OWINGS MILLS, Md. — After losing right tackle Rick Wagner to a season-ending foot injury in Week 16, the Ravens face the prospects of being without left tackle Eugene Monroe for the regular-season finale against the Cleveland Browns.
Monroe (ankle) was absent from practice for the second consecutive day as the Ravens worked out inside their field house on Christmas Eve. The 27-year-old left in the fourth quarter of the 25-13 loss in Houston and was seen in a walking boot following the game.
Should Monroe be unable to play, the Ravens would play rookie free agent James Hurst at left tackle, a position where he started four games when Monroe underwent arthroscopic knee surgery earlier in the season. Baltimore would then likely move Pro Bowl guard Marshal Yanda to right tackle with rookie John Urschel filling in at right guard against the Browns.
“The good news is we have something to go pull back from,” said offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak about Hurst and Urschel. “We went through, what, four, five weeks with the same issue as a team, and those two kids came in and played well. They’re going to have to play well for us to continue playing this year. We believe in them.”
It’s been a difficult year for Monroe after he agreed to a five-year, $37.5 million contract in the offseason to remain with the Ravens. The 2009 first-round pick began his career in Jacksonville before being traded to Baltimore in the middle of the 2013 season for fourth- and fifth-round draft choices.
Monroe played very well last season for the Ravens, but injuries have affected his performance this year as Pro Football Focus has graded him as the team’s worst starting offensive lineman and 40th in the league among tackles who’ve played at least 60 percent of their team’s offensive snaps. His pass blocking has been solid, but Monroe’s been vulnerable as a run blocker, which indicates the knee issue has hampered his lateral movement needed in Gary Kubiak’s zone-blocking system.
The Ravens were also without defensive end Chris Canty (ankle/thigh) and linebacker Terrell Suggs (back/thigh) during Wednesday’s workout. Neither player was present during Tuesday’s viewing period, and Canty missed practice all last week with an ankle injury before ultimately playing against the Texans.
Players will be off on Thursday to celebrate Christmas Day with their families before returning to the practice facility on Friday.
Below is Wednesday’s full injury report:
BALTIMORE
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: DE Chris Canty (ankle/thigh), OT Eugene Monroe (ankle), LB Terrell Suggs (back/thigh)
CLEVELAND
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: WR Andrew Hawkins (thumb), QB Brian Hoyer (right shoulder/bicep), DL Ahtyba Rubin (ankle), C Ryan Seymour (hamstring)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION: TE Gary Barnidge (rib), DL Desmond Bryant (thumb), CB Joe Haden (shoulder), WR Marlon Moore (knee), LB Jabaal Sheard (foot), CB K’Waun Williams (hamstring)
