Ravens Reduce Roster Down To 53

The Ravens got a head start on paring down the roster yesterday but still needed to cut 17 players to get down to 53 today. Here are today’s moves:

Released:

• WR Chris Moore
• T David Sharpe
• S K’Von Wallace

Waived:

• DT Rayshaun Benny
• WR Cortez Braham Jr.
• OL Corey Bullock
• LB Dominic DeLuca
• WR Cornelius Johnson
• LB Carl Jones Jr.
• T Gerad Lichtenhan
• RB Dontae McMillan
• DT David Olajiga
• TE Ty Pezza
• CB Marquise Robinson
• OLB Kaimon Rucker
• WR Octavian Smith Jr.
• CB Lardarius Webb Jr.

Placed on IR (designated to return):

• CB Bilhal Kone
• RB Adam Randall

There don’t appear to be any surprises on the offense. Randall had a strong camp and preseason, and his rookie year will start with him on injured reserve for at least four games. The most shocking attritions came on the offensive line where intriguing projects Lichtenhan and Bullock will have to clear waivers before returning to the team’s practice squad and Pounds was traded away to Kansas City.

On the defense, defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike is on the active roster — no injured lists. He hasn’t returned to full action yet in practices, but he’s made outstanding progress from what was once feared to be a career-ending neck injury. Second-year sixth-round corner Bilhal Kone hasn’t made his NFL debut and, if he’s going to debut this year, he’ll have to wait alongside Randall.

The Ravens don’t normally see draft picks miss the initial 53-man roster, so it’s doubly surprising to see Benny join his fellow seventh-rounder Evan Beerntsen, who was waived yesterday. On the other hand, Baltimore displayed its usual penchant for finding diamonds in the rough with both quarterback Joe Fagnano and outside linebacker Ethan Burke representing undrafted rookies to make the team.