OWINGS MILLS, Md. — When the Ravens took to the practice field for a workout in light rain on Sept. 24, the entire starting defensive line was out with injuries, and head coach John Harbaugh has already ruled out Pro Bowl defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike for this week’s big showdown at Kansas City.
In addition to Madubuike — who did not play this past week either because of a neck injury — Travis Jones missed practice with a knee injury and Broderick Washington was out with an ankle injury, according to the team’s official injury report released after a walkthrough practice.
Harbaugh said that at this point, he is optimistic that both Jones and Washington will be able to play when the Ravens (1-2) face the Chiefs (1-2) in a game that finds two AFC contenders reeling three weeks into the season.
“They’re nursing some things,” Harbaugh said, noting that the team was less than 48 hours from the 38-30 loss to the Detroit Lions on “Monday Night Football.” “I have a good feeling about those guys, but we’ll have to wait and see.”
His outlook on Madubuike is much less optimistic. The two-time Pro Bowl pick is one of the Ravens’ top interior defenders, but he was sidelined after the Week 2 game with Cleveland by a neck injury, and he hasn’t been on the field since as he and team wait for further evaluation.
Late last week, Harbaugh said the team medical staff was “going to try to get to the bottom of it.”
Speaking after the team’s practice Sept. 24, Harbaugh admitted that he is concerned it could be a long-term injury for Madubuike and added, “I’m not really in a position to comment on it right now. I haven’t been given the OK to comment on it at this point. … He is not going to play this week. I can tell you that. We’re going to have to see going forward when [the medical staff] knows what they need to know.”
Losing Madubuike for an extended period of time would be a major blow for a defensive line that has depth concerns and was manhandled in the loss to the Lions. Detroit ran for 224 yards and four touchdowns and won at the point of attack up front all night.
Madubuike was named a second-team All-Pro in 2023 and was a Pro Bowl selection in both 2023 and 2024. He led all defensive tackles with 13 sacks in 2023, and the next spring he signed a four-year, $98 million extension with the team. Last season, he finished with 43 tackles, 6.5 sacks and 17 quarterback hits, frequently drawing double-teams up front.
With the Ravens’ defensive line ailing, the team signed a pair of defensive tackles to the practice squad, adding former Raven Josh Tupou and Taven Bryan. Both were on the practice field Sept. 24.
Tupou, a nine-year veteran, appeared in three games for the Ravens last season as a practice squad elevation. He totaled three tackles and one sack. Tupou was with the Indianapolis Colts during training camp this summer before being released three weeks ago. Tupou spent seven seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals before joining the Ravens in 2024.
Bryan, 29, was the 29th overall pick in the 2018 draft, selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars out of Florida three picks before the Ravens selected quarterback Lamar Jackson. Bryan spent four seasons with the Jaguars, then one with Cleveland before playing the past two seasons for the Colts. He had 20 tackles, one sack and two quarterback hits for the Colts last season, appearing in all 17 games.
With Madubuike, Jones and Washington sidelined, the Ravens had just two defensive linemen from the 53-man roster — Aeneas Peebles and John Jenkins — on the practice field Wednesday. They were joined by Tupou, Bryan, and current practice squad linemen Brent Urban and C.J. Okoye.
To make room for the two new practice squad additions, the Ravens cut wide receiver Anthony Miller and running back D’Ernest Johnson from the practice squad.
NOTEBOOK
STANLEY MISSES PRACTICE; RICARD, VAN NOY REMAIN OUT: Ronnie Stanley missed practice for the first time this season with an ankle injury, and fullback Patrick Ricard (calf) and outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy (hamstring) remained sidelined.
Tight end Isaiah Likely was on the field as he continues to ramp up from foot surgery in early August. Likely was listed limited in practice, as he was last week, but it remains possible that he will make his 2025 debut at Kansas City on Sunday.
HENRY “STILL PISSED OFF” ABOUT FUMBLES: Running back Derrick Henry said he is “still pissed off” after fumbling for a third straight game, and he said after practice that, “I’m working as hard as I can to get this issue resolved. … Nobody can fix it but yourself, so I’ve got to accept it like a man. Everything that comes with it, I accept, because it’s my responsibility to take care of the ball for this organization.”
Henry’s fourth-quarter fumble led to a field goal that gave Detroit a 30-24 lead. Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson punched the ball out of Henry’s hand from behind as Henry tried to run left. Henry also lost a fumble in the fourth quarter at Buffalo that proved to be a turning point as the Bills rallied to win 41-40.
Henry does not have a history of fumbling, and in fact he had no fumbles in more than 300 touches in his last season with Tennessee in 2023.
“It’s embarrassing for me to be talking about this,” he said, “because I am having this issue, but you have to hold the ball high and tight to keep it away from the defense. Keep it away from the defender so you keep the ball. … Just know I’m working. I’m working, and it’s rough right now, but it’s going to come back around, I promise you.”
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