Ravens wide receiver Keenan Reynolds has received permission to play in the NFL this season.
Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus said on The Dan Patrick Show Friday morning that the former Navy quarterback will serve in the Navy Reserves, allowing him to begin his NFL career in Baltimore immediately. Naval Academy graduates are required to serve a five-year active term in the military upon completing school, but Mabus indicated last week that Reynolds would likely be approved to play football like New England Patriots long snapper Joe Cardona was a year ago.
Baltimore’s sixth-round pick in last month’s draft, Reynolds is expected to compete for the Ravens’ return specialist job as well as at the wide receiver position. He scored more touchdowns than anyone in NCAA Division I history over his four years in Annapolis.
Mabus also confirmed that Cardona, a 2015 fifth-round pick, would be allowed to continue his playing career with the Patriots in 2016 after appearing in all 16 games as a rookie.
