The Ravens have revealed at least one of their players will opt out of the 2020 season due to concerns over the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Wide receiver and return specialist De’Anthony Thomas was officially placed on the reserve/voluntary opt-out list on Monday, meaning he will receive a $150,000 salary advance while his contract will carry over to the 2021 season. The 27-year-old re-signed with Baltimore in March on a one-year deal worth $935,000 and was expected to compete with the likes of wide receivers James Proche and Chris Moore and running back Justice Hill for return duties.
Thomas joined the Ravens last November, appearing in eight regular-season games and averaging 7.2 yards per punt return and 16.6 yards per kick return. The 5-foot-8, 176-pound receiver played only three offensive snaps for Baltimore, carrying the ball one time in the regular-season finale against Pittsburgh. In six seasons with Kansas City, Thomas caught 65 passes for 509 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 190 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries.
After Kansas City offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif became the first NFL player to opt out of the season last week, Thomas was among a handful of others to make their intentions known Monday. That group also included former Ravens cornerback Maurice Canady, who signed with Dallas in March.
The Ravens placed rookie tight end Jacob Breeland on the active non-football injury list as the Oregon product continues to work his way back to full strength from a torn ACL suffered last season. When healthy, Breeland is expected to compete with 2019 practice-squad member Charles Scarff and fellow undrafted rookie Eli Wolf from Georgia for the No. 3 tight end spot behind Mark Andrews and Nick Boyle.
In an effort to trim the preseason roster from the normal 90 players to 80 because of social distancing challenges, general manager Eric DeCosta waived offensive linemen Evan Adams, Daishawn Dixon, R.J. Prince, and kicker Nick Vogel. The Ravens waived edge rusher Michael Onuoha over the weekend.
Undrafted rookie safety Nigel Warrior was placed on the reserve/COVID list on Monday, which means he either tested positive for the coronavirus or has been quarantined after exposure to an infected person. Warrior will not count against the roster limit while on the list.
