Ravens place three wide receivers on Reserve/COVID-19 List
Just when it seemed like the Baltimore Ravens were putting the aftermath of their outbreak of COVID-19 within the organization behind them, they had to place three wide receivers on the Reserve/COVID-19 List.
Second-year wideouts Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown and Miles Boykin and rookie James Proche have been placed on the reserve list after being deemed as close contacts with a coach that tested positive.
The contact came on Monday which still gives all three players still have a chance to be eligible and play on Sunday when the Ravens host the Jacksonville Jaguars at 1 pm ET as long as they continue to produce negative tests.
As of now, the only players at the position left on the active roster are veterans Willie Snead and Dez Bryant and rookie Devin Duvernay. They have undrafted rookie Jaylon Moore on the practice squad and could promote him as a COVID replacement if needed.
The Ravens could activate veteran wideout and special team ace Chris Moore from injured reserve designated to return to the active roster. He has been practicing for the last two weeks since recovering from a hip injury.
Bryant was just activated off the COVID list on Tuesday after missing the team’s last two games and Snead played in his first game since coming off the list on Monday in the Ravens huge win over the Cleveland Browns and came up clutch with a couple of catches late in the game.
Even though he has struggled with drops, Brown has been consistently productive and explosive for the Ravens in the passing game as of late. He has led the team in receiving yards and scored a touchdown of 20 or more yards in each of the last three games.
Boykin is a tremendous downfield blocker in the running game and has been picking some momentum as well as producing more as a pass-catcher as of late as well. He has caught a pass in back-to-back games for the first time in nearly a month, including a 38-yard touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 13.
Proche has only played 22 snaps on offense and caught just one pass for 14 yards but he is the starting punt returner and has returned 21 boots for 175 yards in 13 games.
While the outbreak itself has subsided, the Ravens are still dealing with effects from the virus on their roster with players suffering from muscle fatigue, cramps, and other soft tissue injuries during games and in practice.
Since the organization was in the league’s intensive protocol for what seemed like a month, players hardly practiced over that span and those that did contract COVID are close but not fully recovered.
In other roster news-
The Ravens designated cornerback Terrell Bonds to return from injured reserve. He returned to practice for the first time on Tuesday since being placed on IR with a knee injury he suffered against the New England Patriots on Nov.15.
Baltimore brought defensive tackle Braxton Hoyett back on the practice squad after being released on Tuesday and signed wide receiver Gary Jennings to it as well.
The four practice squad protections this week are quarterback Tyler Huntley, tight end Eric Tomlinson, long snapper Nick Moore and cornerback Pierre Desir.
Huntley will likely get called up this week to serve as the backup to Lamar Jackson since both Trace McSorley and Robert Griffin III are on injured reserve.
