Ravens to Sign Stokley, Robinson Debuts with the Jaguars

With the loss of tight end Dennis Pitta for the season, an injured wide receiver Deonte Thompson and the exit of former wide receiver Anquan Boldin, the Baltimore Ravens could use some receiving assistance. They may find the answer by signing former wide receiver Brandon Stokley, reported the Baltimore Sun.

Brandon Stokley

Stokley, with the Denver Broncos last season, had his highest numbers since 2008 when he was reunited with his former quarterback Peyton Manning. He had 45 receptions, 544 yards and five touchdowns. But at age 37 and some injury issues, the team did not re-sign him.

Should Stokley sign with the Ravens, it will be Round 2. He was drafted by the team in 1999 in the fourth round and stayed there through the 2002 season. He was a member of the Super Bowl XXXV team that defeated the New York Giants, contributing a 3-yard touchdown catch. He was a favorite with Ravens fans.

Stokley has been a bit of a journeyman in his 14 NFL seasons including stints with the Indianapolis Colts, the Seattle Seahawks, the New York Giants as well as the Broncos. His career numbers include 384 receptions, 5,224 yards and 39 touchdowns.

Maybe one of the biggest questions for Stokley if he re-joins the Ravens, will he have good chemistry with quarterback Joe Flacco like he did with Manning?

One player that Flacco does have good chemistry with is his running back, Ray Rice. He believes the talented player could help out as a slot receiver now that Pitta will be absent from that role in 2013.

He said via CBS Sports, “Ray can definitely do that stuff, and it definitely will be something we need to look at because a lot of his effectiveness comes from catching the ball out of the backfield, and when we do motion him out and get him lined up on a linebacker, he’s good at that stuff. It’s just matter of getting reps with him and allowing him to do it, and our coaches getting some confidence in all of that.”

Lucky for the Ravens, they also have Bernard Pierce in the backfield who could pick up the workload should Rice diversify his play.

The team got off to a good preseason start as they defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 44-16, on Thursday.

For 2014, the Ravens are +190 to win the AFC North and 25/1 to win the 2014 Super Bowl.

Robinson Shows Versatility in First Jaguars Game, Gabbert Struggles

After a successful stint as the University of Michigan’s quarterback, Denard Robinson entered the 2013 NFL Draft as a self-proclaimed “offensive weapon.” He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fifth round and on Thursday, he showed off his versatility in the team’s first preseason game against the Miami Dolphins in a 27-3 loss.

As a running back, he led the team with nine carries for 32 yards. He also spent some time as a wide receiver and even took a snap at Wildcat quarterback, which resulted in a two-yard loss. For the game, his longest run was 7 yards.

Denard Robinson

Robinson said of his experience via the Florida Times-Union, “I think it went pretty well. It was a learning experience. Knowing I can go out, run the ball and have fun doing it. Do the things I’m used to doing and making plays.”

Meanwhile, Robinson’s quarterback Blaine Gabbert struggled on Friday. He went 5 for 10 with 19 yards and a pick. He endured a number of drops and looked uncomfortable in the pocket, reported NFL.com.

The Jaguars backup quarterback Chad Henne is chomping at the bit for the starting role and looked better in Friday’s game. He entered it in the second quarter and led the team to 16-play drive that resulted in a field goal.

Henne went 8 for 11 with 87 yards.

For the Jaguars, look for Gabbert to be on a tight leash. The team sits at +2800 to win the AFC South and 125/1 to win the 2014 Super Bowl.