Ravens Add National Championship-Winning WR to Practice Squad
The Baltimore Ravens bolstered their wide receiver depth on Tuesday by signing second-year pro Cornelius Johnson to their practice squad. In a corresponding move, the team released third-year outside linebacker Malik Hamm.
Johnson, a former seventh-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Chargers, spent most of his rookie season on the Green Bay Packers’ practice squad. After signing a reserve futures contract with the Packers, he participated in their training camp before being waived during final roster cuts.
In the preseason with Green Bay, Johnson led the team in receiving, recording six catches for 50 yards across three games. During his rookie year, he had a solid showing with the Chargers, hauling in three of his nine targets for 34 yards.
At Michigan, Johnson was a key contributor to the Wolverines’ first national championship in 25 years, helping the team win the 2023 College Football Playoff. Over his college career, he amassed 138 catches for 2,038 yards and 14 touchdowns, averaging 14.8 yards per catch. He led the team in receiving yards in 2021 and touchdown receptions in 2022, surpassing 600 yards in two seasons.
Johnson now joins a practice squad receiving corps that includes veterans Anthony Miller and Keith Kirkwood. After playing a prominent role in Michigan’s national championship run, Johnson will work behind the scenes to help the Ravens’ offense, and if he impresses on special teams, he could be elevated to the active roster for games this season.
The release of Hamm marks the end of his time with the Ravens for now. After spending his first two years with the team on injured reserve, Hamm was one of two undrafted free agents to make the 53-man roster in 2023. However, due to a crowded position group filled with veterans having standout seasons, Hamm remained on injured reserve after recovering from a torn ACL suffered during the 2023 preseason. He entered training camp this year competing for a spot but was ultimately surpassed by former second-round pick David Ojabo. Despite recording solid preseason stats, including 6 tackles, 4 solo tackles, 2 tackles for loss, a sack, 3 quarterback hits, and a fumble recovery, Hamm didn’t make the final roster.
Given his connection to former Ravens defensive coaches now with other teams, it’s possible Hamm could land on the practice squad of teams like the Seattle Seahawks, Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Chargers, or Tennessee Titans.
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