OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens may not have longtime punter Sam Koch for Sunday’s regular-season finale against Cincinnati.
Koch was placed on the reserve-COVID-19 list after missing Wednesday’s practice because of an inconclusive test result. It’s unclear whether Koch, 38, will be available to play in Week 17, a significant development for the longtime punter and holder who’s never missed a game in his 15-year career.
Counting the postseason, the 2006 sixth-round pick from Nebraska has played in a franchise-record 257 games. No one has registered a punt for Baltimore since Dave Zastudil in the final game of the 2005 season, but Pro Bowl kicker Justin Tucker would presumably handle punting duties against the Bengals if Koch isn’t available. The only extra specialist currently on the Ravens’ practice squad is long snapper Nick Moore.
With the Ravens offense playing its best football of the season, Koch has punted a total of just seven times over the last four games. However, his potential absence as the holder for field goals and extra points could be a more significant development with the Ravens still needing to clinch a playoff spot. Tight end Mark Andrews practiced holding during some training camp practices open to media in August.
“We’ve got to have a backup holder. We have to have one,” head coach John Harbaugh said at the time. “We’ve had different [guys do it]. Eric Weddle did it if you remember. You try to start with guys that you think have really good hands. So, we’re training Mark to do that.”
Koch is the first Ravens player to be placed on the COVID-19 list since wide receivers Marquise Brown, Miles Boykin, and James Proche on Dec. 16 after all three were deemed high-risk close contacts. All three returned in time to play against Jacksonville that weekend.
In better news for the Ravens, starting cornerback Marcus Peters returned to the practice field for the first time since injuring his calf in the Dec. 14 win at Cleveland. The 27-year-old was a limited participant after missing each of the last two games as third-year cornerback Anthony Averett started in his place.
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Not including Koch, seven Ravens players were absent from Wednesday’s workout for health-related reasons, a list including cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey (knee/shoulder) and Jimmy Smith (ribs/shoulder), defensive end Calais Campbell (calf), center Patrick Mekari (back), defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (thigh), wide receiver Willie Snead (ankle), and running back Mark Ingram (illness). Ngakoue, Mekari, and Snead all exited early in Sunday’s win over the New York Giants.
Smith hasn’t played since injuring his shoulder in the first half of the Week 14 win over the Browns.
The Bengals were without starting cornerback William Jackson III (concussion) during Wednesday’s practice, but wide receiver Tyler Boyd (concussion) was able to work on a limited basis. Jackson sustained his concussion in Cincinnati’s win at Houston on Sunday while Boyd missed the Texans game after suffering his in the Week 15 victory over Pittsburgh.
Below is Wednesday’s full injury report:
BALTIMORE
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: OT Orlando Brown Jr. (non-injury), DE Calais Campbell (calf), CB Marlon Humphrey (knee/shoulder), RB Mark Ingram (illness), P Sam Koch (non-injury), C Patrick Mekari (back), DE Yannick Ngakoue (thigh), CB Jimmy Smith (ribs/shoulder), WR Willie Snead (ankle)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION: CB Marcus Peters (calf)
CINCINNATI
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: DT Mike Daniels (non-injury), C B.J. Finney (abdomen), WR A.J. Green (non-injury), CB William Jackson III (concussion), CB Darius Phillips (non-injury), LB Logan Wilson (ankle)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION: WR Tyler Boyd (concussion), LB Jordan Evans (hamstring), WR Tee Higgins (hamstring)
