Ravens officially sign veteran WR Dez Bryant to practice squad
Last Thursday, the news that the Baltimore Ravens were expected to sign veteran free agent wide receiver Dez Bryant was overshadowed by the team’s seismic trade for Pro Bowl pass-rusher Yannick Ngakoue.
On Tuesday, the signing became official according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, per an informed source. The team has still yet to make an official announcement, but one is expected at some point today.
According to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, Bryant will be given some time to get acclimated after nearly three years from his last actual game action with the hope he will shake off some of the rust and be able to contribute at some point.
Bryant last played a regular-season game on Dec.31, 2017 as a member of the Dallas Cowboys in a 6-0 win over the Philadelphia Eagles where he hauled in just three of his eight targets for 24 yards.
The three-time Pro Bowler had a brief stint with the New Orleans Saints in 2018 before a torn Achilles tendon ended his season before he could suit for the team. He sat out all of last season hoping to eventually make a comeback once he was fully healthy.
“My emotions running high right now… I’m thankful…I can’t stop crying,” Bryant wrote via his official Twitter account.
No one is expecting Bryant to return to his former All-Pro form at the age of 31 after the amount of time he’s been away from the game and with the kind of injury he suffered that takes away some first-step quickness.
While he may not be as explosive as he once was, the Ravens will be hoping he can provide reigning league MVP, Lamar Jackson, with a reliable possession receiver and possibly even another proven and viable red zone target if and when he gets called up from the practice squad.
