(Updated: 5:15 p.m.)
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Paul Worrilow’s Ravens career could be over before it ever started.
The veteran inside linebacker wasn’t on the practice field Saturday, less than 24 hours after signing a deal with Baltimore. According to NFL Network, Worrilow, 29, plans to retire from the NFL, but head coach John Harbaugh only said he was still contemplating his future. Multiple reports indicated Worrilow has chosen to remain with his wife, who is scheduled to give birth next month.
“I spoke to him last night, and he was great,” Harbaugh said. “He was all ready and excited to go, so I was surprised. I assume he’s trying to figure things out and work things out with what he wants to do — he and his family. Every person has the right to do that, so we’ll just kind of see what he decides. We’ll respect it, whatever it is.”
The Ravens signed Worrilow to improve their depth at inside linebacker behind starters Patrick Onwuasor and Chris Board and 2018 fourth-round pick Kenny Young. The 2013 undrafted free agent from Delaware has started 52 games in his NFL career with Atlanta and Detroit, but he missed the entire 2018 season with a torn ACL, an injury from which he’s had difficulty recovering. Philadelphia released Worrilow last weekend after he was limited in training camp and hadn’t played in the first two preseason games.
His contract was officially terminated Saturday.
Worrilow may not have been practicing, but the Ravens welcomed a number of veterans back to the field, a list including Board (concussion), starting offensive linemen Marshal Yanda (foot) and Ronnie Stanley (ankle), and wide receiver Seth Roberts. Jermaine Eluemunor remained out with an undisclosed injury — Bradley Bozeman started at left guard in the third preseason game — but the presence of Yanda and Stanley was a clear step toward the offensive line stepping up preparations for the Sept. 8 opener in Miami.
Yanda didn’t play in the first three preseason games while Stanley sat out against Philadelphia, a development that likely contributed to the Ravens holding out starting quarterback Lamar Jackson in the third preseason game.
“They’ve been practicing all along. Marshal missed the last week or so, but he’s the one guy that can afford it,” said Harbaugh about Yanda and Stanley. “That was an opportunity to give those other guys a lot of reps. Ronnie has been out there for mostly all of the practices.
“They filled right in today. It’s time to go.”
Cornerbacks Brandon Carr, Tavon Young, Maurice Canady, and Iman Marshall, safety Earl Thomas, outsider linebacker Jaylon Ferguson, defensive tackle Gerald Willis, and offensive linemen Greg Senat and Randin Crecelius didn’t participate in Saturday’s workout. Ferguson, Senat, and Willis worked out with Eluemunor on a side field during the portion of practice open to reporters.
Inside linebacker Nicholas Grigsby was waived Saturday.
Backup quarterback Robert Griffin III won’t play in Thursday’s preseason finale against Washington, but Harbaugh said his availability for Week 1 “shouldn’t be a problem” as he continues to increase his activity level. The 29-year-old sustained a small fracture in his right thumb on July 27, but he’s continued to practice on a limited basis.
Harbaugh confirmed the obvious for Thursday’s game, but he didn’t disclose whether rookie first-round receiver Marquise Brown would play against Washington after making his preseason debut against the Eagles. The head coach reiterated he’s pleased not to have to trim the roster from 90 players to 75 prior to the last exhibition game, a roster cut-down day that was eliminated in 2017.
Teams must trim rosters to the league-mandated 53 players by 4 p.m. next Saturday.
“We won’t play any of the starters in this game for sure” Harbaugh said. “The special teams starters, we won’t play those guys either. They went to 90-man [two years ago], which I think was smart. It gives everybody an opportunity to get a lot of reps in the last game.
“When you cut 15 guys, those are guys that are going to play in this game. This is their opportunity, so those will be the guys that play.”
