The Ravens will head to Pittsburgh for Sunday's AFC North rivalry game with five cornerbacks' status uncertain and a dozen players either questionable or doubtful to play.
All five of Baltimore's cornerbacks on the 53-man roster missed at least some practice this week. Top cornerback Marlon Humphrey and nickel Tavon Young are both dealing with illnesses. Young didn't practice all week and Humphrey was out Thursday and Friday.
Usually, a mid-week illness doesn't hold a player out of game action, but it depends on how bad the symptoms are come Sunday. Lamar Jackson was forced to sit out two weeks ago in Chicago, for example.
The Ravens' other starting cornerback, Anthony Averett, is dealing with shoulder and ankle injuries. He did not log a full practice this week and is also questionable.
Chris Westry (thigh) returned to practice Friday after sitting out the first two days but was limited. Jimmy Smith (neck/ankle), who has missed the past two games, was a full participant Thursday but didn't practice Friday. Kevon Seymour is on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.
"We'll have to wait and see who we have. We don't know," Harbaugh said of his cornerbacks. "As a coach, you just try to get as many people ready as you can. You go play the game with the people that you have, and we'll see where we're at with that as we go."
Defensive tackle Calais Campbell seems to have recovered from the concussion that kept him out of last week's game, as he was a full participant Thursday. He sat out Friday for non-injury rest reasons.
Rookie outside linebacker Odafe Oweh (shoulder) was added to the injury report Thursday when he did not practice. He returned for a limited practice Friday and is questionable.
Linebacker Patrick Queen (ribs) doesn't seem to have any lingering issue from the Browns game, as he practiced fully Thursday and Friday.
Outside linebacker Jaylon Ferguson, who has played the past two weeks, is also dealing with an illness that left him limited Thursday and not practicing Friday.
Offensively, tight end Nick Boyle did not practice all week but could still suit up. Boyle has played two games since returning from last year's major season-ending knee injury, but it seems the Ravens are being careful not to overtax him as he works back into form.
"We want to keep dosing him in and keep letting him take those steps up the ladder to get him back to his form," Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman said this week. "It's definitely going to be a process, I'd say throughout the rest of this year. He will definitely be a big part of helping us the rest of the year, because even him at 70 percent is very valuable."
Right tackle Patrick Mekari (ankle), fullback Patrick Ricard (foot/thigh) and wide receiver Devin Duvernay (thigh) are also all questionable. They were all full practice participants Friday. Wide receiver Miles Boykin (finger) is doubtful.
The Steelers are dealing with some illness issues of their own. They put three players on the Reserve/COVID-19 list this week, including All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt, who has the second-most sacks in the league.
Veteran Cameron Heyward, the anchor of their defensive line, did not practice Friday because of an illness and also may not be able to play, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac. He does not, however, have an injury designation on the Steelers' report.
The Steelers have ruled out starting cornerback Joe Haden (foot) and defensive end Isiah Buggs (ankle).
