Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey, OLB Odafe Oweh missing at practice, but several key starters return

Cornerback Marlon Humphrey and outside linebacker Odafe Oweh were among the nine Ravens missing for the open portion of practice Thursday, but the team got several starters back on the field ahead of Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Right tackle Patrick Mekari (ankle), center Bradley Bozeman (shin laceration), wide receiver-returner Devin Duvernay (thigh) and cornerback Anthony Averett (shoulder/ankle) returned to practice Thursday after missing Wednesday’s with injuries. Defensive end Calais Campbell (concussion) also practiced for the second straight day after missing all of last week and Sunday’s win over the Cleveland Browns.

Humphrey and Oweh, who rarely miss practice, were both full participants Wednesday. Elsewhere on defense, cornerbacks Tavon Young (illness) and Chris Westry (thigh), who missed Wednesday’s session, were also missing. Defensive tackle Brandon Williams, who spoke to reporters before practice, was absent as well.

On offense, tight end Nick Boyle (knee), fullback Patrick Ricard (foot/thigh) and offensive tackle Cedric Ogbuehi (thigh) missed their second straight practice this week. Left tackle Alejandro Villanueva, who usually gets a rest day each week, was also absent.

Offensive coordinator Greg Roman said before practice that Boyle, who played 10 offensive snaps Sunday after 32 the week before against the Chicago Bears, is “getting better all the time.” But he acknowledged that Boyle has not fully returned to the form he showed before his season-ending knee surgery last year.

“He’s still getting used to things,” Roman said. “He’ll be the first to admit that he’s not where he wants to be yet, but we want to keep dosing him in and keep letting him take those steps up the ladder to get him back to his form. But it’s definitely going to be, I’d say, a process throughout the rest of this year, and we fully anticipate that. And he will definitely be a big part in helping us the rest of this year as well. Because even him at 70% is very valuable.”

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3oh63mb