The Ravens may be heading into Week 2 without Zay Flowers, and that’s the biggest headline on a final injury report loaded with moving parts on both sides.
Flowers was listed as doubtful with a hamstring injury ahead of Sunday’s matchup with the New Orleans Saints. The star receiver had 150 yards on five catches in the first half of Baltimore’s Week 1 win over the Indianapolis Colts before the hamstring issue, which had been bothering him for a few weeks, flared up again.
He got back to limited practice Friday after missing two sessions, but the designation points to the more likely outcome: he probably won’t suit up. The two-time Pro Bowler is expected to test it in pregame warmups, but doubtful usually tells the story.
Baltimore ruled out three players: linebacker Teddye Buchanan (knee), defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike (neck), and cornerback T.J. Tampa Jr. (knee).
Buchanan and Madubuike are not expected back this week, and Week 3 in Brazil comes with extra travel that makes their status even murkier. Neither has been pushed to full participation yet, and while the Ravens have been preparing for those returns for months, Week 4 sounds like the more realistic target.
Tampa’s situation sounds more serious. Head coach Jesse Minter has suggested the knee injury could keep him out for multiple weeks, and his lack of practice all week makes injured reserve a real possibility. That would leave Baltimore thin at outside corner, with Bilhal Kone still two weeks away from being eligible to return from IR.
The biggest true game-time calls for Baltimore are edge rusher Trey Hendrickson, left guard John Simpson, and left tackle Ronnie Stanley. All three sat out Wednesday and Thursday before getting limited work Friday.
Hendrickson was a wrecking ball against Colts left tackle Bernhard Raimann in Week 1, piling up eight pressures and looking every bit like a $112 million offseason investment. If he can’t go, undrafted rookie Ethan Burke could be in line for his first regular-season defensive snaps after handling special teams work in the opener.
At left guard, Simpson’s absence would force Baltimore to choose between Andrew Vorhees and Emery Jones. Vorhees opened last season as the starter before losing the job because of poor play.
Jones logged just 49 snaps last year and had a rough preseason. The Saints don’t boast a scary interior front, but one shaky spot can still break an offensive line.
If Stanley also misses time because of his toe injury, the Ravens would be staring at a bigger problem. Carson Vinson, a 2025 fifth-round pick, would make his first NFL start and draw Chase Young, the former No. 1 overall pick who had a career-high 10 sacks in only 12 games last season. Add in Jovaughn Gwyn’s shaky pass protection in his first start last week, and the pressure on Baltimore’s front could mount quickly.
Even so, the Ravens should still be able to lean on Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry in the run game. The real issue is keeping the pocket clean and avoiding the penalties that kept them from putting up 50 points last week. Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle may lean on extra protection to help Jackson’s blind side, which could put a spotlight on Vega Ioane and Roger Rosengarten on the right side.
New Orleans has its own injury questions, with five players listed for Sunday. Long snapper Zach Wood (calf) was on the report, along with linebacker Isaiah Stalbird (shoulder), who was listed as doubtful. Defensive lineman Christen Miller (toe), receiver Chris Olave (hamstring), and edge Chase Young (calf) were all questionable.
Wood and Stalbird matter most on special teams, but Olave and Young are far more significant to the Saints’ game plan. Both were hurt in Thursday’s practice and stayed limited Friday, and neither looks like a sure thing for Week 3 given their injury histories. Miller, a second-round rookie, played 25 snaps in his NFL debut before injuring his toe Friday, which likely leaves him as a game-time decision too.
In Other News...
Roquan Smith Faces An Early Ravens Test Fans Should Watch
Roquan Smith gave the Ravens a strong opening performance in Week 1, and now the middle of the field may be where Baltimore is tested again. With New Orleans coming in for Week 2, the Ravens will be counting on Smith to help steer a defense that has to stay sharp against a Saints passing game led by Tyler Shough and built around finding space between the numbers.
Baltimores challenge is not limited to one area, either. The Ravens will need help from Marlon Humphrey and a safety group that includes Kyle Hamilton, Malaki Starks and Jaylinn Hawkins to keep tight ends Juwan Johnson and Noah Fant from becoming problems, while also staying disciplined against Travis Etienne in the run game. For Smith, it is the kind of early-season assignment that can say a lot about how quickly Baltimores defense settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Head Into Home Opener With A Growing Injury Problem
The Ravens final practice of the week brought a few encouraging signs, with several injured veterans getting back on the field as Baltimore prepared for its home opener. Head coach Jesse Minter gave updates on players working their way back, including Nnamdi Madubuike and Teddy Buchanan, while also making it clear the team will be without cornerback TJ Tampa on Sunday.
Theres still some shuffling to do before kickoff, and the roster picture is not fully settled yet. Rookie receiver JaKobi Lane was placed on Injured Reserve, and Baltimore may look to the practice squad for help, with tight end Nick Vannett a possible call-up if the Ravens want a little more depth in reserve. [Read more 🡒]
Vega Ioane Faces An Early Ravens Test That Matters Even More
Vega Ioanes first NFL game gave the Ravens exactly the kind of early read they wanted on a first-round pick still learning the league. In his Week 1 debut, he flashed the run-blocking ability that made him such an intriguing addition, but the pass protection was a different story, and the split showed up in Pro Football Focus numbers with a 73.0 overall grade, a 76.0 mark as a run blocker and a 44.2 grade in pass protection.
Now comes an even more revealing test against the New Orleans Saints in Week 2, because the debut was only the beginning of the adjustment period. Ioane is working on sharpening his technique, and for Baltimore the next step matters as much as the first one did, since the difference between encouraging rookie promise and real early impact often lives in the details that show up when the rush gets more complicated. [Read more 🡒]