The gambit worked, and Baltimore signed him to an additional year worth $3.095 million. It is almost guaranteed that the Ravens will find more success in undrafted free agents this year.
