Former first-round pick Breshad Perriman cut by Ravens, source says

ByJAMISON HENSLEY
September 1, 2018, 3:46 PM

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Wide receiver Breshad Perriman, one of the biggest draft busts in Baltimore Ravens history, was waived by the team on Saturday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

This marks the first time in franchise history that the Ravens have parted ways with a first-round pick before his rookie contract expired.

The No. 26 overall pick in 2015, Perriman managed 43 catches for 576 yards and three touchdowns in 27 games. He never eclipsed 65 yards receiving in any game.

The move comes two months after Baltimore had picked up Perriman's $649,485 roster bonus. He has the size and speed to become a playmaking receiver, but he has repeatedly had trouble with injuries and dropped passes.

This summer, Perriman showed flashes of improvement, leading the Ravens in receiving this preseason with 11 catches for 136 yards and one touchdown. But he lacked the aggressiveness to make contested catches, which surfaced again in the preseason finale.

The Ravens were expected to cut ties with Perriman. He was not among the top five wide receivers on the team and didn't contribute on special teams.

Staying healthy was the biggest problem early in his career. Perriman missed the entire 2015 season with a partially torn PCL in his right knee, and he was sidelined for all of training camp in 2016 with a partially torn ACL in his left knee.

Last year, Perriman was sidelined for all of the preseason with a hamstring injury before missing one regular-season game with a concussion. His troubles catching the ball and aggressively competing for passes dropped him behind Chris Moore as the team's No. 3 wide receiver and led to him being inactive for four of the final seven games last season.

Perriman received the worst grade among 116 receivers from Pro Football Focus last season. His dropped passes became such a problem that he was sarcastically booed by fans after making two catches in the last home game he played.

In March, general manager Ozzie Newsome called it a "make or break" season for Perriman. The Ravens save $1.6 million by cutting him.