Cornerback Marlon Humphrey and outside linebacker Odafe Oweh were among the nine Ravens who missed practice Thursday, but the team got several starters back on the field ahead of Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Right tackle Patrick Mekari (ankle), center Bradley Bozeman (shin laceration), wide receiver-returner Devin Duvernay (thigh) and cornerback Anthony Averett (shoulder/ankle) all returned to practice after missing Wednesday’s with injuries. Bozeman was a full participant, while Mekari, Duvernay and Averett were limited.
Defensive end Calais Campbell, meanwhile, was a full participant Thursday for the first time since reporting concussion symptoms early last week. He missed the subsequent week of practices and Sunday’s win over the Cleveland Browns, and was limited Wednesday. Cornerback Jimmy Smith (neck) was also a full participant for the first time since before the Ravens’ Week 10 loss to the Miami Dolphins, his last appearance.
Humphrey and Oweh, who rarely miss practice and were full participants Wednesday, were out Thursday with an illness and shoulder injury, respectively. Elsewhere on defense, cornerbacks Tavon Young (illness) and Chris Westry (thigh) missed their second straight practice. Defensive tackle Brandon Williams was absent for a rest day, while outside linebacker Jaylon Ferguson (illness) was limited for the first time this week. Inside linebacker Patrick Queen (ribs) was upgraded to full participation.
On offense, tight end Nick Boyle (knee), fullback Patrick Ricard (foot/thigh) and offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi (thigh) missed their second straight practice this week. Left tackle Alejandro Villanueva was absent for a rest day. Wide receiver Miles Boykin (finger) was limited again.
Offensive coordinator Greg Roman said before practice Thursday that Boyle, who played 10 offensive snaps Sunday after 32 the week before against the Chicago Bears, is “getting better all the time.” But he acknowledged that Boyle has not fully returned to the form he showed before his season-ending knee injury last year.
“He’s still getting used to things,” Roman said. “He’ll be the first to admit that he’s not where he wants to be yet, but we want to keep dosing him in and keep letting him take those steps up the ladder to get him back to his form. But it’s definitely going to be, I’d say, a process throughout the rest of this year, and we fully anticipate that. And he will definitely be a big part in helping us the rest of this year as well. Because even him at 70% is very valuable.”
In Pittsburgh, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (pectoral/right shoulder) was a full participant in practice Thursday after sitting out Wednesday’s session, while starting tight end Pat Freiermuth (concussion) was a full participant for the second straight day.
Starting cornerback Joe Haden (foot) and reserve offensive lineman Zach Banner (illness) missed their second straight practice, while reserve cornerback Arthur Maulet (quadricep) was also absent Thursday. Starting defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs (ankle) was limited.
Reserve inside linebacker Robert Spillane, meanwhile, joined outside linebacker T.J. Watt and offensive lineman Joe Haeg as Steelers placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list this week. With Spillane having suffered a knee sprain during the first half of Sunday’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday that Spillane was “less than available this week.”