OWINGS MILLS, Md. — While officially beginning to trim their roster down to 53 players by Tuesday afternoon, the Ravens are trying to get a number of veteran players back to full strength for Week 1.
As expected, quarterback Lamar Jackson returned to practice Monday after having his foot stepped on last week, but several notable veterans remained sidelined with different ailments. That list includes tight end Mark Andrews, cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Chidobe Awuzie, and fullback Patrick Ricard. Andrews and Awuzie were working out on a side field while Ricard observed from the sideline during the portion of Monday’s practice open to the media.
Head coach John Harbaugh confirmed wide receivers Dayton Wade (ribs/chest) and Xavier Guillory (collarbone) both sustained long-term injuries in Saturday’s preseason win over Washington, but the other aforementioned names are on track to be ready for the Sept. 7 opener at Buffalo. The Ravens will practice through Wednesday before players receive a four-day respite over the holiday weekend to transition to the start of the regular season.
“All the other injuries are things that we really expect everybody to be back practicing next week,” Harbaugh said. “If they’re not practicing right now, we expect them to be practicing next week at this point.”
Not including tight end Isaiah Likely (foot surgery) or the several players expected to begin the season on an injury-related reserve list, Alexander’s absence has raised the most concern recently with the two-time Pro Bowl cornerback having not practiced since Aug. 9. The 28-year-old played in just seven games last year after suffering a torn posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and has played in more than seven contests in a season only once in the last four campaigns.
Alexander had that same knee drained just a handful of days into training camp in late July and recently had “something to help” completed as well. His extensive injury history largely explained why Green Bay released him in early June and Baltimore was able to sign him for $4 million less than two weeks later.
“He’s been working hard as far as all the non-football stuff, so he’s been champing at the bit,” Harbaugh said. “He’s been trying to break out of prison. He’s been locked away in [the training facility]. It’s a nice place. It’s beautiful, but in his mind, it’s a prison nonetheless. They’re doing what they need to do to get him ready for that, but practice is important. He’s a veteran guy, and he wants to practice.
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“When he gets out there, I’m sure he’ll be going at it. But it’ll be our job too to monitor that as well to make sure that we do it right. It’s a long season, and we want to bring him back the right way.”
With some roster attention on inside linebacker after undrafted rookies Jay Higgins and Chandler Martin both played well in the preseason, veteran Jake Hummel sitting out the finale and missing Monday’s practice raised some outside questions about his status. Signed at the start of free agency to boost Baltimore’s special teams, the 26-year-old missed the first several practices of training camp because of a cut on his hand, something he’s apparently still managing.
Harbaugh dispelled any notion that Hummel’s roster status is in doubt, however.
“He’s going to make the team. He’s going to be a big part of what we’re doing,” Harbaugh said. “He had that hand thing, so [the doctor] had to go in there this week and do a little minor procedure. He should be practicing next Wednesday and should be good to go for the game if all goes well, which they say it’s going great.”
On Monday, the Ravens officially waived defensive back M.J. Devonshire, tight end Baylor Cupp, and offensive lineman Reid Holskey as the first of many roster moves general manager Eric DeCosta will make over the next few days.
Despite those cuts coming as no surprise, the 62-year-old Harbaugh — now in his 18th season as head coach — acknowledged it’s never easy informing someone that he won’t make the team.
“It gets harder. … You see your kids in these kids. I had [a conversation with] a Miami of Ohio grad today in Reid, and we were talking,” said Harbaugh, who also graduated from Miami. “He had his Miami shirt on. That’s close to home for me. That’s a tough conversation, but then the guys are so grateful for the opportunity and for what they felt like they learned and everything. All I can do is give them a big hug, give them my phone number, and say, ‘Hey, let’s keep in touch.'”
