The Baltimore Ravens have reached an agreement with free-agent offensive tackle Jake Long on a one-year deal, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
He will fly to Baltimore on Tuesday night to sign with the Ravens if he passes his physical exam, sources told ESPN.
Long, the No. 1 draft pick by the Miami Dolphins in 2008, has a chance to earn a backup offensive tackle spot with the Ravens. Baltimore needed an experienced offensive tackle after cutting Eugene Monroe last month.
Long played in just four games for the Atlanta Falcons in 2015 with no starts. The 31-year-old signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with Atlanta in September.
Long’s durability is a question after multiple ACL tears and surgeries. He also had torn biceps and triceps injuries during his first seven seasons with the Dolphins and Rams.
The Week 17 NFL schedule for the 2023 season is stacked with great matchups, and we got you covered with what you need to know heading into the weekend. Our NFL Nation reporters bring us the biggest keys to every game and a bold prediction for each matchup.
Additionally, ESPN Stats & Information provides a big stat to know and a betting nugget for each contest, and our Football Power Index (FPI) goes inside the numbers with a game projection and a look at the playoff picture. Analytics writer Seth Walder picks out each matchup’s biggest X factor, and fantasy analyst Eric Moody hands out helpful fantasy football intel. Finally, Walder and Moody give us final score picks for every game. Everything you want to know is here in one spot to help you get ready for a loaded weekend of NFL football.
Let’s get into the full Week 17 slate, which starts with a Saturday showdown between the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys on ABC, ESPN and ESPN+. On Sunday, there is a Tua Tagovailoa-Lamar Jackson showdown in Baltimore, another Bengals-Chiefs matchup and a battle for the NFC South. (Game times are Sunday unless otherwise noted — there is no NFL game on Monday this week — and all playoff chance percentages are via FPI and independent of other results.)
Storyline to watch: The Cowboys need a win to keep their NFC East title hopes alive, but maybe more importantly need a victory to stop a two-game losing streak and to beat a quality team going into the postseason. The Lions still have homefield advantage dreams and a December triumph against a playoff-bound team. Both teams excel indoors — the Cowboys are 7-0 at home (7-1 overall) and the Lions are 7-2. — Todd Archer
Bold prediction: Lions quarterback Jared Goff will eclipse the 30,000-yard passing mark for his career with 200-plus yards at Dallas. He needs 162 yards to become the league’s 53rd player to hit the mark. Goff has played his best football against nondivisional opponents, with an 8-2 record and 20 touchdowns to just four interceptions. — Eric Woodyard
Stat to know: Goff has the third-most turnovers under pressure this season with 10. On Saturday, he’ll face a Cowboys defense that leads the league in pressure percentage (36.9).
Matchup X factor: Lions defensive back Brian Branch. He mostly plays in the slot, which means he’ll draw his fair share of covering CeeDee Lamb. But Branch is up for the challenge — he has allowed a better-than-average 1.0 yards per coverage snap allowed and leads all rookies with minus-19 EPA against when the nearest defender, per NFL Next Gen Stats. — Walder
