Just when it looked as though the Ravens’ coronavirus problems were largely behind them, three wide receivers were placed on their reserve-COVID-19 list on Wednesday.
Starters Marquise Brown and Miles Boykin and punt returner James Proche were placed on the list as high-risk close contacts and haven’t tested positive for the virus, according to head coach John Harbaugh. A report from The Athletic indicated their close contact came with a Ravens assistant coach who tested positive for the virus earlier this week, but all three would be eligible to be activated in time to play against Jacksonville on Sunday as long as they continue to test negative and do not experience any symptoms.
“They won’t be able to practice for a few days, which is disappointing, but it is a reality of what we’re dealing with this year,” Harbaugh said. “We’ll just have to deal with it. We’re hoping and praying that they don’t turn up to have it.”
With those three isolating away from the team facility, the Ravens currently have just three wide receivers on the active roster: Willie Snead, Dez Bryant, and Devin Duvernay. Bryant was just activated from the COVID-19 list on Tuesday, but the Ravens also designated veteran wide receiver Chris Moore to return to practice from injured reserve earlier this month, making him an obvious option for Week 15. Baltimore also has rookie wide receiver Jaylon Moore on its practice squad.
Dating back to Nov. 2, the Ravens have placed 35 different players on the COVID-19 list who either tested positive for the virus or were deemed high-risk close contacts. The three placed on the list Wednesday joined rookie safety Geno Stone, who was placed on the COVID-19 list on Dec. 2.
Defensive end Calais Campbell (calf) and cornerbacks Marcus Peters (calf) and Jimmy Smith (ribs/shoulder) headlined the list of players not practicing on Wednesday. Campbell saw his defensive snap count increase from 23 to 33 in his second game back in action, but the 34-year-old acknowledged not being back to 100 percent from the calf strain or his recent bout with the virus.
“I felt way better from a standpoint of just COVID-19 this week than I did last. That first week back, it was brutal,” said Campbell, who tested positive Thanksgiving week. “I tried to make sure that the other guys that are coming back this week understood that it’s going to be different. It’s an adjustment. You’re not going to be yourself. You’re going to feel a little weaker, and you’re not going to have the wind that you normally have.”
With Peters, Smith, and Davontae Harris (ankle) all leaving Monday’s win over Cleveland with injuries — Peters did return to action — and Tramon Williams (thigh) only returning to practice on a limited basis on Wednesday, depth concerns persist in the Ravens secondary. Marlon Humphrey and Anthony Averett were the only active cornerbacks not to appear on Wednesday’s injury report, but cornerback Terrell Bonds was designated to return to practice from injured reserve.
Harbaugh confirmed undrafted rookie Tyler Huntley will be elevated from the practice squad to back up star quarterback Lamar Jackson against the Jaguars after Trace McSorley was placed on IR with a knee injury on Tuesday. The head coach said McSorley is expected to be sidelined three weeks, but he wasn’t sure how close veteran Robert Griffin III is to returning. Griffin was placed on IR after sustaining a hamstring injury in the Week 12 loss at Pittsburgh and would be eligible to return to game action as soon as next week.
Asked about the cramping that forced him to the locker room for most of the fourth quarter of Monday’s victory, Jackson acknowledged it potentially being related to his COVID-19 infection. Harbaugh wasn’t sure if there was a connection, but he made clear his quarterback was indeed dealing with muscle cramps despite the persistent claims and jokes on social media suggesting otherwise.
“It wasn’t the kind of cramping people are saying it was. Where does that come from?” said Harbaugh as he laughed. “It’s just crazy. His left arm, his finger started to cramp first, and [quarterbacks coach] James Urban was telling me about it. Then, his right arm kind of started cramping a little bit. He was fighting it off and still playing. And then, his legs started cramping. He had to go out there for a series, and it was just kind of overtaking him a little bit and they had to get him in and try to get that taken care of.
“Who knows if it’s [from the virus], it’s the nutrition, the diet [he might have had] for two weeks? He said he hydrated and we have people who monitor that, so he did hydrate quite a bit. It’s kind of a mystery, yes. I think the doctors are trying to figure all that stuff out too.”
To no surprise, the Ravens protected Huntley along with tight end Eric Tomlinson, long snapper Nick Moore, and cornerback Pierre Desir on their practice squad this week. They also signed defensive tackle Braxton Hoyett and receiver Gary Jennings to the practice squad.
Meanwhile, tight end Tyler Eifert was the only Jaguars player to sit out Wednesday’s workout.
Below is the full injury report:
BALTIMORE
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: DE Calais Campbell (calf), CB Davontae Harris (ankle), CB Marcus Peters (calf), CB Jimmy Smith (ribs/shoulder), LB Kristian Welch (foot)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION: DB Anthony Levine (abdomen), CB Tramon Williams (thigh), TE Luke Willson (hip)
FULL PARTICIPATION: DT Broderick Washington (concussion)
JACKSONVILLE
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: TE Tyler Eifert (non-injury/quad/knee)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION: DE Adam Gotsis (hip), S Josh Jones (shoulder), CB Sidney Jones (Achilles), CB Greg Mabin (hamstring), RB James Robinson (knee)
