The Ravens have mutually agreed with Diontae Johnson to excuse him from team activities this week.
Johnson was suspended for Sunday's 35-14 victory over the New York Giants due to conduct detrimental to the team. Johnson's suspension stemmed from refusing to enter Baltimore's game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Head Coach John Harbaugh was asked if he expected Johnson to return to practice next week.
"All I'm really thinking about right now is Pittsburgh, and getting our team ready for Pittsburgh," Harbaugh said. "He won't be here this week. Next week will take care of itself."
Trenton Simpson Is Getting a 'Breath'
Malik Harrison played a season high 79% of the defensive snaps against the Giants and Chris Board saw 50% while Trenton Simpson didn't start for the first time this season and only played in the fourth quarter.
Simpson has played most of the season alongside Roquan Smith, but his playing time has dropped since Baltimore's Week 11 loss to the Steelers.
Harbaugh believes a lighter workload for Simpson could benefit him in the long run.
"Trent played well when he went in," Harbaugh said. "It's good for Trent to maybe take some pressure off him a little bit. He's a young guy. He plays all heart, cares so much. So he can kind of take a breath a little bit in terms of his picture, his side of it, and come back in there like he did in the game and play well."
Harrison and Board have blossomed at inside linebacker, taking advantage of their chance for more playing time next to Roquan Smith.
"For Malik to get this opportunity to prove himself, he's been working hard for that opportunity," Harbaugh said. "He's done great with it. Chris Board, same thing, he's even more of a veteran guy. I know those guys appreciate that and they're making the most of it."
Jordan Stout Could Handle More Kickoffs
Punter Jordan Stout kicked off twice against the Giants in the second half in relief of Justin Tucker and boomed both into the end zone for touchbacks. Stout handled punts and kickoffs in college at Penn State, and Harbaugh did not rule out using Stout again on kickoffs.
"It could be the plan going forward at times," Harbaugh said. "The fact that Jordan Stout can do it, getting him out there in the game is a big deal. He hadn't really been out there in a game – a real regular season game yet. Just to kind of get the feel for doing it, and you could see how good he is at it.
"We've seen him in practice pretty much every day. He has a strong leg, to have that option is a plus."
Tucker did not have a field goal attempt against the Giants but was 5-of-5 on extra points and kicked from both the right hash mark and between the hashmarks.
"It was kind of a wind decision that (Tucker) and (Senior Special Teams Coach) Randy (Brown) made," Harbaugh said. "They've done that before in the past. He's kicked it from all three spots in the past."
Desmond King Has Earned Punt Returner Job
Desmond King was elevated from the practice squad and handled the punt return duties in his Ravens debut and had an excellent 22-yard return after he fielded the ball aggressively. Harbaugh said King will start as the No. 1 punt returner against the Steelers, with Tylan Wallace also available.
'Des' has been a really good player in this league – both as a defensive back and as a special teams guy and as a punt returner," Harbaugh said. "He's always been good back there, and he's always caught the ball well, and he's made yards, and he looked good in practice. He looked really fundamentally sound.
"He's caught a lot of punts over the years, and you could see it; you could just see it in practice. I was excited to see him out there in the game doing it, and I thought he looked really solid."
The 28-year-old King has returned 112 punts during his career, averaging 9.3 yards with two touchdowns. King was an All-Pro punt returner in 2018 with the Chargers, and Harbaugh values that experience.
"We're not getting down on Tylan Wallace at all," Harbaugh said. "He's a young punt returner. He's only had – what – 20 returns or something like that in his whole career, but he's done a great job. [He's had] a touchdown and some big returns. So, I like the fact that we have a little depth now, too. It's a good situation for us."
"We're not getting down on Tylan Wallace at all. He's a young punt returner. He's only had – what – 20 returns or something like that in his whole career, but he's done a great job. He's had a touchdown and some big returns. I like the fact that we have a little depth now, too. It's a good situation for us."
