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The Baltimore Ravens loaded up their roster this past weekend, adding 11 draft picks including 8 in the top four rounds. The influx of young talent has filled the roster out, in addition to all the players returning from injured reserve and their replacements from last year. The addition of a new class of undrafted rookies also adds to the log jam on the roster, especially at positions like tight end and offensive line, where the Ravens have brought in many new players over the last few seasons.
To deal with the log jam, the Ravens released two young players who were with the team last year in the preseason and at time on the practice squad:
We have waived G Leon Brown and withdrawn the exclusive rights tender offer to TE Konrad Reuland.
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) May 3, 2016
Both players would have faced an uphill battle to make the roster. Reuland plays possibly the most loaded position, with free agent signee Ben Watson and recent draftees Crockett Gillmore and Maxx Williams locks for the roster, Nick Boyle a possibility after his 10 game suspension, and Dennis Pitta trying to make a come back.
Leon Brown also had little chance of making the roster, with 6 lineman with starting experience likely returning in 2016: Eugene Monroe, Ryan Jensen, John Urschel, Jeremy Zuttah, Marshal Yanda, and Rick Wagner, plus top 10 pick Ronnie Stanley a lock to make the roster. 4th rounder Alex Lewis is likely to make the roster too, as the Ravens never cut 4th round picks in year 1. But even if Alex Lewis was not a draft pick, Brown would still not be a likely candidate to make the roster, as he was passed over by the Ravens in the middle of last season, when the Ravens chose to elevate De'Ondre Wesley and Kaleb Johnson to the active roster over him at different points. They also chose not to protect Brown by keeping him on their practice squad for most of the season, although they did have 5 different offensive lineman on their over the course of the season before adding him in the final weeks of the season.