The Ravens officially placed six players on the active physically unable to perform list to open training camp, which was hardly surprising and reminded just how much injury hardship they endured last season.
After sitting out spring workouts while continuing to rehab their respective season-ending injuries from last year, left tackle Ronnie Stanley (ankle), cornerback Marcus Peters (knee), running backs J.K. Dobbins (knee) and Gus Edwards (knee), outside linebacker Tyus Bowser (Achilles tendon), and safety Ar’Darius Washington (foot) all landed on the list, which wouldn’t prohibit them from practicing at any point this summer. The active PUP designation simply keeps these players eligible for the reserve PUP list that doesn’t count against the 53-man roster limit and requires a minimum four-game absence — the old rule had been six weeks — at the start of the regular season.
Head coach John Harbaugh said last month he remains “hopeful” that all of his rehabbing players will be ready for the Sept. 11 opener against the New York Jets, but Baltimore almost always plays it safe in using these designations at the start of camp and will occasionally even activate a player in time for the first full-squad workout, which is scheduled for Wednesday. Veteran players report to Owings Mills on Tuesday.
While taking issue with an NFL Network report indicating his Week 1 status was up in the air, Dobbins had expressed optimism earlier this week that his recovery from last August’s torn ACL suffered was going so well that he could avoid the PUP list, but the Ravens were always going to exercise at least a little caution with the third-year running back who averaged an impressive 6.0 yards per carry as a rookie. Of the six players placed on the PUP list, Bowser is dealing with the shortest recovery timetable after rupturing his Achilles in the 2021 season finale on Jan. 9, leaving his Week 1 status uncertain.
Not included in Friday’s announced list of designations was second-round rookie edge rusher David Ojabo, who tore his Achilles tendon at Michigan’s Pro Day on March 18. The 22-year-old hasn’t yet signed his rookie contract and is expected to be placed on the non-football injury list to open training camp, but the Ravens are hopeful that Ojabo will be able to play at some point during his rookie season.
With Stanley going on the PUP list to open camp, it’s worth noting that the Ravens re-signed offensive tackle David Sharpe to their 90-man preseason roster on Thursday. Sharpe, 26, appeared in three games for Baltimore last year and will compete for a reserve spot despite general manager Eric DeCosta boosting his offensive tackle depth this offseason with the free-agent addition of Morgan Moses and the fourth-round selection of Daniel Faalele out of Minnesota.
