Coming off a season-low 2.9 yards per carry average in the Week 9 win at Indianapolis, the Ravens welcomed back veteran running back Mark Ingram for the first practice ahead of Sunday’s meeting with New England.
Ingram, 30, hadn’t practiced since injuring his left ankle in the Oct. 18 win at Philadelphia. According to a media pool report, the 2019 Pro Bowl selection appeared to be moving well and changing direction effectively while doing some cone work in the early portion of practice. Ingram was officially listed as a limited participant.
While the respective practice returns of both Ingram and All-Pro cornerback Marlon Humphrey were good news, Baltimore was without three key veterans on the defensive side of the ball as defensive end Calais Campbell (calf), outside linebacker Matthew Judon (calf), and cornerback Jimmy Smith (ankle) sat out on Wednesday. The Ravens haven’t offered specifics on the length of Campbell’s absence, but he appears likely to miss some action after injuring his left calf on the third play of Sunday’s victory over the Colts.
His absence comes at a tough time with the next two opponents — New England and Tennessee — sporting top 10 rushing attacks and a critical Thanksgiving showdown with Pittsburgh to follow those encounters.
“Obviously, losing a guy like Calais, that sucks because he’s one of the all-time greats playing the defensive line and his leadership is unmatched,” veteran defensive end Derek Wolfe said. “He’s the ultimate professional. I think I do have to step up. Last week, when he went down, I was like, ‘Well, I have to be more vocal now because he’s normally the vocal guy.’ I have to be more vocal and keep these guys locked in a little bit.”
Both Smith and Judon were on the field for the final play of Sunday’s win, but the former has shown up on the injury report on a near-weekly basis with a variety of ailments. However, that hasn’t stopped the 32-year-old Smith from playing in every game this season and ranking as the third-best cornerback in the league in Pro Football Focus’ grading system.
“He’s playing great football. I think he’s played a lot of great football here, for sure,” head coach John Harbaugh said. “He’s one of the best corners in the league. I’ve always said that. I think he’s playing to that level this year.”
After being signed to the 53-man roster on Tuesday, veteran Tramon Williams made his practice debut as the Ravens fortified their secondary depth that has taken multiple hits since the start of training camp. Williams, 37, spent all but three of his first 13 NFL seasons in Green Bay, but Harbaugh sees him as a great fit in Baltimore’s versatile defense.
Williams has played outside cornerback, the nickel spot, and free safety in recent years.
“We’re very happy with the fact that he’s got so much experience,” said Harbaugh, who also complimented Williams’ physical conditioning. “He’s played all the coverages that you can really play. He’s done everything you can do defensively in this league. We feel like he’ll make a pretty smooth transition into our schemes and the way we do it. He’s a very smart guy, very motivated, and very determined.”
Every player on the Patriots’ active roster was present and working on Wednesday, but a whopping 18 players were listed as limited participants. Among them was three-time Pro Bowl cornerback and 2019 AP Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore, who has missed each of New England’s last two games with a knee injury.
Below is Wednesday’s full injury report:
BALTIMORE
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: DE Calais Campbell (calf), OLB Matthew Judon(calf), CB Jimmy Smith (ankle)
FULL PARTICIPATION: ILB L.J. Fort (finger), RB Mark Ingram (ankle)
NEW ENGLAND
LIMITED PARTICIPATION: LB Ja’Whaun Bentley (groin), LB Shilique Calhoun (knee), DT Carl Davis (concussion), S Cody Davis (calf), DB Kyle Dugger (ankle), K Nick Folk (back), CB Stephon Gilmore (knee), DT Lawrence Guy (shoulder, elbow, knee), RB Damien Harris (ankle, chest), WR N’Keal Harry (concussion), TE Ryan Izzo (hamstring), CB J.C. Jackson (knee), G Shaq Mason (calf), DE John Simon (elbow), RB J.J. Taylor (illness), G Joe Thuney (ankle), DE Deatrich Wise Jr. (knee, hand), OT Isaiah Wynn (ankle)
