BALTIMORE — While the Ravens began the week with the status of Lamar Jackson headlining their list of concerns, an increasing number of positive COVID-19 tests dominated the conversation ahead of Sunday’s kickoff against Green Bay.
As anticipated for most of the week, the star quarterback was officially deactivated after missing the entire practice week with a right ankle injury sustained in the first half of last week’s loss at Cleveland, paving the way for second-year backup Tyler Huntley to make his second career start and first at M&T Bank Stadium. Veteran Josh Johnson was activated to serve as Huntley’s backup despite only arriving in Owings Mills from the New York Jets just a few days ago.
Baltimore also placed cornerback Jimmy Smith and wide receiver Sammy Watkins on the reserve-COVID-19 list in the hours leading up to Sunday’s 4:25 p.m. start, bringing the number of players on the 53-man roster and practice squad currently on the list at eight (Smith, Watkins, cornerback Chris Westry, safety Chuck Clark, center Trystan Colon, running back Nate McCrary, and wide receivers Jaylon Moore and Binjimen Victor).
Smith’s absence left an already decimated secondary in dire straits with Anthony Averett and Tavon Young being the only active cornerbacks who were in the organization at the start of September. Based on pregame warmups, the Ravens appeared set to start Kevon Seymour at the outside cornerback spot opposite Averett — with Young at his usual nickel positlion — and also had cornerbacks Robert Jackson and Mazzi Wilkins available for Sunday’s game. With Clark testing positive for the virus on Thursday, the Ravens elevated safety Tony Jefferson from the practice squad just days after the 29-year-old veteran returned to the organization, but second-year safety Geno Stone was poised to start in Clark’s place against the Packers. Stone also sported the green-dot helmet during warmups, meaning he would relay the calls in the defensive huddle.
Jackson wasn’t the only offensive starter out for Sunday’s game as Baltimore also deactivated fullback Patrick Ricard (back/knee), right tackle Patrick Mekari (hand), and left guard Ben Powers (foot) 90 minutes prior to kickoff. With Ricard out for a second straight week, the Ravens hoped blocking tight end Nick Boyle (knee) would look a little more like himself after his own two-game absence.
Rookie Ben Cleveland was expected to start at right guard while Tyre Phillips lined up at right tackle during pregame warmups. In response to those absences, the Ravens elevated offensive tackles David Sharpe and Jaryd Jones-Smith as well as center Adam Redmond from the practice squad on Saturday afternoon.
After being listed as doubtful on the final injury report on Friday, six-time Pro Bowl defensive end Calais Campbell was deactivated after missing the entire practice week with a thigh injury.
For the Packers, wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling (back) was active after being limited in practices all week with a back injury.
Below were Sunday’s inactives:
BALTIMORE
QB Lamar Jackson
FB Patrick Ricard
OL Patrick Mekari
G Ben Powers
DE Calais Campbell
GREEN BAY
WR Equanimeous St. Brown
S Shawn Davis
S Vernon Scott
TE Dominique Dafney
OT David Bakhtiari
OL Billy Turner
DL Jack Heflin
