OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens welcomed back starting safety DeShon Elliott to Thursday’s practice, but left tackle Alejandro Villanueva was absent as on-field preparations ramped up for the Week 5 meeting with Indianapolis on Monday night.
Elliott hadn’t practiced since sustaining a quadriceps injury in the second half of the Week 3 win at Detroit, but the fourth-year defensive back appeared to move well during the portion of practice open to media, a promising sign for his chances of returning to play against the Colts after a one-game absence.
Villanueva exited early in the second half of last Sunday’s 23-7 win at Denver and didn’t return, leaving 34-year-old practice-squad call-up Andre Smith to finish the game at left tackle. It’s worth noting the Ravens tabbed offensive tackle David Sharpe as one of their four practice-squad protections for Week 5. Still not practicing since being shut down after struggling in the season opener, left tackle Ronnie Stanley appears very likely to miss his fourth straight game on Monday, making Villanueva’s availability that much more critical.
Head coach John Harbaugh said after Sunday’s game that Villanueva’s knee was “stable” structurally speaking, but this marks the second straight week the veteran tackle has missed at least one practice with a knee problem.
“We’ll just have to see how that goes. It’s not serious by any stretch, [but] we just have to see,” Harbaugh said Thursday morning. “Sometimes, during the season, you just have to see how guys are feeling week to week, and it really becomes that. Nobody is 100% at this point — not even Lamar Jackson.”
Asked about Harbaugh’s comment prior to practicing fully on Thursday, Jackson joked that he was feeling “probably 101%” despite missing two days of practice due to back soreness last week. The superstar quarterback wasn’t listed on the first injury report of the week after logging the second 300-yard regular-season passing performance of his NFL career against the Broncos, a sign that his back couldn’t have been too much of a problem in Denver.
“I don’t think it impacted it at all. Me sitting out, it helped my back heal up faster,” Jackson said. “The soreness went away, and I was able to perform.”
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Though still not listed on the injury report since they’re not yet on the 53-man roster, wide receivers Rashod Bateman (groin) and Miles Boykin (hamstring) were once again taking part in practice. Boykin’s presence on special teams and edge in experience could expedite his return to game action, but many are understandably excited to see Bateman, the 27th overall pick of this year’s draft, make his NFL debut.
Especially with the passing game clicking at a high level through the first four games of 2021, the Ravens won’t rush the rookie, who underwent groin surgery on Aug. 13.
“He has to show that he’s ready and that he’s ready to play in a game,” Harbaugh said. “It’s a game, and he hasn’t been out there for a while. So, we’ll have to see that.”
Sitting out with a right thigh injury that surfaced late last week, reserve safety Geno Stone was working out on a side field with members of the training staff during the media viewing portion of the workout. Offensive lineman Tyre Phillips, who’s been on injured reserve since hurting his knee in the season-opening loss at Las Vegas, was also working off to the side after Harbaugh said earlier this week that the 2020 third-round pick from Mississippi State was “on track [to return] at some point in time here.” Phillips hasn’t yet been designated to return to practice from IR.
Dealing with several costly injuries that have contributed to a 1-3 start, Indianapolis listed four key contributors — two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Darius Leonard (ankle) and rookie first-round edge rusher Kwity Paye (hamstring) among them — as non-participants and two other starters as limited. Colts starting quarterback Carson Wentz (ankle) was designated as a full participant, however.
Below is Thursday’s full injury report:
BALTIMORE
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: OLB Justin Houston (non-injury), CB Jimmy Smith (non-injury), OT Ronnie Stanley (ankle), S Geno Stone (thigh), OT Alejandro Villanueva (knee)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION: S DeShon Elliott (quad)
INDIANAPOLIS
DID NOT PARTICIPTE: RB Nyheim Hines (shoulder), LB Darius Leonard (ankle), DE Kwity Paye (hamstring), OT Braden Smith (foot/thumb)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION: S Khari Willis (ankle/groin), CB Rock Ya-Sin (ankle)
FULL PARTICIPATION: QB Carson Wentz (ankle)
