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Zay Flowers Returns To Ravens Practice, But Marlon Humphrey Out For Browns Game

27 October, 2024 - 8:02PM
Zay Flowers Returns To Ravens Practice, But Marlon Humphrey Out For Browns Game
Credit: baltimoresun.com

The Baltimore Ravens could be without two key starters for Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns. Wide receiver Zay Flowers was a limited participant in Friday's practice after missing Wednesday and Thursday, and he is now listed as questionable. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey, who hasn’t practiced all week with a knee injury, is listed as doubtful. Flowers’ injury came early in the Ravens’ 41-31 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night, but he finished the game, including recovering an onside kick late. Humphrey had two interceptions in the first half of Baltimore’s Week 7 win, but he didn’t play after halftime. If Flowers didn’t play, Baltimore would rely on Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor, and rookie Devontez Walker. Both running back Keaton Mitchell (knee) and cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis (hamstring) had their practice windows opened this week. Mitchell was ruled out for Sunday while Armour-Davis is questionable after practicing fully the past two days. Cornerback Arthur Maulet (knee/hamstring) was activated to the 53-man roster this week after starting the season on injured reserve. He has no game status and will make his season debut against the Browns. Defensive tackle Broderick Washington (knee) and linebacker Malik Harrison (groin) will both play after missing the past two games. The Ravens ruled out running backs Rasheen Ali (ankle) and cornerback T.J. Tampa (ankle). The Ravens will have wide receiver Zay Flowers in the lineup as they try for their sixth straight win. Flowers was listed as questionable to face the Browns because of an ankle injury that kept him from practicing on Wednesday and Thursday. He returned for a limited practice on Friday and is active for Sunday’s game. Flowers leads the Ravens with 34 catches and 412 receiving yards so far this season. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey will not be on the field. He was listed as doubtful with a knee injury and he was officially ruled on 90 minutes ahead of kickoff. The Ravens have also ruled out Nate Wiggins, so they’ll be down two corners against Jameis Winston and the Browns offense. Although the Baltimore Ravens listed wide receiver Zay Flowers as questionable after missing two practices and only being limited on Friday, reports indicate he will play against the Cleveland Browns in Week 8. This is quite the boost for the Ravens’ offense as he leads the team in receptions (34) and receiving yards (412) this season. The Ravens have not been a pass-heavy team, what with the dynamic rushing attack from Derrick Henry, Lamar Jackson and Justice Hill, but Flowers’ effectiveness should not be understated. Flowers trails only Henry (39) and Jackson (23) in moving the chains in 2024, with 21 first downs. He also has the second-most yards after catch (224), behind only Hill (244). It remains to be seen how well Flowers can play as he recovers from an ankle injury and whether the Ravens have him on a play count, but they’ll need everything they can get as they look to win their sixth-straight game and a critically important contest in the AFC North. After not practicing Wednesday or Thursday due to an ankle issue that he sustained early in this past Monday night's win over the Buccaneers, Flowers returned to a limited session Friday, during which the wideout was moving around well, according to Jamison Hensley of ESPN. In the absence of any limitations or in-game setbacks, Flowers -- who approached Sunday's contest listed as questionable -- should have an opportunity to maintain his key role in the Ravens' passing game, a context that has led to him recording a 34/412/1 receiving line on 49 targets through seven games to date. Prior to his one-catch effort against Tampa Bay (while recording a 71 percent snap share), the 2023 first-rounder had combined for 16 catches on 21 targets for 243 yards in his two previous outings. The Baltimore Ravens were already shorthanded in the secondary for Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns, and now even more so. With just over an hour before kickoff, star cornerback Marlon Humphrey is officially inactive for Sunday's game. The 2019 All-Pro suffered a knee injury in Monday's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and did not practice all week. He was listed as doubtful on the final injury report, so it's not too surprising to see him officially out. Humphrey has struggled over the past few years, but he's been in vintage form this season. The eighth-year pro leads all NFL cornerbacks with four interceptions and is one shy of Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney for the league lead. Most of those have come when the Ravens desperately needed a big play as well. After a rough stretch, the Ravens are happy to see Humphrey playing to his fullest once more. “I’ve been very impressed,” head coach John Harbaugh said Friday. “The thing about that game last week was the fact that – and this is true really of any game – you have to step up and make plays at some point in time. Just get stops. Somebody has to make some kind of play. You have to make a tackle at least, a sack, a sack-fumble, a turnover, an interception, a recovered fumble, a fourth-down stop [or] a third-down stop. All those things are playmaking things. “Marlon made two huge plays in that game [against Tampa Bay], and it’s probably indicative of how he’s played all year. He’s not perfect; he wants to get better. We’re all chasing improvement every single day, but that was huge for us.” Elsewhere, the Ravens inactive list includes a big surprise in David Ojabo being a healthy scratch. Ojabo, who missed most of his first two seasons with injury, has just one sack on the season, which came in Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs, and hasn’t even recorded a tackle since Week 5. The Ravens hope that this can be a wake-up call for the third-year edge rusher, but scratching a regular at a position lacking depth comes as a bit of a shock. The rest of the inactives list features rookies Nate Wiggins, running back Rasheen Ali, outside linebacker Adisa Isaac and center Nick Samac. Wiggins and Ali were previously ruled out due to injury. Ravens leading receiver Zay Flowers (ankle) is active for Sunday's game against the Cleveland Browns. Flowers (34 catches, 412 yards, one touchdown) injured his ankle against Tampa Bay in Week 7 but returned to the game after a brief absence. He has played in every game this season and has caught 17 passes for 254 yards over the last three games. The Ravens' inactives are: Humphrey (knee) is inactive and will miss his first game of the season, adding to a banged-up cornerback unit. Humphrey leads all NFL cornerbacks with a career-high four interceptions and had two picks against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7 before suffering his injury late in the second quarter. He did not return in the second half and did not practice all week. With Humphrey and rookie Nate Wiggins (shoulder/illness) out, the Ravens won't have two of their top three corners and will shuffle their lineup. Jalyn Armour-Davis was activated from injured reserve on Saturday and could start opposite Brandon Stephens. Armour-Davis missed the past four games with a hamstring injury, but he has started three games over his career and returned to full participation in practice this week. The Ravens also elevated cornerback Bump Cooper Jr. from the practice squad. He will make his NFL debut against the Browns. Veteran slot cornerback Arthur Maulet (knee) is active and will make his season debut after missing the first seven games (knee/hamstring). Maulet had a very strong start to training camp before suffering a knee injury in August that required arthroscopic surgery. The hard-nosed defender had 37 tackles, two sacks, and one interception in 2023 and was re-signed during the offseason. Defensive tackle Travis Jones (ankle) is active after being limited in practice all week. Jones (20 tackles, one sack, three tackles for loss) is a key member of Baltimore's defensive line and is having his best season. Veteran linebacker Malik Harrison (groin) is also active after missing the last two games before returning to practice this week. Ojabo, who played 38% of the defensive snaps against Tampa Bay, is inactive for the first time this season. For the Browns, starting offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (knee), safety Ronnie Hickman, running back Jerome Ford, linebacker Jordan Hicks, and defensive tackle Quinton Jefferson are inactive. The Week 8 matchup for Zay Flowers and the Baltimore Ravens has them squaring off with the Cleveland Browns at 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, Oct. 27. Watch Zay Flowers and the Ravens vs. Browns on Fubo!

Zay Flowers Returns To Ravens Practice, But Marlon Humphrey Out For Browns Game
Credit: baltimoresun.com
Tags:
Baltimore Ravens Cleveland Browns Marlon Humphrey
Samantha Wilson
Samantha Wilson

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