Ravens make 4 roster moves ahead Week 3 game vs. Colts

The team made a handful of transaction the day before their AFC matchup to bolster depth at a pair of positions.

After ruling out seven starters with injuries for their Sunday game against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 3, the Baltimore Ravens made four roster moves on Saturday to bolster position groups on both sides of the ball that are ailing the most.

Head coach John Harbaugh told reporters on Friday that second-year outside linebacker Jeremiah Moon would be getting called for this game and appear in his first NFL regular season game. The team signed him to the active roster to provide more depth on the edge of the defense with third-year pro Odafe Oweh out with an ankle injury.

Moon went undrafted out of Florida last year and is coming off a strong training camp and preseason. He recorded nine total tackles, a sack, three quarterback hits, a tackle for loss, and a pass deflection in the three exhibition contests this year.

In a corresponding move to make room for Moon on the roster, the Ravens released veteran quarterback Josh Johnson, who served as the primary backup to Lamar Jackson in the first two games of the season.

Since the 37-year-old is a vested veteran, he won’t go on waivers and can be brought back either to the active roster or practice squad this upcoming week. Fourth-year pro Tyler Huntley will be Jackson’s backup on Sunday after being inactive the past two weeks.

With J.K. Dobbins out for the rest of the season after suffering a torn Achilles in Week 1 and veteran Justice Hill ruled out this week because of a toe injury, the Ravens promoted both of their veteran running backs on the practice squad for Sunday’s game. Two-time Pro Bowler Melvin Gordon and recently re-signed Kenyan Drake will back up Gus Edwards, who is slated to start and receive a heavy workload.

Gordon will be seeing his first regular game action since Week 11 last season when he was still a member of the Denver Broncos. He finished the year on the practice squad of the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs and has been with the Ravens since being signed in late July just before training camp.

Drake played for the Ravens in 2022 and in 12 games, he recorded 482 rushing yards, four touchdowns, 17 receptions, 89 receiving yards, and a touchdown. His dynamic ability as a pass-catching threat will help offset the absence of Hill as a third-down back.