Ravens designated WR Devin Duvernay to return to practice from injured reserve

The former All-Pro return specialist could be back in time for the for the team’s first playoff game.

When the Baltimore Ravens took the practice field for the first time during their bye week on Wednesday, one of their top all-purpose weapons was among those in attendance and taking part. Fourth-year wide receiver Devin Duvernay was designated to return to practice from injured reserve, opening the 21-day practice window for him to be activated to the 53-man roster.

The two-time Pro Bowler and former First-Team All-Pro return specialist missed the last four games of the regular season after suffering a back injury on Dec. 10 in the Ravens’ thrilling 37-31 overtime win over the Los Angeles Rams. He missed the minimum amount of games required after being placed on injured reserve and unlike last year when he landed on it with a foot injury and missed the last three games of the regular season, the team maintained optimism that he’d be able to return for the playoffs this time around.

Duvernay didn’t have a big role on offense prior to his injury with just four receptions on nine targets for 18 receiving yards and just four carries for 15 rushing yards. However, he was still a factor on special teams where he racked up 290 punt return yards, and 174 kick return yards, and was averaging the 10th-most punt return yards in the league at 12.6 yards per return this season.

In his absence the Ravens had third-year wide receiver Tylan Wallace handle the punt return duties and he joined forces with sixth-year veteran running back Justice Hill to share the kick returning duties. Both players did a more than admirable job in those roles with Wallace coming up with the game-winning punt return touchdown in the same game Duvernay went down and Hill ripping off a 78-yard kick return to open the second half of the Ravens’ Week 17 win over the Miami Dolphins.

Nevertheless, the team is happy to have Duvernay back in action and believes that he’ll continue to be an asset once he is back on the active 53-man roster.

“It’s amazing to see him back out there,” Special Team Coordinator Chris Horton said. “You guys know how I feel about him, I know how our team feels about him, and I know how the guys outside feel about him. He’s a heck of a player.”

The Ravens made another pair of roster moves on Wednesday relating to their practice squad by signing fourth-year wide receiver Dan Chisena and releasing third-year running back Jake Funk who was signed last month but whose spot was put in doubt following the signing of four-time Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook late last week.

Chisena went undrafted out of Penn State in 2020 and made the Minnesota Vikings’ final 53-man roster as a rookie, playing exclusively on special teams. After being waived by Minnesota in 2022, he spent most of this season on Arizona’s practice squad. In 31 career games, he has recorded 13 total tackles including 10 solos and a fumble recovery.