The team is short on healthy cornerbacks and it’s getting “annoying” for players and coaches alike
The Baltimore Ravens won’t be playing any of their established starters in the team’s preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday night, according to Head Coach John Harbaugh.
With three-time Pro Bowler Marlon being a part of the veteran contingent not slated to suit up, the Ravens might be short on healthy cornerbacks as they try to extend their historic consecutive preseason win streak to 24 games.
They are already without projected starter and notable free agent addition Rock Ya-Sin for the time being due to a lower-body injury. Now, one of his top competitors in the battle for the starting spot is also banged up, along with two of the players in contention for the starting nickel role.
On Thursday, second-year pro Jalyn Armour-Davis was absent from practice for the first time this year and veteran slot corner Arthur Maulet missed another practice. Then, second-year slot Damarion “Pepe” Williams left practice early with the assistance from the training staff, according to Baltimore Beatdown Managing Editor Kyle Barber.
Damarion “Pepe” Williams was carted off early into practice. Looked like it was after individual drills. Saw him not putting pressure on left foot and hopping off after the cart with a trainer
— Kyle Phoenix Barber (@KylePBarber) August 10, 2023
When asked if the team’s lack of healthy cornerback depth among players either in line for or competing for a starting job, Harbaugh noted that it’s a problem.
“These little tweaky things that keep happening to the guys, they’re annoying, there’s no doubt about it, and the players are annoyed by it, too,” Harbaugh said. “We have to look at that for sure.”
Armour-Davis was limited to just four games as a rookie last year due to injuries and inconsistent play. Now, he has a chance to seize a starting role, or at least a key rotational piece. According to multiple reports this training camp, Armour-Davis had been impressing in practices. He still struggles with consistently playing the ball in the air, though, despite being in the right position to do so more often than not.
Williams missed a chunk of the offseason program with a minor injury and he only recently made his training camp debut. Maulet has only been on the Ravens roster since late July just before training camp got underway.
Hopefully, all three of them and Ya-Sin can return soon and the latter of the bunch can get healthy enough to impress the coaching staff during the preseason.
The Ravens have been able to maintain their historic preseason win streak thanks in large part to incredible depth, especially on the defensive side of the ball. If they are even thinner than usual in the secondary at slot and nickel corner, the streak could be in jeopardy of coming to an end.
While any additional reinforcements likely won’t come in time for Saturday’s game, help could be on the horizon. After the team waived undrafted 2022 free agent Makai Polk, they opened up a roster spot that could be used to add another veteran cornerback or pass rusher.
They hosted William Jackson III for a free agent visit on Friday, demonstrating their interest in adding help at the position.