OWINGS MILLS — Tight end Mark Andrews reached high over his shoulder, made a one-handed grab and landed cleanly on the surgically repaired ankle that has held him out of the Ravens’ past six games.
Andrews remains on injured reserve, but the play during individual drills in practice on Jan. 16 was another sign that the Pro Bowl tight end could be close to returning to action.
Head coach John Harbaugh called Andrews’ workout in the team’s indoor facility “his best showing so far” since he suffered a severe ankle injury against Cincinnati on Nov. 16.
“He really took a big step,” Harbaugh said. “Just what you saw today, we saw as well, so that’s encouraging. We’ll just have to see how it goes.”
Andrews was listed as a limited practice participant on the official injury report.
At the time of the injury — which came when he was dragged down with a hip-drop tackle by the Bengals’ Logan Wilson — the fear was that Andrews’ season was over. In the past few weeks, Harbaugh has said Andrews’ recovery has been on schedule or even ahead of it, though he has been reluctant to give any timetable for Andrews’ return.
Still, Andrews moved well in the portion of practice open to the media, with the left ankle heavily taped, and it looks increasingly possible that he could return at some point in the postseason.
The top-seeded Ravens (13-4) host No. 4 seed Houston at M&T Bank Stadium on Jan. 20 at 4:30 p.m., and if they win that game, they will host the AFC championship game on Sunday, Jan. 28, against either the Buffalo Bills or the Kansas City Chiefs, who meet in the other AFC divisional round game this weekend.
Andrews, a three-time Pro Bowl selection and quarterback Lamar Jackson’s favorite target, finished the season with 45 catches for 544 yards and a team-best six touchdown receptions.
His absence was mitigated somewhat by the emergence of second-year tight end Isaiah Likely, who totaled 21 catches for 322 yards since the Andrews injury. Likely scored five touchdowns in the final five games of the regular season.
NOTEBOOK
FLOWERS, OWEH RETURN TO PRACTICE, HUMPHREY STILL OUT: Wide receiver Zay Flowers (calf), linebacker Odafe Oweh (ankle) and linebacker Malik Harrison (groin) all returned to practice for the Ravens after sitting out workouts last week. Each was listed as limited on the official injury report.
Cornerback Marlon Humphrey (calf), who sat out the regular-season finale, was not on the field for the indoor workout. Last week, while the team practiced outside, Humphrey did work on a side field with a trainer. Other absences from the Jan. 16 workout included linebacker Del’Shawn Phillips (shoulder) and wide receiver Tylan Wallace (knee).
RAVENS OPEN TWO ROSTER SPOTS: The Ravens on Jan. 15 waived wide receiver Laquon Treadwell and placed defensive back Damarion “Pepe” Williams on injured reserve, opening two spots on the 53-man roster. The Ravens did not make any corresponding roster moves yet, but they have several candidates to take a roster spot before the team begins its postseason against Houston on Jan. 20.
Running back Dalvin Cook is on the practice squad and could be in line to make his Ravens debut this week. He would not need to be added to the 53-man roster; he could simply be a standard game day elevation from the practice squad.
The Ravens, though, also have three players on injured reserve who have returned to practice and could rejoin the roster: wide receiver/return specialist Devin Duvernay, cornerback Ar’Darius Washington and Andrews. Duvernay, who has missed the past four games with a back injury, was listed as a full practice participant, and he could reclaim the job as the team’s primary return specialist, especially with Wallace dealing with a knee injury.
Wallace had taken over punt return duties for the injured Duvernay, and in his first game in that role, he returned a punt 76 yards for a touchdown in overtime to beat the Los Angeles Rams.
Treadwell spent most of the season on the Ravens’ practice squad. He appeared in five games, mainly on special teams, and finished with one catch for 16 yards.
Williams spent most of the season on injured reserve with an ankle injury. He made his season debut in the regular-season finale, playing exclusively on special teams. Harbaugh said that after the game, the team determined that, “It just wasn’t there, as far as being ready to go out there and be safe and play at that level. … He did everything he could do, and he’ll be back next year, but it just wasn’t there right now.”
Any roster moves made for the divisional round against Houston must be made by 4 p.m. Friday.
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