Gus Edwards hasn't played in an NFL game since 2020, but his return is moving closer.
Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman likes what he's seeing from Edwards, who's in his third week of practice since being cleared by the team's medical staff. He could return Sunday against the Browns or Thursday night (Oct. 27) against the Buccaneers before his 21-day window to be activated from PUP expires.
Edwards tore his ACL in practice prior to the 2021 season opener, but Roman said the veteran running is making huge strides. He has averaged 5.2 yards per carry during his career, with a powerful running style that would be a boost to Baltimore's run attack particularly between the tackles and in short yardage.
"Gus is looking really good. I think he's on track," Roman said. "We're really excited about having him back. I think he's getting better every day. I'm really excited about that."
Marlon Humphrey Explains His Cryptic Tweet Following Loss to Giants
All-Pro cornerback Marlon Humphrey had the Twitter world buzzing following Sunday's frustrating loss to the Giants when he tweeted an Albert Einstein quote about insanity.
It created speculation that the tweet had deeper meaning, but Humphrey said he was simply venting about the Ravens' recent habit of losing fourth quarter leads.
"I didn't know I had the world buzzing until my sister sent me. I guess somebody asked Harbs (Head Coach John Harbaugh) about it," Humphrey said. "I guess it was a big deal. That was just frustration. Some of the guys were talking and hey, we keep doing the same thing at the end of games, not finishing games."
Baltimore's defense kept the Giants in check most of the game, but surrendered two fourth-quarter touchdowns as the Ravens squandered a 10-point lead. In every defeat, the offense has struggled to score late in games, while the defense has struggled to get off the field. Lamar Jackson said that the Ravens were “overthinking” in the fourth quarter and needed to relax a little, allowing their best football to come out. Humphrey said the same held true for the defense.
"We all want to make those at the end," Humphrey said. "We want the offense to be on the field for eight minutes at the end. We want the defense to go three-and-out at the end. We all want it, but when we spoke in the team meeting, I was like, 'We actually need to relax some.' We're pressing so hard that it's almost a reverse effect."
Roman Praises Ben Powers for Having His Best Season
There was an open competition for the starting job at left guard during training camp and Ben Powers won it. Now he's thriving as a starter and Roman praised the former fourth-round pick in 2019 for coming into his own in his fourth season.
"Ben Powers is quietly having a really, really good year," Roman said. "[He's] very dependable, durable, reliable [and] understands exactly what we want of him. There are always things we can improve on and coach on, but he's doing a great job."
With the return of All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley, the Ravens hope their offensive line can stay intact from this point forward, with other vets like right guard Kevin Zeitler and right tackle Morgan Moses providing stability for rookie center Tyler Linderbaum.
"I think that unit's really starting to develop," Roman said. "I like what I'm seeing in a lot of different areas from them. The continuity I think is big with Ronnie back and Ben playing the way he is. We have a young center, so having veteran guys around him like Ben and Ronnie and Kevin and Morgan, I think that's really helpful to Tyler."
Ravens' Third Cornerback Spot Is Up for Grabs
Humphrey and Marcus Peters have been standouts in one-on-one coverage this season, but opponents have too frequently picked on the Ravens' third cornerback in key situations.
After the injury to veteran Kyle Fuller in Week 1, Brandon Stephens, rookies Pepe Williams and Jalyn Armour-Davis (when active), and most recently Ar'Darius Washington have all been trying to fill the void, but nobody has emerged as the clear answer yet.
"What I told the team this week is it's an open competition," Defensive Coordinator Mike Macdonald said. "If somebody steps up and takes it, let's roll. But if we're still in a limbo where multiple guys have earned those snaps, we'll gladly get that rotation and make it work that way. Right now we're looking for the best combination."
Macdonald added that it's not just an open competition at slot, but also outside cornerback because Humphrey has the flexibility to play inside.
