OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Needing to trim their roster to 53 players by Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline, the Ravens made their first wave of cuts that included former University of Maryland wide receiver Dontay Demus on Monday.
Demus was one of six undrafted rookies to be waived, a group that also included defensive tackles Trey Botts and Kai Caesar, guard Jake Guidone, cornerback Corey Mayfield, and outside linebacker Kelle Sanders. Baltimore also terminated the contract of veteran defensive back DeAndre Houston-Carson, who had only signed with the team two weeks ago.
Regarded as a long shot to make the 53-man roster after general manager Eric DeCosta made substantial upgrades to the wide receiver position this offseason, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Demus appeared in all three preseason games, making three catches for 97 yards on six targets. Demus is still less than two years removed from a severe knee injury that’s impacted his speed and athleticism, but head coach John Harbaugh was proud of the way he competed throughout the summer.
“Dontay did a really good job. Look at how he showed [up] in that last game,” said Harbaugh, referencing his two-catch, 86-yard performance against the Buccaneers. “Throughout the course of the offseason and the training camp, he came out every day and he worked at it. He has talent. He has radius. He’s a physical player. It was just really fun to see him develop. He has a bright future in the National Football League, and really, what he needs is to keep doing what he’s doing and get an opportunity and take advantage of it.”
Starting Monday with 89 players on the preseason roster, the Ravens must make an additional 29 moves to get down to 53 players, which will make for a busy Tuesday.
One of the bigger decisions will be whether to put starting outside linebacker Tyus Bowser on the initial 53-man roster or leave him on the non-football injury list, which would require him to miss the first four games of the regular season. Sidelined with what Harbaugh has described as an “agitated” knee since the spring, Bowser worked out on a side field during the media viewing portion of Monday’s practice.
Harbaugh was noncommittal about which way the Ravens are leaning on Bowser’s status while expressing optimism that the seventh-year veteran could return at some point in September.
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“I don’t really know. I’m a little more vague on that one,” Harbaugh said. “I’m hopeful really that he’ll get back here [for the] first game, second game, third game — somewhere in there. But we’ll just have to see. It’s with the doctors and Tyus.”
No panic over Andrews
The Ravens once again practiced without Mark Andrews, but Harbaugh dismissed there being any concern about what’s ailing the Pro Bowl tight end, who hasn’t practiced since before the second preseason game.
“You don’t need to panic about that. Tell the fans it’s going to be OK,” Harbaugh said. “He should be out there practicing next week. I expect him to play in the game, and he should be fine.”
Reserve quarterback Tyler Huntley has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since the preseason opener on Aug. 12, but he was working out on a side field and is not an option to begin the season on injured reserve, according to Harbaugh. His absence has added an unexpected wrinkle to the battle for the No. 2 quarterback job also including the 37-year-old Josh Johnson.
Baltimore was also without the following players during Monday’s practice: wide receiver Rashod Bateman (foot), outside linebackers David Ojabo, Tavius Robinson, and Malik Hamm, inside linebacker Malik Harrison, and cornerbacks Kevon Seymour, Marlon Humphrey (foot surgery), and Damarion Williams (ankle surgery).
