Cleveland — After Ravens coach John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg praised the strides Breshad Perriman made in practice last week and how he’s handled his recent benching, the much-maligned wide receiver will get another chance today against the Cleveland Browns.
Perriman, who has seven catches for 54 yards in nine games, is active for just the second time in five games. He was a healthy scratch Nov. 19 against the Green Bay Packers, then played the following week and was held without a catch versus the Houston Texans. He was then a healthy scratch in games against the Detroit Lions and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Mike Wallace (ankle) and Chris Moore (hip) are active despite dealing with injuries, but their status is likely a big reason why the Ravens opted to activate five receivers. Jeremy Maclin has also been banged up for much of the season while Michael Campanaro is the team’s primary punt returner.
Running back Terrance West, who started four of the Ravens first five games, is inactive for the ninth straight week. West hasn’t played since sustaining a calf injury in an Oct. 8 win over the Oakland Raiders.
Rookie third-round pick Tim Williams is a healthy scratch for the first time since the regular-season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals. Williams did miss four games with a hamstring injury.
The former Alabama edge rusher has six tackles and no sacks in eight games. His failure to set the edge last Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers factored in Le’Veon Bell’s 11-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
The other Ravens’ inactives are offensive linemen Jermaine Eluemunor and Maurquice Shakir, defensive ends Chris Wormley and Bronson Kaufusi and cornerback Stanley Jean-Baptiste.
Eluemunor is the only inactive player who was listed as questionable for the game on the final injury report. The other six – backup quarterback Ryan Mallett (illness), Wallace, Moore, center Ryan Jensen (ankle), outside linebacker Za’Darius Smith (shoulder) and cornerback Maurice Canady (knee) are all active.
Smith returns to the lineup after he missed last week’s game with a strained shoulder.