A day after officially adding five players to their eight-member practice squad, the Ravens added former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dennis Dixon to the group Sunday.
The news was reported by CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora.
Dixon worked out for the Ravens in the offseason before they elected to sign former Indianapolis Colts quarterback Curtis Painter to be part of their preseason roster. The organization elected to go with two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster Friday and waived Painter.
A fifth-round pick out of Oregon in the 2008 draft, Dixon spent four years in Pittsburgh while playing in four games and making three starts. His first start came in a Sunday night game played in Baltimore in 2009 in which the 6-foot-3 Dixon completed 12 of 26 passes for 145 yards and a touchdown. However, his interception in overtime led to the game-winning field goal by Billy Cundiff.
Displaying good mobility, Dixon is an insurance policy on the practice squad should anything happen to starter Joe Flacco or backup Tyrod Taylor. The Ravens remain high on Taylor’s ability, but the second-year quarterback had an up-and-down preseason that led some to believe he was being pushed by Painter for the backup job. That assessment was never accurate as Painter didn’t cut into Taylor’s reps with the second offense during training camp, but Dixon provides a more seasoned option on the practice squad than you’d typically expect.
In four career games over four seasons with Pittsburgh, Dixon has thrown for 402 yards with one touchdown and and two interceptions.
Dixon joins safety Omar Brown, running back Anthony Allen, offensive linemen Antoine McClain and Jack Cornell, and linebacker Josh Bynes on the practice squad. Safety Anthony Levine and linebacker Adrian Hamilton are also expected to be signed to the eight-man squad, according to a report from The Sun.
Luke Jones
Luke Jones is the Ravens and Orioles beat reporter for WNST BaltimorePositive.com and is a PFWA member. His mind is consumed with useless sports knowledge, pro wrestling promos, and movie quotes, but he often forgets where he put his phone. Luke's favorite sports memories include being one of the thousands of kids who waited for Cal Ripken's autograph after Orioles games in the summer of 1995, attending the Super Bowl XXXV victory parade with his dad in the pouring rain, and watching the Terps advance to the Final Four at the Carrier Dome in 2002. Follow him on social media @BaltimoreLuke or email him at Luke@wnst.net.
Podcast Audio Vault
Right Now in Baltimore
Billy Squier returns to rock Hammerjacks and talk life and music in June 1991
Now almost eight years into his life as an #AlmostFamous music critic at The Evening Sun in Baltimore, rockers like Billy Squier would return to pick up where they left off...
James Young allows Nestor to get his Styx fan boy out before Pier Six in August 2013
Ever since he saw them at the Baltimore Civic Center in February 1980, former music critic Nestor Aparicio has been chasing Styx around the country. JY has been a recurring character on his radio show for three decades. This one…
That time in 2012 when Joan Jett talked Orioles baseball with Nestor before Dundalk Heritage Fair
Everyone knows the leader of the Blackhearts loves rock and roll – and the Baltimore Orioles. Nestor got some old Jim Palmer tales from the former Runaway and Hall of Famer.