BALTIMORE
Although he was cut from the team’s 53-man roster earlier this week, former Isle of Wight Academy and James Madison University wide receiver Daniel Brown has signed a practice squad deal with the Baltimore Ravens. The 6-foot-5-inch, 225-pound Brown recorded four catches for 58 yards and two touchdowns in three preseason games. He also blocked a punt against the Atlanta Falcons to give the Ravens an opportunity to win or tie the game in the final minute.

“It was an unbelievable experience to get my first action in the NFL,” Brown said. “It’s something I’ve always dreamed of and I feel blessed to have the opportunity. I wasn’t too caught up in whether or not I would make the 53-man roster. I just went out there and did everything I could every day. When my number was called, I just wanted to make plays.”

The Baltimore Suns’ Jeff Zrebiec said in a recent article that the Ravens are known as one of the National Football League’s more aggressive teams in building their practice squads and have not been afraid to pay higher salaries to retain or acquire a player they covet, like Brown.

“It’s never fun to get cut and it was kind of new territory for me since I had never been cut before,” Brown said, “but I had a lot of positive feedback from coaches when I was cut, so I didn’t sweat it too much.”

When an opening on the 53-man roster arises, Zrebiec said that the Ravens often choose to promote a player from the practice squad rather than look outside the organization.

“My agent said there were a couple of teams interested after being cut, but the Ravens showed a strong interest in wanting me back. As long as Baltimore was an option, that’s where I was going to go,” said Brown.

Adding to Brown’s chances at a future in the NFL is fact that practice squad players can be signed to another team’s active roster at any point during the season.

In fact, the Ravens lost outside linebacker John Simon to the Houston Texas last October, and then nabbed cornerback Rashaan Melvin from the Miami Dolphins’ practice squad one week later.

“This is an opportunity to enhance my game and I plan on taking full advantage of it,” Brown said.