Ravens waive Jason Babin, Rashaan Melvin, place Will Davis on IR
Ravens coach John Harbaugh has no intention of shaking up his defensive coaching staff, but the same could not be said for his defensive roster.
Baltimore cut ties with outside linebacker Jason Babin and cornerback Rashaan Melvin on Tuesday and also placed corner Will Davis on injured reserve due to the torn ACL he suffered in Sunday's loss to the Cleveland Browns. Defensive backs Asa Jackson and Charles James were brought up from the practice squad while corner Shareece Wright was also signed.
Babin committed two costly penalties in his first extended action of the season on Sunday. The Browns found the end zone shortly after each infraction. He was a healthy scratch for his first two games after signing in the wake of Terrell Suggs' season-ending injury in Week 1 and then played just seven snaps in the Thursday night win over Pittsburgh.
The 35-year-old Babin's release leaves Baltimore with just three healthy outside linebackers in Courtney Upshaw, rookie Za'Darius Smith and special teamer Albert McClellan. Elvis Dumervil is nursing a groin injury that forced him out in the first half against Cleveland.
Melvin was a healthy scratch this past Sunday after being overtaken on the depth chart by rookie Tray Walker. Melvin was signed off Tampa Bay's practice squad late last season amid a rash of injuries to the Ravens secondary. He quickly ascended to a starting role and was expected to compete for playing time behind Jimmy Smith and Lardarius Webb. A hamstring injury in training camp derailed Melvin's progress and he never got back on solid footing.
Davis had made a big impression since being acquired for a seventh-round pick from Miami on Sept. 21. The former third-round selection rose quickly to be third on the team's depth chart.
"It's tough for him because he was playing at a really high level," Harbaugh said of Davis per the team's official website.
With Kyle Arrington (concussion) also injured Sunday, the Ravens had no choice to call in reinforcements. They're now set to have three new faces in the secondary this Sunday in San Francisco against the 1-4 49ers.