The Baltimore Ravens added wide receiver Shedrick Jackson to their practice squad, while veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks instead joined the San Francisco 49ers practice squad. According to Locked On Ravens host Kevin Oestreicher, the transaction did not give Baltimore the established receiving option it considered, and put more weight on its young receivers as the club tries to rebound from its loss to New Orleans.
Oestreicher said Jackson’s arrival was not connected to Cooks’ workout with the Ravens. Jackson is a developmental practice-squad addition with limited regular-season production: four receptions for 56 yards and one touchdown with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2025. That makes him depth and insurance rather than an immediate solution for a receiving group seeking more consistency.
Cooks presented a different equation. Oestreicher viewed San Francisco as the clearer short-term opportunity because the 49ers have more receiver availability concerns, while Baltimore could soon have Zay Flowers and Ja’Kobi Lane back in the mix. He also argued that Cooks would have needed time to get ready for game action, potentially leaving him squeezed out if the Ravens’ injured players returned.
The more pressing issue for Baltimore is how it uses the players already available. Oestreicher pointed to Ravens wide receiver Devontez Walker’s 47-yard catch against the Saints, followed by only one additional target, as evidence of mixed messaging. He questioned why Chris Moore received the larger role when the organization had spent the offseason emphasizing opportunities for its younger options, including Walker and rookie wide receiver Elijah Sarratt.
Jackson’s signing gives the Ravens another option to develop behind the active roster, but it does not settle that usage question. Baltimore chose a low-risk depth move instead of adding Cooks, and its next decisions at receiver will show whether that choice reflects confidence in Walker, Sarratt, and the returning veterans or simply a temporary roster calculation.
The immediate test comes against Dallas: Baltimore needs to turn its stated confidence in its young receivers into a more defined offensive plan while avoiding another uneven performance after a fast start.
Ravens News and Notes
– Oestreicher called the Dallas Cowboys the Ravens’ toughest opponent over the next month and said Baltimore must keep attacking offensively after its early script. He framed the game as a pivotal response following the Saints loss.
– Oestreicher set a 4-2 record through the first six games as the lowest acceptable early-season outcome for Baltimore. That standard raises the stakes for the Cowboys game before matchups with the Tennessee Titans, Atlanta Falcons, and Cleveland Browns.
