OWINGS MILLS, MD. — Outside linebacker Jason Pierre-Paul walked out to practice on Sept. 28 wearing his new No. 4 Ravens jersey, and as special teams players went through kick return drills, he consulted with outside linebackers coach Rob Leonard and then took part in individual drills.
Head coach John Harbaugh said that Pierre-Paul later “took as many reps out there as we had for him. He looked good. We’ll see the tape. The process is to get him out there as fast as we can, so we’ll shoot for this week.”
The Ravens rank last in the league in total defense and pass defense through three games, and they face the No. 1-ranked passing offense this week when the Buffalo Bills (2-1) visit M&T Bank Stadium.
The Ravens’ edge rush group has been especially thin because of injuries, so the arrival of Pierre-Paul, a 12-year veteran with 91.5 career sacks, can’t come soon enough.
Veteran Justin Houston left the Week 3 game at New England with a groin injury, and Tyus Bowser and rookie second-round pick David Ojabo remain sidelined with Achilles injuries. The Ravens already lost Vince Biegel in the preseason to a season-ending Achilles injury. With Houston sidelined, the only available edge rushers against the Patriots were Odafe Oweh — who has been a disappointment thus far with no sacks or quarterback hits through three games — Malik Harrison and practice squad call-up Brandon Copeland.
“JPP is a great addition. He brings a lot of great experience. He’s a heck of a talent, another guy who sees the game at a coordinator level,” veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell said. “So, when we create the plans and the programs and watch the tape, when we go and talk through stuff, I think it’s good to have veterans who have done it and who have had success.”
The Ravens rank tied for 12th in the league with seven sacks through three games, with the edge rushers accounting for three of them; Houston has two and Copeland recorded one at New England.
Harbaugh had stressed last week that any veteran signings would be expected to contribute immediately, and that they would not be signed unless they were deemed in shape and ready to play.
“Are you ready to run around and help us win?” Harbaugh said. “Because that’s what I care about. We’re not trying to do anyone any favors here. We want guys who will come in and help us win right now.”
Asked at his Wednesday news conference specifically about Pierre-Paul and his availability for this week, Harbaugh said, “We’ll see if we can do it. If we can’t do it, it will be next week, or whenever we can do it. So we’re going to try to do it as quickly as we can.”
PRACTICE NOTEBOOK
HARBAUGH CONFIRMS PIERCE HAS TORN BICEPS: Defensive lineman Michael Pierce tore his biceps in the Week 3 game at New England, head coach John Harbaugh confirmed, who added that Pierce is now contemplating season-ending surgery.
Harbaugh said Pierce could opt to try to play through it at some point and have a procedure done after the season, but, “It’s going to be his decision.”
Pierce, 29, signed a three-year, $16.5 million contract deal with the Ravens this offseason, returning to the team that originally signed him as an undrafted rookie out of Samford in 2016.
Pierce left the Ravens as a free agent after the 2019 season, signing with the Minnesota Vikings, but he played in just eight of 33 games in two years before being released to clear cap space. Pierce opted out of the 2020 season, then missed nine games last year with elbow and triceps injuries.
Pierce has recorded six tackles one quarterback hit and one forced fumble this year.
STANLEY PRACTICES FULLY: All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley practiced fully for the first time this season on Wednesday, Sept. 28, as he continues to ramp up toward his first appearance since Week 1 of last season. Stanley has been practicing on a limited basis for the past three weeks.
Stanley’s availability has become a more pressing issue given that his No. 1 replacement, Ja’Wuan James, has been lost to a season-ending Achilles injury, and his No. 2 replacement, utility lineman Patrick Mekari, left the New England game with an ankle injury. Mekari did not practice Wednesday.
Asked about Stanley after the team’s Wednesday workout, Harbaugh again said it ultimately would come down to Stanley and whether he felt his surgically-repaired ankle was up to the task.
“Ronnie is not going to want to out there, and we’re not going to want him to go out there, if he doesn’t feel like he’s going to be good,” Harbaugh said. “… It’s a priority to go out there and be at his best when he comes back. At the same time, he’s going to have to jump in at some point, so it could be this week. We’ll just have to see.”
FAALELE FILLS IN: Rookie tackle Daniel Faalele had never played left tackle in college at Minnesota, and had hardly even practiced a snap at left tackle all summer in Baltimore. But when Patrick Mekari went down with an ankle injury against New England, Faalele was thrust into action as the protector of Lamar Jackson’s blind side.
He yielded a couple of sacks early, but settled in as the game went on, and the 6-foot-8, 380-pounder proved to be a people-mover as a run blocker. He also got some assistance from fullback Patrick Ricard and tight end Josh Oliver, but Faalele impressed in what he called “baptism by fire.”
“For him to get in and do an amazing job like that, when we need him, where it counts, it’s tremendous to see,” quarterback Lamar Jackson said.
“I felt like my coaches prepared me well for the situation,” Faalele said before a scrum of reporters in front of his locker, with teammates calling out his name in recognition of his newfound attention. “For me, I just wanted to step in and do what I could to help our team win that game. I’m just thankful for the opportunity.”
Depending on the status of Ronnie Stanley, Faalele could be in the starting lineup Oct. 2 against a Bills team that features All-Pro edge rusher Von Miller.
“He’s a great player, a special player,” Faalele said. “Not many people get an opportunity to block someone as good as him. I’m just thankful for the opportunity, if I’m out there, to do my best.”
NOTE: The Calais Campbell quote was added after the story’s original publication.
Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox