Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely continues to ramp up and cornerback Marlon Humphrey is back on the practice field after exiting Sunday’s game early.
That’s the good news as the Ravens prepare to take on the Detroit Lions on “Monday Night Football” at M&T Bank Stadium.
The not-so-good news is that three defensive starters did not practice Thursday: cornerback Nate Wiggins (groin), outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, and defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike (neck). Fullback Patrick Ricard (calf) remains out.
Head Coach John Harbaugh said on Monday that Wiggins is “generally OK” and that he hopes he practices Friday. Van Noy’s absence is no surprise after he suffered a hamstring injury against the Browns, which could reportedly sideline him for multiple games. Madubuike, who leads the Ravens with two sacks, also sat out the first practice of last week but that was due to an ankle injury.
Likely has been sidelined since suffering a broken bone in his foot near the start of training camp. He returned to practice last Friday and was running routes and taking part in individual drills alongside the rest of the Ravens’ tight ends on Thursday. Asked Wednesday night during an appearance on WJZ’s Purple Playbook about when he’s returning to action, Likely smiled and said, “Very soon.”
Humphrey didn’t play down the stretch against the Browns due to a groin issue, but he was a full participant in Thursday’s practice. He’ll be a key factor in trying to match up with the Lions’ arsenal of talented wide receivers.
Backup running back Rasheen Ali (concussion) wore a red non-contact jersey. Veteran nose tackle John Jenkins missed Thursday’s practice due to personal reasons.
