Two wide receivers will start the season on injured reserve, while the Ravens have brought back a blocking tight end.
The Ravens moved first-round pick Rashod Bateman and Miles Boykin to the Reserve/Injured list and signed tight end Eric Tomlinson to the 53-man roster. Boykin and Bateman will be required to miss at least the first three weeks of the season, but will be eligible to return in Week 4.
Bateman underwent groin surgery last month after suffering his injury in practice Aug. 10. Boykin has been out since early August with a hamstring injury.
Baltimore has five wide receivers on the active roster – Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, Sammy Watkins, James Proche II, Devin Duvernay and Tylan Wallace. Brown (hamstring) and Watkins (undisclosed) returned to practice this week following lengthy absences, giving them 12 days to prepare for the Sept. 13 season-opener against the Las Vegas Raiders.
"I thought they looked good," Head Coach John Harbaugh said. "It's good to have them back, and we're going to work now."
Tomlinson was with the Ravens throughout the preseason competing for a roster spot, but he was part of Tuesday's final cuts. Josh Oliver made the team as the third tight end behind Mark Andrews and Nick Boyle. However, Tomlinson is a strong blocker to back up Boyle, one of the league's best blocking tight ends, who has not played since last year's season-ending knee injury.
Boyle returned to practice Wednesday, but Head Coach John Harbaugh said he did not anticipate Boyle being ready by Week 1. The 29-year-old Tomlinson has experience in the Ravens' offense, playing six games with Baltimore last season after he was signed following Boyle's injury.
