DE Kaufusi frustrated by inactivity
Team won’t return to London in 2018; CB Nelson signed
What began as a season of hopeful beginnings regressed mightily for Ravens defensive end After his rookie year was wiped out by a broken left ankle suffered Aug. 4, 2016, Kaufusi was expected to demonstrate the promise he had shown at Brigham Young, where he graduated with the fifth-most sacks (261⁄ and had 11 sacks, 64 tackles and 20 tackles for loss in his senior year.
Instead, Kaufusi, 6 feet 6, 285 pounds, was inactive for a team-high 13 games in 2017, including the last nine. He finished with zero sacks and only four tackles, but the organization’s third-round draft pick in 2016 chose not to blame anyone but himself for his reduced playing time.
“For me, I should have made the most of the opportunities that I was given,” he said last week. “I just tried to get better every week, and I felt like I did. From the beginning to now, I was inactive for a lot of the year, but each week, I felt like I was getting better. So going into the offseason, I’ve got to be ready for the next opportunity.” Listed as the backup to starter
Kaufusi appeared to be in line for greater involvement after Urban suffered a Lisfranc foot injury against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 24 and was lost for the rest of the season. Kaufusi started the next game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but was a healthy scratch the following week at the Oakland Raiders before backing up rookie
against the Chicago Bears on Oct. 15 and the Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 22. Eventually, leapfrogged both as the starter.
Kaufusi acknowledged feeling upset by his inability to crack the starting lineup after his season debut against Pittsburgh.
“It’s always frustrating, but that’s how the game works, and you don’t want to waste time being frustrated because you can get lost in there,” he said. “So for me, it’s, ‘What can I do next?’ I’m going to do what I can control to get better.”
Kaufusi’s lack of progress has bothered some fans, who have criticized the organization on social media for not trading its Defensive end Bronson Kaufusi (92), a third-round Ravens selection in 2016, finished the season with only four tackles and no sacks. He was inactive in a team-high 13 games. first- and third-round picks in 2016 to the Dallas Cowboys for the chance to select Florida State’s Ramsey — who was chosen by the Jaguars at No. 5, one spot before the Ravens took left tackle
earned his first Pro Bowl invitation last month at cornerback and will play Sunday against the Steelers in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs.
The franchise is not likely willing to give up on Kaufusi, whose rookie contract runs through 2019. But he said he understands that the onus is on him to spend the offseason improving his game and proving to the coaches that he can contribute.
“I want to do whatever I can and whatever they want to see so that I can be out there,” he said. “So that’s what I’m excited about — the upcoming opportunity. The upcoming year starts today. So I just want to make every day count.”
The 2018 NFL regular-season schedule will be released at some point in April, but the Ravens were reminded Thursday that there is one place they won’t be making a return trip later this year.
The NFL announced its three London games for 2018 and they’ll feature the Oakland Raiders facing the Seattle Seahawks on Oct. 14 at the new stadium of the Tottenham Hotspur soccer club, the Phila- delphia Eagles taking on the Jaguars at Wembley Stadium on either Oct. 21 or Oct. 28 and the Los Angeles Chargers facing the Tennessee Titans at Wembley on either Oct. 21 or Oct. 28.
The Eagles, Seahawks and Titans all have never played in London before.
The Ravens made their international debut this past September and they were thrashed, 44-7, by the Jaguars at Wembley Stadium. Ravens coach made clear in the days after the game that the organization wouldn’t be volunteering to play in London again in the near future.
“To be honest with you, and maybe I’ll get in trouble for saying this, we don’t plan on going over there anytime soon,” Harbaugh said. “So somebody else can do that job.”
The Ravens continued to add to their offseason roster, signing cornerback to a reserve/ future contract, the team announced.
Nelson, 27, was initially signed to the Ravens practice squad late last month.
An undrafted free agent in 2014 after finishing his college career at Arizona State, Nelson is now with his sixth organization. He’s also had stints with the Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, Houston Texans, New England Patriots and New York Jets
He’s played in 20 career NFL regular- season games and he has 24 tackles, one interception, two passes defended and one fumble recovery. The Ravens signed him to their practice squad after he was waived by the Jets on Dec. 8.
Nelson is the sixth player that ended the season on the practice squad to sign a reserve/future deal with the Ravens, joining quarterback running back
fullback offensive lineman cornerback Robertson Of the other four, inside linebacker
signed with the Indianapolis Colts, offensive tackle signed with the Minnesota Vikings practice squad, and wide receiver and defensive tackle remain unsigned. and
is no longer using crutches and did not limp in the locker room at the Ravens training facility in Owings Mills last week. The linebacker, who sat out the entire season because of a torn ACL suffered during a noncontact drill in a training-camp practice Aug. 23, said his recovery is going smoothly.
“My body, I’m up there,” the seven-year veteran said. “Everything feels good. No complaints. The rehab is going great. So I really can’t put a percentage on it. I just know that I’m on schedule.”
So does this mean that McClellan, 31, will be ready to participate in offseason workouts in the spring? He pumped the brakes on making any such commitment.
“My preference is whenever I’m ready to go, just let me go,” he said. “If I feel like I’m not ready, just don’t force it. That’s my preference. Don’t force anything, just let things happen.”
McClellan’s absence was notable this past season. He amassed a career-high 52 tackles in 16 games in 2016 and made 11 starts (nine at strong-side linebacker and two at weakside linebacker) and could have challenged either and
for the starting weak-side linebacker job. McClellan also led the special teams unit in tackles in three of six seasons before 2017.