Ravens starting safety Chuck Clark has been placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.
It's unknown whether Clark will have to miss Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers, but an absence would be a difficult blow to Baltimore's secondary as it's set to face quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Clark has only missed one game in his NFL career and made 41 straight regular-season starts since taking over the job early in the 2019 season. Clark is third on the team with 58 tackles. He has one sack and eight passes defensed.
One of the biggest issues if he can't play is the unit's communication. Clark wears the defense's mic'd helmet and is responsible for relaying the defensive play calls. Thus, Clark plays 100 percent of the snaps. He's missed just one snap all year.
The Ravens were thin at safety with the season-ending injury to DeShon Elliott and undrafted rookie Ar'Darius Washington is also on injured reserve. Baltimore would be without all four secondary starters from Week 1 if Clark can't play, as Elliott and cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters are all out for the year.
Geno Stone would seemingly be the replacement if Clark can't play, as he and veteran Anthony Levine Sr. are the only other safeties on the 53-man roster.
This week, Baltimore did bring back veteran safety Tony Jefferson, the man who Chuck took over for in 2019 when Jefferson suffered a season-ending knee injury. Currently on the practice squad, Jefferson has impressed Defensive Coordinator Wink Martindale in practice this week as he's worked on the scout team. Martindale didn't recognize him because he's wearing a new number.
"I looked out there and said, 'Who is 31? He's moving pretty good!'" Martindale said. "He was part of the No. 1 defense we had here a few years back and unfortunately got hurt the next year. I love his spirit. I love his attitude."
The Green Bay Packers are placing defensive tackle Kenny Clark, a 2019 Pro Bowler, on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, per reports.
The NFL has experienced a surge of players going on the list this week, with outbreaks on the Washington Football Team (21 reported cases) and Cleveland Browns (16 players on list).
The Ravens have also placed practiced squad rookie running back Nate McCrary on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.
