Longtime Ravens Jimmy Smith, Brandon Williams, and Pernell McPhee remain free agents and have made no announcements regarding their future plans, but the Ravens have signaled they’re moving on by reassigning their jersey numbers.
Smith, a 2011 first-round pick who was one of the heroes of Super Bowl XLVII, appears likely to retire and has said he would only play for the Ravens at this stage of his career after a lukewarm test of free agency in 2020. The 33-year-old corner was plagued by injuries throughout his 11-year run with the Ravens, but he still managed to appear in the second-most games among all cornerbacks in team history (128) and ranks seventh on the franchise’s career interceptions list (14). Rookie fourth-round cornerback Damarion Williams will now wear No. 22.
A 2013 third-round pick and 2018 Pro Bowl nose tackle who spent nine seasons with the Ravens, Williams said at the end of last season that he was interested in returning “as long as they want me.” However, Baltimore has since brought back Williams’ former understudy, Michael Pierce, via free agency and selected former Connecticut defensive tackle Travis Jones in the third round of this year’s draft. Jones was assigned Williams’ old No. 98 jersey on Tuesday.
McPhee was originally a 2011 fifth-round pick and has spent two stints with the Ravens, but he appeared in only 10 games due to a knee injury last season. The Super Bowl XLVII champion collected 24 sacks in seven seasons with Baltimore, making him one of the more notable late-round picks in team history. His No. 90 jersey will now be worn by 2022 second-round pick David Ojabo.
The jersey numbers of a few other notable ex-Ravens such as Marquise Brown, Tavon Young, and Bradley Bozeman were also reassigned.
Below are the new jersey number assignments for the 2022 draft class and select veterans that were announced Tuesday:
S Kyle Hamilton — No. 14
C Tyler Linderbaum — No. 64
OLB David Ojabo — No. 90
DT Travis Jones — No. 98
OT Daniel Faalele — No. 77
CB Jalyn Armour-Davis — No. 5
TE Charlie Kolar — No. 88
P Jordan Stout — No. 11
TE Isaiah Likely — No. 80
CB Damarion Williams — No. 22
RB Tyler Badie — No. 30
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WR James Proche — No. 3
CB Kevon Seymour — No. 25
FB Ben Mason — No. 38
No overseas trip for Ravens
Despite having three road opponents on their schedule hosting international games in 2022, the Ravens will avoid venturing overseas this fall.
The NFL announced its slate of international games on Wednesday morning, but the Ravens now know they will be playing the Jaguars in Jacksonville, the Saints in New Orleans, and Tom Brady and the Buccaneers in Tampa rather than traveling to London or Munich for a 2022 regular-season contest. That news will surely please head coach John Harbaugh, who wasn’t thrilled about the Ravens’ experience going to London to play Jacksonville at Wembley Stadium in 2017. Of course, that had a lot to do with an embarrassing 44-7 loss, which tied for the worst margin of defeat in team history.
“To be honest with you — maybe I will get in trouble for saying this — I do not plan on going over there any time soon to play again,” Harbaugh said at the time. “Somebody else can have that job.”
With the NFL putting on five international games this season and Baltimore having not played in one since 2017, it’s only a matter of time before another country gets an in-person look at star quarterback Lamar Jackson and the Ravens.
