OWINGS MILLS, Md. — With star tight end Mark Andrews out indefinitely after undergoing ankle surgery and wideout Odell Beckham Jr. dealing with a shoulder injury, the Ravens can’t afford to lose any more receiving weapons, which led to some unsettling developments in Wednesday’s practice.
Coming off making his first touchdown catch of the season against Cincinnati last week, wide receiver Rashod Bateman went down in the midst of running a route early in practice and was favoring the same left foot on which he had season-ending surgery last year. After leaving the field and sitting out the remainder of the workout, Bateman downplayed there being any serious concern with his foot and vowed to play against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday night.
“It was nothing. It’s just something that guys coming off injuries deal with from time to time,” said Bateman, who has played in all but one game this season. “I’ve been holding up strong all year. My foot’s a little tired, so they let me rest it a little bit for the rest of practice so I can come back strong for [Thursday].”
Bateman wasn’t the only wide receiver to be limited in Wednesday’s practice as Zay Flowers (hip) and Devin Duvernay (knee) were also listed on the injury report. Beckham did not practice, and it’s unclear whether he’ll be able to play Sunday despite head coach John Harbaugh saying he’s not dealing with a “long-term” shoulder injury.
Despite the concerns in the pass-catching department, Wednesday also brought good news on the injury front with cornerback Marlon Humphrey (calf) and left tackle Ronnie Stanley (knee) both returning to practice after sitting out the Week 11 win over the Bengals. With the bye week following the Chargers game, one would expect Baltimore to err on the side of caution if there are any doubts about rushing Humphrey or Stanley back into game action.
“Everybody’s doing a really good job of trying to get back. I think this time of year, you’re going to have those things that guys are going to be fighting through,” Harbaugh said. “You’re never going to be certain about every single guy every single week, but we’re generally a healthy football team. We’ll just see where we’re at on Sunday when we get there.”
Rookie inside linebacker Trenton Simpson (concussion) also returned to practice while second-year cornerback Damarion Williams (ankle) was present and working after being designated to return from injured reserve on Tuesday. Williams, a 2022 fourth-round pick, has been out since undergoing ankle surgery in August.
Harbaugh confirmed Andrews underwent ankle surgery Tuesday after consulting with renowned foot specialist Dr. Robert Anderson, and the Ravens remain open to the “outside chance” of the three-time Pro Bowl tight end returning at some point during the postseason. In the meantime, second-year tight ends Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar are preparing for expanded roles.
“I’m not going to lie, me and Mark do things different in our own ways,” said Likely, who expressed gratitude for Andrews mentoring him these last two seasons. “That’s what makes us human, but I’m just still trying to incorporate and blend with the offense.”
As expected, the Chargers officially placed four-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Joey Bosa (foot) on injured reserve, which will sideline him for at least the next four games. Five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen was a limited practice participant on Wednesday as he continues to play through a shoulder injury.
Below is Wednesday’s injury report:
BALTIMORE
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: TE Mark Andrews (ankle), WR Odell Beckham Jr. (shoulder), CB Arthur Maulet (illness)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION: WR Rashod Bateman (foot), WR Devin Duvernay (knee), WR Zay Flowers (hip), CB Marlon Humphrey (calf), ILB Trenton Simpson (concussion), OT Ronnie Stanley (knee)
FULL PARTICIPATION: CB Damarion Williams (ankle)
LOS ANGELES
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: OLB Khalil Mack (rest), TE Nick Vannett (concussion)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION: WR Keenan Allen (shoulder), TE Gerald Everett (chest), WR Jalen Guyton (groin), S JT Woods (illness)
FULL PARTICIPATION: C Will Clapp (knee), S Alohi Gilman (elbow), QB Justin Herbert (left finger), DL Sebastian Joseph-Day (wrist), TE Donald Parham Jr. (hip), OT Rashawn Slater (knee)
