Raven Country

Ravens Sign Veteran Defender to Active Roster

The Baltimore Ravens are adding a member from their practice squad.

Jon Alfano

Nov 1, 2020; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (91) rushes during the second half as Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva (78) blocks at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
Nov 1, 2020; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (91) rushes during the second half as Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva (78) blocks at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
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Late last month, the Baltimore Ravens reunited with veteran defensive end Yannick Ngakoue by signing him to the practice squad. Three weeks later, he's played his way into a promotion.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Ravens have signed Ngakoue to the active roster for the rest of the season. Baltimore used two of Ngakoue's three practice squad elevations, so this ensures he can play the rest of the season without issue.

In two games, Ngakoue has provided a nice boost for the Ravens' pass rush. During Sunday's win over the Washington Commanders, the 29-year-old recorded his first sack and the 70th of his career. He received a game ball from head coach John Harbaugh after the game.

"I was watching you boys Week 1 versus the Chiefs, and I wanted to be there so much," Ngakoue said. "I'm just thankful and grateful for you guys bringing me back in. I love y'all."

Ngakoue previously played for the Ravens, his hometown team, following a midseason trade from the Minnesota Vikings in 2020. In nine games, he had just three sacks and three quarterbacks hits in a relatively disappointing outing.

Still, he remained open to coming back, and it's worked out well for him so far.

"It's really cool – [Ngakoue is a] Maryland guy; a Ravens fan his whole life," Harbaugh told reporters Monday. "We got to know him in the draft coming out a little bit and then stayed ... You kind of bump into guys, and when he came last time, [we] really got to know each other. He and I, we hit it off – we stayed in touch all the way through.

"The biggest thing is he tells me every time I see him – every time I see him, he tells me how excited he is to be here, and how he's got our backs and everything like that. I see it in the way he's practicing and the way he's playing. He played tremendously well, which was not a surprise because we saw him practice that way. [He's been a] big addition; [he's a] big addition to our team; very excited with the way he's rolling."

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Jon Alfano
JON ALFANO

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