The Baltimore Ravens promoted linebacker Kyle Van Noy to the active roster, NFL Network reported on Saturday.

The reported move comes four days after Van Noy joined the Ravens’ practice squad. It likely came out of necessity, as Baltimore (2-1) ruled out outside linebackers Odafe Oweh (ankle) and David Ojabo (knee/ankle) for Sunday’s game against the host Cleveland Browns (2-1). Fellow linebacker Tyus Bowser in on the non-football injured list.

Van Noy, a two-time Super Bowl champion, recorded 46 tackles, five sacks and two fumble recoveries in 17 games (13 starts) with the Los Angeles Chargers last season.

Van Noy, 32, has totaled 470 tackles, 33.5 sacks, 10 forced fumbles and nine fumble recoveries in 128 career games (86 starts) with the Detroit Lions (2014-16), New England Patriots (2016-19, 2021), Miami Dolphins (2020) and Chargers (2022).

–Field Level Media

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Free-agent linebacker Kyle Van Noy visited the Baltimore Ravens for the second time in approximately two months, NFL Network on Tuesday.

Van Noy previously met with the Ravens in late July.

The two-time Super Bowl champion may not be going home without a contract, however. Baltimore is dealing with several injuries at the position, namely starter Odafe Oweh (ankle) and David Ojabo (ankle).

Van Noy, 32, recorded 46 tackles, five sacks and two fumble recoveries in 17 games (13 starts) with the Los Angeles Chargers last season.

He has totaled 470 tackles, 33.5 sacks, 10 forced fumbles and nine fumble recoveries in 128 career games (86 starts) with the Detroit Lions (2014-16), New England Patriots (2016-19, 2021), Miami Dolphins (2020) and Chargers (2022).

–Field Level Media

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The Baltimore Ravens announced a one-year deal with free agent running back Melvin Gordon on Friday.

The Ravens did not disclose details, but ESPN reported the two-time Pro Bowl selection can earn up to $3.1 million.

The deal is pending the result of a physical exam for Gordon, 30.

Also on Friday, ESPN reported linebacker Kyle Van Noy was slated to meet with the team.

Gordon was cut by the Denver Broncos last November and then joined the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad.

He was a first-round draft pick by the then-San Diego Chargers in 2015 and a 1,000-yard rusher in 2017.

Gordon has rushed for 6,462 yards and 55 touchdowns and added 309 catches for 2,467 yards in 108 games (94 starts) with the Chargers (2015-19) and Broncos. He made the Pro Bowl in 2016 and 2018.

Gordon fell out of favor in Denver after fumbling five times (losing two) in 10 games last season. He did not appear in any games with the Chiefs.

He joins a running back rotation in Baltimore that includes J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, who missed a combined 17 games last season due to injuries.

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson has been the team’s leading rusher in each of the past four seasons. He rushed for 764 yards in 12 games in 2022.

Van Noy, 32, recorded 46 tackles, five sacks and two fumble recoveries in 17 games (13 starts) with the Chargers last season.

He has totaled 470 tackles, 33.5 sacks, 10 forced fumbles and nine fumble recoveries in 128 career games (86 starts) with the Detroit Lions (2014-16), New England Patriots (2016-19, 2021), Miami Dolphins (2020) and Chargers (2022).

–Field Level Media

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The Los Angeles Chargers are expected to sign free agent linebacker Kyle Van Noy as early as Thursday, NFL Network and USA Today reported.

Van Noy is in for a visit with the Chargers. He was released by the New England Patriots in March in a cost-cutting move.

The Chargers have beefed up their defense in the offseason, adding cornerbacks J.C. Jackson and Bryce Callahan, linebacker Khalil Mack, defensive tackles Sebastian Joseph-Day and Austin Johnson in free agency. They also drafted safety JT Woods in the third round of last week’s draft.

Van Noy, 30, is a free agent for the third consecutive offseason. He signed a two-year deal worth $12 million with the Patriots about a week after Miami released him in March 2021.

In his second tour of duty in New England in 2021, Van Noy recorded 66 tackles, five sacks and two forced fumbles in 16 games (eight starts). He also played for the Patriots from 2016-19.

Van Noy has 28.5 career sacks and three interceptions in 111 career games (73 starts) for the Detroit Lions, Pats and Dolphins. The Lions selected Van Noy in the second round of the 2014 draft.

–Field Level Media

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The New England Patriots are releasing linebacker Kyle Van Noy in a cost-cutting move, ESPN reported Monday.

The move creates just under $5 million in salary cap space, per the report.

Van Noy, 30, is now a free agent for the third consecutive offseason. He signed a two-year deal worth $12 million with the Patriots about a week after Miami released him in March 2021.

In his second tour of duty in New England in 2021, Van Noy recorded 66 tackles, five sacks and two forced fumbles in 16 games (eight starts). He also played for the Patriots from 2016-19.

Van Noy has 28.5 career sacks and three interceptions in 111 career games (73 starts) for the Detroit Lions, Pats and Dolphins. The Lions selected Van Noy in the second round of the 2014 draft.

–Field Level Media

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The Miami Dolphins made Byron Jones the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL, and an hour later they agreed with Kyle Van Noy, per Mike Garofolo of NFL Network.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports it’s a four-year deal worth $51 million.

This franchise had a ton of cap space to work with coming into the offseason and are industriously going to work to build up one of the worst overall rosters in the league.

This move, as noted by Garafolo, reunites Van Noy with former New England Patriots coach Brian Flores, who’s now heading things in Miami. It also gives the Dolphins one of the most versatile linebackers in the NFL to pair with one of the most intimidating cornerback duos in the league — Jones joining Xavien Howard on the perimeter.

It’s going to be fascinating to see what the Dolphins do in the draft. They have the No. 5 overall pick, and the latest mock draft has Miami taking a quarterback that needs no introduction.

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Kyle Van Noy is the kind of high-energy, motor-driven, veteran player Jon Gruden loves. Oh, and he’s also a stout EDGE rusher and off-the-ball linebacker.

While the world talks about the Las Vegas Raiders pursuing another New England Patriots free agent, the player in Boston right now general manager Mike Mayock and head coach Jon Gruden should be planning to chase plays on the other side of the ball and his name is Kyle Van Noy.

Van Noy, the seven-year NFL veteran, Super Bowl champion, BYU alumnus, and Reno, NV. native, is an unrestricted free agent and the Raiders have a tremendous need at linebacker and on the EDGE. Van Noy not only is one of the top players at his position, but his veteran leadership would be a welcome plus coming to Las Vegas.

Versatility and Reliability

One of the only nocks on Kyle Van Noy tends to be his pass-rushing numbers – particularly sacks. But when you consider he has played off-the-ball most of his NFL career, his numbers stack up pretty well. Not only that, when Bill Belichick made him an EDGE rusher in New England for 2019, he stepped up and notched 6.5 sacks and 60 QB pressures, ranking him in the Top 25 on the Pro Football Focus Top 101 Players of 2019 list.

It’s the versatility of Van Noy which makes him a nice fit in Las Vegas. Gruden and defensive coordinator Paul Guenther can use him at the OLB position, where he ranks among the best against the run.

Even when playing off-the-ball, Van Noy was still able to record 36 pressures in just 275 pass-rush snaps. PFF also ranks him as a Top 5 run defender and his ability to stuff the run would only build on a Top 10 run-stop defense in Las Vegas.

Guenther can stick Van Noy in on the EDGE, his newly found go-to position in New England. At the EDGE in 2019, Van Noy, again, made Bellichick look brilliant. Clearly the Patriots were able to see Van Noy’s athletic ability and bet big he could produce from the EDGE.

While the Raiders will most certainly look at other free agents and the draft to bolster the position, Van Noy not only would improve both areas for Las Vegas, but the price would be right too.

Kyle Van Noy also stays on the field. Over the past three seasons in New England, the hard-hitting veteran has missed just four games. Two of those games came in 2016 after being traded over from the Detroit Lions. Van Noy was inactive during his first two games with the Patriots. He stays healthy and on the field.

The Price is Right

The competition for Van Noy’s services won’t be light but projections put his price tag in the 3-years, $30 million range with somewhere between $12-15 million guaranteed. That’s incredibly affordable given his production in both pass rushing abilities and his strength against the run.

While his name isn’t as sexy as Shaq Barrett (who most likely isn’t leaving Tampa Bay), Yannick Ngakoue, Jadeveon Clowney, or even Robert Quinn at the EDGE, his production and versatility for the price make him worth pursuing. In fact, the Raiders could seemingly sign both Van Noy and Quinn.

With Van Noy’s Nevada ties and his BYU roots, coming home to the Silver State would be a win-win.

Will He Stay in New England?

Belichick is notorious for moving on from even players who are playing at a very high level. This offseason, not only does The Hoody have to worry about the Tom Brady show, but he has other key personnel decisions to make as the Patriots start to look to building to the future.

Where does that leave Van Noy?

No one knows but Van Noy has said he’d like to stay in New England but will do what’s best for him and his family if he has to move on.

“For me personally, I want to do what’s best for my family and I would love to stay in New England,” Van Noy told CBS Sports HQ last month. “It’s going to be home forever. I won Super Bowls there now, the fans have embraced me like their own, I feel like I’m a Bostonian at heart. The food, the culture, everything. I’m in it with them when I go to the Bruins games, the Celtics games, so I’m very, very confident in regards to staying at home. That would be an honor to finish out my career with the New England Patriots.”

Van Noy’s former coach Joe Judge is the new coach of the New York Giants which has led to speculation he could follow him if he leaves New England. He discussed it recently on the Pat MacAfee Show but nothing indicates a true desire to go to New York.

If Kyle Van Noy hits the open market, he’d be a nice addition to the Raiders and really could be a Swiss Army knife for Las Vegas up front. While fans might want bigger names, his price, ability, and reliability would make him an excellent addition.

What do you think?

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Earlier this year, a funny story emerged about how Bill Belichick caused Kyle Van Noy to chip a tooth during the team’s paintball excursion.

On Monday, appearing on “Fair Game,” Van Noy opened up about the experience. Not only did Belichick hit him in the face with a paintball, but he did it three times.

Van Noy explained that he slipped on a slick of paint from a previous paintball match. Once he fell down, he made a sound that gave away his position. Belichick pounced on the opportunity, pegging him three times, and the final paintball caused the facemask Van Noy was wearing to come down and chip his tooth.

If that isn’t a perfect Belichick story, then I don’t know what is.

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The folks who operate the Detroit Lions Twitter account made a humorous mistake Sunday, wishing linebacker Kyle Van Noy a Happy Birthday. Unfortunately, the message was sent three months late.

Check out this exchange.

https://twitter.com/KVN_03/status/744609652336365568

Van Noy’s birthday is March 26, which is easily found using your preferred search engine. After realizing the error, the Lions quickly apologized and wished Van Noy a belated birthday instead.

https://twitter.com/KVN_03/status/744617555122360322

That’s what’s called taking the high road.

We’ve all made some pretty boneheaded mistakes in our lives, so let’s not go ham attacking the person who manages Detroit’s Twitter feed.

That said, perhaps the team should send Van Noy a lavish gift basket or something for this.

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