Ravens’ adjustment to loss of Smith a work in progress
The Baltimore Ravens have started to put together a defense without cornerback Jimmy Smith, who practiced Wednesday but won’t be eligible to play in a game until October.
Smith has been suspended for the first four regular-season games without pay for violating the NFL personal conduct policy. The suspension, announced Tuesday, came “following a long-running and difficult custody dispute” Smith had with his former girlfriend, the Ravens said.
The 30-year-old will be allowed to participate in all of the Ravens’ preseason activities, including games. Come Sept. 9, however, Baltimore will open at home against Buffalo without arguably its best cover cornerback.
Fortunately for the Ravens, they’re deep at the position. Also, they were forced to make a similar adjustment last season when Smith missed the final month with a torn left Achilles tendon.
“We have a lot of depth,” defensive coordinator Don Martindale said.
Tavon Young is listed behind Smith on the depth chart at right cornerback. Young started 11 games in 2016 before missing last season with an injury. Smith’s absence could help fourthround draft pick Anthony Averett make the cut.
Panthers: Former defensive end Charles Johnson announced his retirement. Johnson played in more games (143) than any Carolina defensive lineman. In 11 seasons he had 67½ sacks, 20 forced fumbles and 12 multi-sack games before being released in February. A third-round draft pick in 2007 out of Georgia, Johnson started 11 games last season but his production fell off: no sacks and just 16 tackles.
Vikings: Signed safety George Iloka, who was cut by the Bengals Sunday.
Colts: Re-signed running back Tion Green.
Patriots: Released veteran wide receiver Kenny Britt.
Incognito: Ex-NFL offensive lineman Richie Incognito bonded out of a jail in Scottsdale, Ariz., after being arrested on charges he threatened to shoot employees of a funeral home, authorities said. Police said Incognito, 35, was there making arrangements for his father, who died last weekend. “Incognito reportedly was upset with staff and began to damage property inside the business and shout at employees,” said Sgt. Ben Hoster, a police spokesman. “Incognito threatened to retrieve guns from his vehicle and return to shoot the employees.” A police report showed officers executed a search warrant on Incognito’s pickup truck and seized two Glocks, three rifles and a silencer for a handgun. The report also said Incognito’s family had told him he wasn’t going to be allowed to attend his father’s funeral and he had been acting erratically.
Witnesses at the funeral home told police that Incognito wanted them to cut his dad’s head off for research purposes and Incognito punched caskets, threw pamphlets around and took an urn from a shelf and slammed it down on top of a casket. Two employees took cover in a room downstairs before police arrived and arrested Incognito.