On the injury front, the Ravens are surprisingly healthy for this stage of the year. But the Owings Mills facility hasn’t sidestepped seasonal sickness in preparing for a Week 18 matchup with the Cleveland Browns that could give Baltimore the AFC North title with a win.
Left tackle Ronnie Stanley and defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike both returned to practice in a limited capacity after missing Tuesday’s session because of illness. Guard Patrick Mekari (illness) and running back Justice Hill (concussion/illness) were both sidelined for a second straight day. Coach John Harbaugh summed up the absences as “flu-like symptoms and sickness-type stuff” on Monday.
All signs point to their availability for the Ravens’ (11-5) regular-season finale at 4:30 p.m. Saturday against the Browns (3-13) at M&T Bank Stadium.
That includes Hill, who suffered a scary concussion against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Dec. 21. The dynamic backfield threat got upended and took a hard fall before halftime. He was immediately tended to by trainers and swiftly ruled out. Harbaugh said his absence this week is because he’s sick but that Hill will play.
That potentially means a crowded Ravens backfield heading into Week 18 and the playoffs behind a healthy Derrick Henry, Hill, Keaton Mitchell and Rasheen Ali (who returned to the fold Wednesday from a hip injury) — a good problem to have at this juncture.
Wide receiver Nelson Agholor (concussion) and tight end Charlie Kolar (forearm) haven’t missed practice this week. Cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (hamstring) was bumped up to limited participant Wednesday.
Cleveland is a little more banged up, on top of the secrecy in who might start at quarterback.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who replaced Jameis Winston as the starter each of their past two games but has been a limited practice participant this week with a calf injury, told local reporters Wednesday that he doesn’t know if he’ll get the start in three days. Third-stringer Bailey Zappe said he’s in the dark too, but it’s nothing new having previously played for the mastermind of football mirage Bill Belichick in New England. There’s a chance both see time under center Saturday.
“We’re obviously familiar with Thompson-Robinson and now we’re doing some work on Zappe,” Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr said. “Our game plan really won’t change much in how we approach these guys, the system’s gonna be the same. We expect a little bit more QB runs with Thompson-Robinson in there but we’re gonna do what we do. … no matter who the quarterback is.”
Added Harbaugh: “Maybe they’ll try to keep it under wraps, but whichever way it goes, we’re playing the Browns, the Browns are playing the Ravens, and we’ll be ready to go.”
The Ravens are playing the Browns, but the Cleveland might look a bit different — or depleted — come Saturday compared with when these teams met in October.
Defensive end and NFL sacks leader Myles Garrett (thigh), tight end David Njoku (knee), cornerback Denzel Ward (shoulder), running back Jerome Ford (ankle), linebacker Jordan Hicks (concussion) and running back Pierre Strong (concussion) were all out for the second consecutive day. Defensive end Cameron Thomas (back) returned after his Tuesday absence.
Ward, who is a three-time Pro Bowl selection, told local reporters he is “pushing” to play Saturday.
Meanwhile, Winston (right shoulder) spent both days this week practicing in a limited capacity. Same goes for safety Grant Delpit (shoulder/knee), tight end Blake Whiteheart (knee), defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo (knee) and receiver Michael Woods. Defensive tackle Dalvin Thompson was a new addition to Cleveland’s injury report with a knee injury.
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