Ravens’ New-Look WR Group Having A Hard Time Staying Healthy

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OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — The Baltimore Ravens anticipation Sammy Watkins, Marquise Brown and Rashod Bateman tin signifier the halfway of a rejuvenated receiving group.

Right now, those 3 players are having a hard clip getting connected the field.

Watkins, Brown and Bateman weren’t practicing Tuesday, 3 days aft nary of them played successful Baltimore’s preseason opener against New Orleans. Bateman is retired until September due to the fact that of groin problems, and Brown has been constricted by hamstring issues. Coach John Harbaugh didn’t elaborate connected what Watkins was dealing with, but helium said Monday it was thing serious.

“We conscionable person to support going,” said receiver Devin Duvernay, who caught 4 passes against the Saints. “We cognize we each person an accidental here. We each look astatine it arsenic an accidental and conscionable support trying to amended each time connected those other reps.”

Brown is the team’s apical returning wide receiver aft catching 58 passes for 769 yards and 8 touchdowns past season. A first-round draught prime successful 2019, he’s established himself arsenic a accordant menace successful Baltimore’s offense, adjacent arsenic the Ravens ranked past successful the NFL successful passing past play and 27th the twelvemonth earlier that.

Watkins is the apical newcomer, a erstwhile 1,000-yard receiver who was a portion of Kansas City’s Super Bowl rubric a mates of seasons ago. If he’s missing clip with an injury, though, that’s concerning. He played successful lone 10 games past play and has appeared successful 16 conscionable erstwhile successful 7 years.

Bateman was a first-round prime this twelvemonth aft an awesome assemblage vocation astatine Minnesota, but his acclimation to the pros is present being impacted by his ain wounded problems.

The wellness concerns for those 3 players person opened immoderate opportunities for the remainder of the receiving group. Jaylon Moore, who spent his rookie play connected the signifier squad past year, was targeted 5 times against New Orleans. Binjimen Victor caught a mates of passes and James Proche II caught one.

A sixth-round prime successful 2020, Proche contributed much past play arsenic a punt returner than arsenic a receiver.

“Something maine and my brothers ever speech astir is trusting your journey,” Proche said. “I saw a clip wherever this dude got drafted into the NBA, and helium was 24, and Devin Booker is 24 and been successful the league (six) years. You’ve got to spot your journey. It’s not 1 azygous publication for everybody.”

Although determination is worth successful gathering extent and having players specified arsenic Proche get opportunities during the preseason, the Ravens don’t privation to spell excessively agelong without Watkins, Brown and Bateman. They were already without prima backmost Lamar Jackson astatine the commencement of campy due to the fact that of a affirmative COVID-19 test.

Now helium is back, but helium doesn’t person a afloat acceptable of receivers to enactment with.

The Ravens caput connected the roadworthy this week for associated practices with the Panthers, followed by a preseason crippled astatine Carolina connected Saturday night. Jackson didn’t play successful the archetypal accumulation game, and violative coordinator Greg Roman indicated that his availability wouldn’t needfully beryllium contingent connected who other is capable to play astatine receiver oregon connected the violative line.

“That’s John’s call, but I’d accidental it is simply a origin but not the factor,” Roman said. “Lamar’s making bully progress, and I truly similar wherever he’s astatine close now. But that decision’s made somewhat independently.”

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