OWINGS MILLS, Md. — After dealing with what he labeled the most significant concussion of his football career, Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley is expected to return against Houston on Monday.
The second-year offensive lineman officially passed concussion protocol Friday and was a full participant in practice, paving the way for him to start against the Texans. Stanley said he expects to play, but he reiterated that the final decision will be made by the coaching and medical staffs.
“It feels great just to be back on the field and be with my teammates. It feels like it’s been a really long time,” Stanley said. “That was probably the most impactful [concussion] that I’ve had in my career, but I feel fine now.”
The 2016 first-round pick said he sustained the head injury on the same play on which he hurt his right shoulder in a third-quarter collision with Tennessee linebacker Wesley Woodyard. He temporarily left that Nov. 5 game and returned for the final play of the third quarter and played the entire final period until the Ravens’ last offensive play from scrimmage with under one minute remaining. It’s unclear whether Stanley self-reported his concussion symptoms at that point as the focus had been on his right shoulder, which he had initially hurt the previous week against Miami.
It was not made public that Stanley has suffered a concussion until the Ravens returned from their Week 10 bye and he appeared on the injury report. The standout tackle practiced on a limited basis all last week before ultimately sitting out the 23-0 win in Green Bay as normal starting left guard James Hurst filled in for him on the outside.
Stanley’s return comes at the perfect time as the Ravens will attempt to slow 2016 Pro Bowl outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, who leads the Texans with eight sacks this season and is tied for 17th among all edge defenders in Pro Football Focus’ grading system.
“He’s a big challenge. Everyone in the league knows Jadeveon and what he brings to the table,” said Stanley about the first overall pick of the 2014 draft. “Speed, athleticism, power, and there’s not going to be an easy snap against him.”
Starting right tackle Austin Howard also practiced fully Friday after missing practice time earlier in the week with a knee injury. The veteran lineman struggled against Green Bay and appeared to be hobbled at a few different points, but he deemed himself ready to go for Week 12.
Howard also recently began wearing a harness on his left shoulder, the same one tsurgically repaired this past offseason.
“I feel like it’s Week [12],” said Howard, who added that that he was “100 percent” about playing. “With that being said, that’s one of those things where you get nicked here and there a little bit and you have to play through it. That’s 100 percent of the league right now, 100 percent of the players. Everybody has something, so it’s just a matter of managing it and getting back out there.”
