BALTIMORE — Rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins was arguably the biggest bright spot and concern for the Ravens coming out of the 16-13 loss to Philadelphia in the preseason opener.
The first-round pick out of Clemson registered three pass breakups and a tackle on the opening drive alone and was one of the best players on the field in a game in which both teams rested many of their starters. Unfortunately, Wiggins left the game in the third quarter with a right shoulder injury after making his third tackle of the night to conclude the Eagles’ opening drive of the second half. After being examined in the blue medical tent, the 20-year-old defensive back went to the locker room and was trying not to move his right arm in the process.
Head coach John Harbaugh had little to say about Wiggins’ prognosis after the game.
“I don’t really have any updates on anybody’s status right now,” Harbaugh said. “We’ll find out more [Saturday] when he gets tested.”
Marlon Humphrey and Brandon Stephens are expected to remain Baltimore’s starting outside cornerbacks entering the 2024 campaign, but slot cornerback Arthur Maulet (knee) is likely to miss the start of the regular season, meaning the Ravens don’t want to be down another talented corner with the Sept. 5 opener against Kansas City less than four weeks away.
And while Wiggins wasn’t going up against Philadelphia’s best wide receivers with A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Parris Campbell all sitting out Thursday’s game, the 6-foot-1, 182-pound cornerback played tight coverage against everyone he faced and was a willing tackler. That included the third-down open-field stop of running back Lew Nichols on which he apparently hurt his shoulder.
Wiggins was targeted six times and forced four incompletions.
“I’m very happy to see that. I thought they kind of went at him a little bit, which was good to see,” Harbaugh said. “When you’re a corner of his caliber, he wants that. I think he was excited about that. He came up and made that hit later and played a good game.”
Wiggins wasn’t the only Ravens player to exit Friday’s game with an injury as veteran inside linebacker Chris Board sustained a concussion and rookie safety Sanoussi Kane left with a stinger.
Numerous healthy starters and key reserves were held out of the game by Harbaugh. Outside linebacker David Ojabo (knee) also sat out and hasn’t yet been cleared by team doctors for live-game action after undergoing ACL surgery last fall.
