The Baltimore Ravens made a shocking move ahead of their Week 2 game against the Cleveland Browns, listing Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander on their inactives report.
Alexander was on the field for the Ravens in their season opening loss to the Buffalo Bills in which he struggled to cover Bills wide receivers as his team blew a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter.
Alexander was previously dealing with an injured knee that saw him miss big chunks of the preseason and training camp but wasn’t listed on the injury report leading up to the Week 2 game.
The Ravens inactive list included Alexander, running back Keaton Mitchell, fullback Patrick Ricard, offensive tackle Carson Vinson, tight end Isaiah Likely and edge rusher David Ojabo.
Alexander was released by the Green Bay Packers on June 9 and signed a 1-year, $4 million contract with the Ravens on June 19.
How To Watch Browns vs. Ravens
Here’s how to watch Browns vs. Ravens on Sunday, September 14:
- When: 1 p.m. ET (CBS)
- Where: M&T Stadium (Baltimore, Maryland)
- Records: Browns (0-1), Ravens (0-1)
- Odds: BAL -11.5
- O/U: 44.5
Previously On … Browns vs. Ravens
While the Browns struggled to a 3-14 record in 2024, one of those 3 wins came in a 29-24 victory over the Ravens in Week 5 behind 334 passing yards and 2 touchdowns from Browns backup quarterback Jameis Winston.
The Ravens bounced back in the Week 18 regular season finale with a 35-10 rout of the Browns and finished the regular season 12-5.
Blockbuster Story Breaks Before Kickoff
The Ravens-Browns game got an added bit of drama with a story that broke in the hours before kickoff.
ESPNâs Adam Schefter reported just hours ahead of the Browns traveling to face the Ravens in Week 2 that Sanders told the Ravens not to take him in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft.
âA surprising draft-day twist led to Shedeur Sanders winding up with the Browns,â Schefter wrote on his official X account on September 14. âRavens planned to take Shedeur Sanders in the fifth round, but before Baltimore could turn in the card, the former Colorado star let it be known that he didnât want to be on a roster with Lamar Jackson, where he would be a backup.â
Itâs an incredible thing to think of â a fifth round pick asking a team not to pick him to play backup quarterback to a 2-time NFL Most Valuable Player. Sanders was eventually taken by the Browns in the fifth round (No. 144 overall).
Sanders is currently the emergency third quarterback for Cleveland behind starter and former Ravens Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco and 2025 third round pick Dillon Gabriel.
Week 2 Becomes 30th Anniversary Celebration
The Ravens Week 2 game against the Browns also serves as the franchise’s 30th anniversary celebration at M&T Stadium. The Browns and team owner Art Modell famously moved their entire team and staff from Cleveland to Baltimore in 1995 to become the Ravens.
The “intellectual property” of the actual Cleveland Browns team name, logo, history, etc. remained with the NFL and the team shut down operations from 1996 to 1998 then returned in 1999 with new ownership.
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