Ravens' Lamar Jackson Says Signing Dez Bryant to Practice Squad Is 'Tremendous'

Lamar Jackson is happy the Baltimore Ravens strengthened the receiving core with the addition of Dez Bryant to the practice squad.

"It's tremendous," Jackson said Wednesday, per Jamison Hensley of ESPN. "We just got to see what he's capable of. We'll go from there."

Bryant hasn't played an NFL game since 2017, so signing him to the practice squad allows the player to get acclimated to the roster while also proving he can still make an impact in games.

"We'll just see where he's at," head coach John Harbaugh said. "He hasn't played a game for how many years? There's a lot to learn. He looked good at the workout. I don't think you need to make too much more out of it than that. So, when and if he's ready to go, he'll be out there. It's just really that simple."

ESPN's Ed Werder noted the expectation is for Bryant to eventually join the main roster:

Before his time away from the sport, the 31-year-old was an impact player on the field, with three Pro Bowl selections for the Dallas Cowboys. He had at least 80 catches, 1,200 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns in each season from 2012-14, earning first-team All-Pro honors in 2014 when he led the NFL with 16 touchdowns.

He had 838 receiving yards in 2017, which is more than any Ravens wide receiver has had since Mike Wallace in 2016.

Tight end Mark Andrews led the team with 852 yards last season, but the receiving core is inexperienced and inconsistent. It has contributed to a passing attack that ranks 31st out of 32 teams so far in 2020.

Jackson's running ability has helped keep the Ravens a top contender with a 5-1 record, but adding a reliable wideout would make the team even more dangerous going forward. 

The quarterback had previously called for the team to sign Antonio Brown, but he could also get help from Bryant if things go well.