Despite continuing to add new names to their injury list on a weekly basis, the first-place Ravens do appear to be getting healthier ahead of their Week 5 trip to rival Pittsburgh.
On Wednesday, three-time Pro Bowl cornerback Marlon Humphrey headlined the list of notable players to return to practice, a group that also included left tackle Ronnie Stanley and wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashod Bateman. Humphrey had been sidelined since undergoing foot surgery in mid-August, but the secondary has done a remarkable job in his absence with Baltimore’s defense allowing an NFL-low 4.9 yards per pass attempt and the third-fewest passing yards per game entering Week 5. With Humphrey practicing for the first time in seven weeks, it’s unclear whether the Ravens have realistic designs of him playing against the Steelers on Sunday.
“He’s been working super hard. It’s one of those things where it’s just a matter of the healing process in there taking place in the bone or whatever,” head coach John Harbaugh said. “It looks good. We’ll see what happens. We just have to see how [the foot] responds to the workload. That’s the main thing right now.”
Sidelined with a right knee injury sustained in the fourth quarter of the season opener, Stanley logged some limited practice time last week before sitting out Friday’s workout and missing his third straight game. However, the former Pro Bowl left tackle was listed as a full participant Wednesday, which would appear to bode well for his chances of lining up against Steelers edge rushers T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith.
Stanley’s availability will be even more critical this week after right tackle Morgan Moses suffered a shoulder injury in last Sunday’s win at Cleveland. The durable Moses hasn’t missed a game since the 2014 season, but second-year tackle Daniel Faalele or veteran Patrick Mekari would start at right tackle if Moses can’t play against Pittsburgh.
A limited participant on Wednesday, Beckham hasn’t played since hurting his ankle against Cincinnati in Week 2. Bateman participated fully in Wednesday’s practice, which is a good sign for his Week 5 status after he sat out last Sunday’s game due to a hamstring injury.
After practicing all last week and sitting out a third straight game, free safety Marcus Williams was a full participant on Wednesday, but he and the Ravens are trying to be careful with what was initially feared to be a long-term or even season-ending pectoral injury.
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“Just looking for him to be ready,” Harbaugh said. “It’s a lot of factors involved with that, and we’ll see as we get along in the week — how he looks, how he feels and whether or not he’s ready, and if he feels like he can perform and he’s going to be safe.”
Still looking for more upside at the running back position following the season-ending Achilles injury to J.K. Dobbins in the opener, the Ravens designated undrafted rookie Keaton Mitchell to return from injured reserve on Wednesday. Despite sustaining a shoulder injury in the second preseason game, the speedy Mitchell turned heads with his play over the summer to earn a spot on the initial 53-man roster and will now have a 21-day window to ramp up before Baltimore must decide whether to activate him.
Coming off a blowout defeat in Houston, the struggling Steelers (2-2) are dealing with a number of ailments, but the most notable was a knee injury sustained by second-year quarterback Kenny Pickett. Despite initial concerns that he could miss extended time, Pickett was a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice and told Pittsburgh reporters that he’ll “be ready to go by Sunday.”
Left tackle Dan Moore and tight end Pat Freiermuth (hamstring) are not expected to play for the Steelers in Week 5.
Below is Wednesday’s full injury report:
BALTIMORE
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: OT Morgan Moses (shoulder), OLB Odafe Oweh (ankle), S Daryl Worley (shoulder)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION: CB Jalyn Armour-Davis (hamstring), WR Odell Beckham Jr. (ankle), RB Justice Hill (foot/hamstring), CB Marlon Humphrey (foot)
FULL PARTICIPATION: WR Rashod Bateman (hamstring), RB Keaton Mitchell (shoulder), OT Ronnie Stanley (knee), S Marcus Williams (pectoral)
PITTSBURGH
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: G James Daniels (groin), TE Pat Freiermuth (hamstring), P Pressley Harvin (right hamstring), DE DeMarvin Leal (concussion), OT Dan Moore (knee), OT Chukwuma Okorafor (elbow), CB Patrick Peterson (non-injury/rest), G Isaac Seumalo (non-injury/rest)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION: ILB Cole Holcomb (back), QB Kenny Pickett (knee)
