Ravens Sign RB Bernard Scott

With an open roster spot over their bye week, the Baltimore Ravens have signed free agent running back Bernard Scott to a one-year contract.

This roster spot was open due to the trade of left tackle Bryant McKinnie to the Miami Dolphins last week.

Courtesy of ICON SMI

Over the bye week, the Ravens hosted Scott and another running back, Beanie Wells on separate days. During Wells’ workout though, he tore his achilles which seemed to signal the Ravens signing Scott.

After playing college football at Abilene Christian, Scott was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round of the 2009 NFL Draft. At Abilene Christian, Scott became the all-time leader rusher in just two seasons of play with 4,321 yards. In his senior season, he ran for 2,165 yards and 28  touchdowns. That year he won the Harlon Hill Trophy, given to the best player in Division II football. The previous season, Scott was the runner-up to Danny Woodhead.

Current Ravens running backs coach Wilbert Montgomery was also a standout running back at Abilene Christian and Scott broke some of Montgomery’s single-season records.

Scott has a career 4.1 yard average on his rushes in the NFL on 255 carries and also has four touchdowns. He also has caught 29 passes for 165 yards in his four seasons.

He can also contribute on kick returns as he has a career 25.5 yards per return average and one touchdown.

Last season, Scott only played in two games as he tore his ACL. This offseason, the Bengals released him in September as he was still working his way back from ACL surgery and the Bengals had drafted Giovani Bernard in the second round.

For the Ravens, Scott could contribute right away in the running game and should help out on special teams. While Ray Rice is fully healed from a hip injury, backup Bernard Pierce left the Ravens’ last game on Oct. 20 against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a hamstring injury and never returned. Since the Ravens didn’t practice much during their bye, the extent of Pierce’s injury is unknown. If Pierce can’t go, then Scott will be the backup to Rice.

Over the next two weeks, the Ravens face the Cleveland Browns and the Bengals, so Scott will face an old division rival and his old team in his first two games.