Ravens right tackle Morgan Moses is out with a long-term shoulder injury, but outside linebacker David Ojabo’s season could be over.
Head Coach John Harbaugh gave updates on both injuries during his press conference on Monday afternoon following the Ravens’ 28-3 win over Cleveland in Week 4.
Moses was one of three players to leave Sunday’s game early, along with safety Daryl Worley (shoulder) and cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (hamstring).
“There’s nothing right now that looks like it’s going to be a long, long-term type thing that comes out of the game. Some of those MRIs are still being evaluated, like Morgan’s,” Harbaugh said.
“So we’ll know more on Wednesday, maybe, what the guys can do in practice, but there’s no impact on us for the whole season right now.”
Ojabo was placed on injured reserve on Saturday after he suffered an ankle/knee injury early in the Week 3 game against the Colts. There is a chance that Ojabo will return, but that is still to be determined.
“He’s still being evaluated. There are some decisions that have to be made, that he has to make, how he wants to approach the knee injury issues that he has,” Harbaugh said. “I think that’s still private, his concerns.
Daniel Faalele filled in for Moses at right tackle against the Browns and had a tough challenge against their pass rush. Harbaugh said Faalele wasn’t happy with two of his snaps, including one where he gave up a sack, but he did a solid job overall.
“Go back and watch the tape, I think he played well,” Harbaugh said. “Keep chasing perfection. The more he plays, the better he gets.”
Tyus Bowser and Keaton Mitchell Could Return to Practice This Week
Outside linebacker Tyus Bowser (knee) spent the first four weeks of the season on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury List, while rookie running back Keaton Mitchell (shoulder) was on Injured Reserve. Harbaugh did not rule out the possibility that they could return to practice this week.
“They have a chance to do it, we’ll see,” Harbaugh said. “We’ll see how they look, if (General Manager) Eric (DeCosta) decides to put them on the practice field, based on his conversations with the trainers. They’re in the realm I think that it’s possible to practice, and when that happens, we can feel it as we watch them practice.”
After missing training camp and the preseason, Bowser will add depth to the outside linebacker rotation as a versatile pass rusher who is also adept in pass coverage. This is Bowser’s seventh season with the Ravens, and in his last healthy season in 2021, he had a career year with 7.0 sacks, 59 tackles and two forced fumbles. He played nine games in 2022 after returning from an Achilles injury suffered in the 2021 season finale.
Mitchell made the initial 53-man roster as an undrafted rookie out of East Carolina, and his speed flashed during the preseason when he averaged 6.0 yards per carry.
Brandon Stephens Will Stay At Cornerback When Marlon Humphrey Returns
Another player nearing a return is Pro Bowl cornerback Marlon Humphrey, who has been sidelined since training camp when he opted to have foot surgery.
“He’s on edge,” Harbaugh said. “You can’t say a date. I’m hopeful he’ll be back this week. I’m hoping he’ll be back last week. If not this week, maybe next week.”
With Humphrey out, Brandon Stephens has been one of Baltimore’s most valuable players this season, playing every defensive snap as a starting cornerback. Harbaugh said that Stephens, who can also play safety, will remain at cornerback even if Humphrey returns.
“I hope he stays in the corner,” Harbaugh said. “I think it’s good to have flexibility.
“Brandon, he’s playing at a high level. He’s established himself like that, done well. He’s getting better every week. I think he’s going to get better every week at the end of the route. (Pass Game Coordinator/ Secondary Coach) Chris Hewitt did a great job working with him on that, playing the ball over the route and getting balls from the receivers.
The Ravens will have more options in the secondary once Humphrey returns. Baltimore could opt to play Humphrey and Stephens on the outside, with Ronald Darby and Rock Ya-Sin also in the outside corner rotation. However, Humphrey can play the slot, just like Arthur Maulet. On the other hand, safety Kyle Hamilton’s blitzing and physicality bring a different dimension to the Baltimore defense when he drops into the slot.
Several players have stepped up in the secondary to give Defensive Coordinator Mike Macdonald more matchup options. Maulet saw his most playing time of the season Sunday (44 snaps) at Cleveland (five tackles, one pass defended), fully recovered from a hamstring injury he suffered in training camp. It was a timely contribution by Maulet, with defensemen Daryl Worley (shoulder) and Jalyn Armour-Davis (hamstring) both out of Sunday’s game with injuries.
“Arthur played well,” Harbaugh said. “If you talk to Arthur and ask him, he’ll only tell you about four or five games he didn’t think he did well. He’s a perfectionist. You appreciate that. He plays hard, he makes tackles , he’s catching people, he’s on special teams. We’re running out of guys a little bit. They’re pulling extra shifts out there, for sure. He’s just really happy with the way he’s playing. He’s just going to get better and better comfortable with the system while he When we go back to the guys, yes, it will give us more flexibility and more depth.”