The Ravens made a few roster moves before their Week 15 matchup with the Giants.
The Ravens activated Michael Pierce from injured reserve on Saturday, clearing the path for the veteran nose tackle to return to the lineup on Sunday against the Giants.
Pierce landed on injured reserve at the end of October due to a calf injury. He didn’t stuff the stat sheet in his first seven appearances this year, logging only 15 tackles and one sack, but his ability to eat space and double-teams in the middle of the defense was crucial to Baltimore’s league-leading run defense.
More importantly, Pierce’s absence left the Ravens with just four defensive linemen on their active roster. Travis Jones and Broderick Washington have both dealt with minor injuries, as well, forcing Zach Orr to rely on practice squad D-linemen in multiple games. Pierce’s return brings the Ravens back to their five-man rotation in the trenches, giving them a better chance of maintaining their stamina through the end of the fourth quarter.
The Ravens also elevated cornerback Desmond King II and linebacker William Kwenkeu from the practice squad for Sunday’s game.
King, a onetime All-Pro slot cornerback, will make his Ravens debut against the Giants as Orr looks to continue the recent success of his pass defense. King will likely play primarily on special teams, though he could get some defensive reps if there’s an injury or a blowout.
Kwenkeu is a Maryland native who was elevated for special teams duties against the Eagles in Week 14. He will play a similar role against the Giants.
The Ravens have 53 players eligible for Sunday’s game, so they will need five inactives, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.
Sanoussi Kane and Adisa Isaac only practiced in a limited capacity on Friday, so they could be on the inactive list. One of Rasheen Ali and Keaton Mitchell will also likely be inactive. Ar’Darius Washington did not travel with the team to New York due to a personal matter, so he could be the fourth. If Washington is able to play, Marcus Williams could be deactivated since he does not contribute on special teams. Nick Samac, Ben Cleveland, and Devontez Walker are the three candidates for the last spot.