The Ravens listed seven players as officially questionable for Sunday’s wild-card playoff meeting with Tennessee.
The good news is all seven took part in Friday’s practice in at least a limited fashion, which bodes well for the availability of most as Baltimore aims for its first playoff win in six years. Outside linebacker Yannick Ngakoue (thigh), center Patrick Mekari (back), and cornerback Marlon Humphrey (shoulder) were upgraded to full participation on Friday, removing any meaningful doubt about their status against the Titans.
Cornerback Jimmy Smith has now practiced on a limited basis for the last two weeks, but his status remains in real question due to a shoulder injury sustained in the Week 14 win at Cleveland. The 32-year-old hasn’t done much in the portion of practices open to media and is in danger of missing a fourth straight game.
“We’ll see. We’ll just have to see. He practiced, which is a big plus,” head coach John Harbaugh said. “Like any injury, it kind of depends on how it feels and what his ability to play at the highest level is.”
Should Smith be unavailable, the Ravens would again depend on third-year cornerback Anthony Averett in the nickel package with starters Humphrey and Marcus Peters.
Right tackle D.J. Fluker is also questionable after missing practices on Wednesday and Thursday with a knee injury. He participated on a limited basis Friday after playing just 33 snaps in the regular-season finale at Cincinnati last week.
Should Fluker not play, rookie Tyre Phillips would start at right tackle. The third-round pick from Mississippi State has impressed coaches and teammates with his versatility and perseverance starting games at two different positions and battling through some injuries. Phillips has started more games than every Ravens rookie but first-round inside linebacker Patrick Queen and played 41 offensive snaps against the Bengals last Sunday, his most since Week 6.
“”It’s so hard to come out of college and be consistent and develop into the player you were at that time,” said Pro Bowl left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., who started 10 regular-season games as a rookie in 2018. “What Tyre has been able to do, I’m not going to say I’m impressed because I expected that from him, but he’s been very consistent in who he is, and that’s in the run game and the pass game. He’s consistently learning, he’s soaking in everything like a sponge.”
Wide receiver Willie Snead (ankle) was also listed as questionable after being limited on Thursday and Friday and missing the Week 17 win over the Bengals.
Harbaugh said longtime punter Sam Koch remains on track to be activated from the reserve-COVID-19 list on Saturday, which would allow him to play against the Titans.
On Friday, Morgan Cox became the first long snapper to be a first-team All-Pro selection by the Associated Press, an honor his head coach — and a former special teams coordinator — believes was long overdue.
“It’s a position that plays and really matters,” Harbaugh said. “Morgan has been great at it for a long time. It’s nice to see it recognized out there. I’m very happy for him.”
For the Titans, Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Brown (knee/hand) missed a second straight day of practice, but he wasn’t given a game status designation and will play against the Ravens on Sunday. Brown has regularly missed practice time managing a knee injury throughout the season.
“I’ve got breath in my body,” the star receiver told reporters in Nashville. “I’m going to play.”
All other Tennessee players practiced on Friday.
Below is the final injury report for the wild-card playoff game:
BALTIMORE
QUESTIONABLE: OL Ben Bredeson (knee), OT D.J. Fluker (knee), CB Marlon Humphrey (shoulder), C Patrick Mekari (back), OLB Yannick Ngakoue (thigh), CB Jimmy Smith (ribs/shoulder), WR Willie Snead (ankle)
TENNESSEE
No Titans players carry a game status designation for Sunday.
