OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Two-plus weeks into training camp, the injuries are slowly starting to pile up, and while head coach John Harbaugh was fairly optimistic about most of them, it was revealing to hear him say after practice Aug. 6 that cornerback Arthur Maulet is dealing with a knee injury that is “not going to be season-ending.”
Harbaugh said Maulet will be undergoing further evaluation, but it sounded like the most significant absence on a day in which three starters — center Tyler Linderbaum, wide receiver Rashod Bateman and outside linebacker Odafe Oweh — also missed practice.
Linderbaum is dealing with a soft-tissue injury and has been held out of practice this week, and Harbaugh said the team will be patient with its Pro Bowl center this time of year.
Bateman landed hard on his midsection after making a terrific catch in the end zone in a drill on Aug. 5, and Harbaugh said injury is “not serious. … Nothing long term.”
Oweh, who missed practice for the first time this summer, is dealing with a sprained ankle, Harbaugh said.
None of those three were expected to play in the preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium on Aug. 9.
Maulet has been one of the stars of training camp, and his acrobatic interception against Nelson Agholor in the first week of camp might be one of the best catches of the summer in Owings Mills.
More importantly, Maulet, 31, proved to be one of general manager Eric DeCosta’s top under-the-radar signings last summer. He was rewarded with a new two-year contract this past spring.
Coming to the Ravens after two seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Maulet developed into one of the Ravens’ top nickel backs and special teams players. The Ravens frequently rotated Maulet and safety Kyle Harrison in the slot, depending on the matchup. Maulet finished with 34 tackles, two sacks and one interception last season in 14 games on defense and also had three special teams stops.
According to Pro Football Reference, Maulet played 43 percent of the Ravens’ defensive snaps last season and 48 percent of their special teams snaps, so losing him for an extended time would be noteworthy.
Fortunately, the Ravens’ depth in the secondary has been on display on the practice field this summer. Hamilton showed last season that he excels in the slot, and the Ravens could also move Marlon Humphrey inside, with top draft pick Nate Wiggins and Jalyn Armour-Davis — another camp standout — proving to be viable options on the outside.
As for the practice, held in full pads in steamy, humid weather once again, the offensive highlight of the day came when wide receiver Sean Ryan made a juggling catch over Ka’dar Hollman and then raced down the right sideline for about a 75-yard touchdown.
Ryan, who played at Temple, West Virginia and Rutgers across five collegiate seasons, is among those players who figure to get an extended look over the next couple of weeks, especially in the preseason games. He spent all of last season on the Ravens practice squad.
The defensive play of the day might have come from rookie safety Sanoussi Kane. Late in practice, the Ravens lined up for a two-point conversion, and Harbaugh sent many of the backups in for a “live” play with full contact. Tight end Qadir Ismail caught a short pass, but Kane drilled him short of the goal line, leading to a roar on the defensive sideline.
“It’s so exciting and so emotional for those guys because they work so hard to be in that moment,” Harbaugh said. “So … we were live tackling on that play, and he came up with it.”
NOTEBOOK
ISAAC DEBUTS: Rookie third-round pick Adisa Isaac was removed from the Non-Football Injury list and made his practice debut. The outside linebacker from Penn State took part in individual drills and some defensive install periods and also did some conditioning work on a side field. He has been dealing with a hamstring injury that has lingered most of the year.
Harbaugh said the team would ramp up Isaac gradually, “but the good news is, it’s still pretty early in camp, relatively speaking. We still have three full preseason games and plenty of weeks of practice to get him ready. He’s excited to be back.”
Cornerback T.J. Tampa (sports hernia) and running back Keaton Mitchell (knee) remain on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list.
RAVENS SIGN WR GAGE: The Ravens have signed veteran wide receiver Russell Gage, who was productive as recently as 2022 but missed all of last season with a knee injury.
Gage, 28, was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the sixth round out of LSU in 2018 and spent four seasons in Atlanta. In 2020, he set career highs with 72 catches for 786 yards. He played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022, catching 51 passes for 426 yards and five touchdowns, but he missed all of the 2023 season after suffering a torn patellar tendon in his right knee during training camp last season.
Harbaugh praised Gage’s toughness and hands and called him “a proven player.”
Gage took part in his first Ravens practice not long after signing. He caught a couple of touchdown passes in a red zone period, and Harbaugh said he expects Gage to play against Philadelphia in the preseason opener on Friday.
The Ravens had an open spot on their 90-man roster after releasing defensive lineman Rayshad Nichols a couple of days ago.
PRACTICE ENDS WITH ‘RAINY DAY’ FUMBLE DRILL: The Ravens closed practice with one of the annual highlights of training camp the past few years: Rookies must try to recover a fumble in the “rain,” the rain being a pair of high-pressure hoses being wielded by veterans in their position groups, as teammates stand around and cheer.
Harbaugh said the drill was the brainchild of tight ends coach George Godsey three years ago, and this year, for the first time, Harbaugh took part. He ended the drill by diving on a loose ball with his hat on backward as linebackers Roquan Smith and Malik Harrison blasted him with water and players howled.
“We recovered the last one, I can tell you that,” Harbaugh said.
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