When Will Joe Flacco, Breshad Perriman and Ronnie Stanley Return?
The Ravens are not interested in sharing the details of injuries unless they're season-threatening.
Otherwise, neither fans, nor future opponents, will get a sneak peek.
Offensive Coordinator Marty Mornhinweg gets the award for giving the vaguest description yet on quarterback Joe Flacco. Head Coach John Harbaugh has to be proud, as absolutely nothing was revealed – just as he likes it.
"I think I know, and I think Joe thinks he knows, when this will happen. So that way, I think I know. So, we think we know," Mornhinweg said when asked about Flacco's recovery.
"Look, if it's before that – probably not much before, but a little bit before or after – we'll adjust the plan. As long as he's back with a reasonable amount of time to prepare, I think we're going to be just fine."
OC Marty Mornhinweg gives an update on Joe Flacco's timetable to return. pic.twitter.com/CcjAFXbJF3 — Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 23, 2017
"Did you get all of that?" asked WNST's Luke Jones. "Presumably not wanting to give away any specifics, his answer sounded more like something out of a comedy routine."
It certainly got a chuckle out of me. Well done, Marty.
Mornhinweg added that Flacco has been working behind the scenes in team meetings, and said the offense will be fine as long as Flacco returns with a "reasonable amount of time" to prepare for the season-opener.
"To me, the main takeaway is that no one is freaking out yet," wrote NFL.com’s Conor Orr. "This is basically what Mornhinweg was conveying. The Ravens have not reheated their efforts to bring in competition for Ryan Mallett, nor have they surfaced in trade talks. There is a general plan in place. When NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport and NFL Network's Tom Pelissero first reported the back issue on July 26, they noted that Flacco could miss anywhere from three to six weeks. We are still well within that timetable."
Alas, if you're looking for specific injury updates on Flacco or other key players, including wide receiver Breshad Perriman (out since Aug. 1 with a hamstring injury), left tackle Ronnie Stanley (Aug. 12 with an undisclosed injury) and running back Danny Woodhead (Aug. 17 with a reported hamstring injury), you'll have to settle for media predictions.
The Baltimore Sun's Jeff Zrebiec tweeted it's unlikely that any of the aforementioned players will return for preseason action, but there's "hope" they'll all be ready for the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1.
The third preseason game is usually regarded as the starters' "dress rehearsal" for the regular season because they typically play a little more than a half of action. But with so many offensive starters sidelined, will that still be the gameplan?
"John [Harbaugh] will speak to you about that – that particular 'dress rehearsal' thing, because we're possibly going to do it a little different," Mornhinweg said.
Patrick Ricard Looks Like a 'Natural' at Fullback; Could Be Sixth Two-Way Player of Decade
It's one thing to uncover an undrafted gem. That's something the Ravens impressively do on anearly annual basis.
But it's another thing to uncover an undrafted gem that could become just the sixth NFL player of the past decade to play on both sides of the ball. That's what could happen with defensive tackle/fullback Patrick Ricard.
"How unusual is this?" asked ESPN's Jamison Hensley. "In the past decade, only five players have totaled more than 50 snaps on offense and defense in a single season, according to ESPN Stats & Information. At 304 pounds, Ricard could also be the biggest fullback in league history."
Ricard has practiced on both sides of the ball this summer, but he got a bigger chance to prove himself during the second preseason game against the Miami Dolphins. If you ask former Ravens Head Coach Brian Billick, Ricard excelled as a fullback.
"Ricard, a Colonial Athletic Association first-team defensive lineman out of Maine, has been one of the more pleasant surprises of training camp," wrote Hensley. "He has been active and aggressive along the defensive front, and he's pushing former draft picks Carl Davis and Willie Henry for roster spots.
"Ricard's versatility increases his value as well as his workload. He typically gets to practice two or three plays a day on offense, and his offensive meeting usually entails a 10-minute chat with Roman in the morning."
Flacco Listed No. 15 in QB Tier Rankings
ESPN's Mike Sando published his fourth-annual quarterback tier rankings, which were created after talking with 50 "league insiders."
Flacco was ranked No. 15 overall and in Tier 3. He was No. 12 last year and No. 10 the year before.
The 50 voters were comprised of nine general managers, six pro personnel directors, five executives, five head coaches, seven offensive coordinators, six defensive coordinators, five defensive assistants, three analytics directors, two quarterbacks coaches and two national scouts. The votes resulted in 36 quarterbacks being placed in one of five tiers.
"The higher the tier, the less help the quarterback needs to be effective," wrote Sando. "A Tier 3 quarterback is a legitimate starter, but needs a heavier run game and/or defense to win. A lower-volume pass offense makes his job easier."
In addition to Flacco, there were 11 other quarterbacks in Tier 3, including the Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott, Arizona Cardinals' Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals' Andy Dalton and Kansas City Chiefs' Alex Smith.
One offensive coordinator who voted Flacco into the second tier said the quarterback is sometimes criticized unfairly.
"He had a bad year [in 2016], but he is a function of who he has around him," the unidentified coordinator said. "If the line is OK and they can run it a little bit, he can be a 2. But if they are going to put it on him just to throw, then they are going to struggle. He doesn't process or read defenses very well, but he is physically gifted and he can throw the deep ball."
Gerry Sandusky Reacts to ESPN Removing Robert Lee From Broadcast Because of His Name
ESPN confirmed that Asian announcer Robert Lee was pulled from calling the University of Virginia's season-opener in Charlottesville because he shares the same name as the confederate general.
"Voice of the Ravens" Gerry Sandusky has lived through unfortunate backlash simply because he shares the same name as the former Penn State coach convicted of child molestation. So, people reached out to him to get his reaction to ESPN's decision.
Sandusky was also able to find a little levity in the situation.
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