Yannick Ngakoue joined the Ravens this week and impressed in practice, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll make his debut in Sunday night's game against the Buffalo Bills.
Head Coach John Harbaugh said Ngakoue, who is on the team's practice squad, "looked good" in his three practices.
"He looks like he's in shape. He's in a great place spiritually, mentally. It was fun to have him out there," Harbaugh said. "He and Ronnie [Stanley] had some battle this week for sure."
Ngakoue said on Wednesday that he feels like he could contribute immediately but left that decision up to coaches. Harbaugh said there's a difference between being in shape and in "football shape."
Part of the decision also hinges on how many outside linebackers the Ravens need on the gameday roster. The Ravens already have Odafe Oweh, Kyle Van Noy, David Ojabo and Tavius Robinson healthy going into Sunday's game, and third round rookie Adisa Isaac is off the injury report and could make his NFL debut.
"We have a lot of good young players rushing the passer too," Harbaugh said. "I think it's just going to be him being ready, which I'm very confident he will be soon. And then the opportunity expressing itself when it does, he'll be out there and I think he'll help us."
Arthur Maulet Is Nearing a Return
One of the Ravens' training camp standouts was veteran nickel cornerback Arthur Maulet until he went down with a knee injury in early August.
Maulet started the season on injured reserve and is eligible to return to game action next week against the Cincinnati Bengals. Harbaugh said it's possible that Maulet could return as soon as he's eligible.
Maulet has been working out with trainers for weeks on side fields during the portion of practice open to reporters.
"He's looked good. It seems like he's in good shape," Harbaugh said. "He can't go out there and practice yet until next week, but we'll see what it looks like next week."
Here are five matchups to look out for on 'Sunday Night Football.'
ILB Roquan Smith vs. RB James Cook
Cook is Buffalo's No. 1 running back, but he also has nearly 100 receiving yards on eight catches. He's a versatile player that Smith will have to face in the box and in coverage as the 2023 Pro Bowlers go head-to-head.
G Daniel Faalele vs. DT Ed Oliver
Faalele had his best game as a pro last week, but he has a tough task coming up. The Ravens ran for 274 yards in Dallas, but this week they face a stronger defensive front led by Oliver, someone Faalele clearly has respect for. "He's really explosive, a really good player," Faalele said. "It will be a good challenge. For me, it's trust my technique, trust in what's being coached, and get the job done."
LT Ronnie Stanley vs. DE Gregory Rousseau
Stanley is having his best season in years and will have some reps against Rousseau, who has three sacks this season. Rousseau doesn't just stay on one side, though, so look for him to get snaps over right tackle as well. Patrick Mekari has started all three games at right tackle but could be asked to move inside if left guard Andrew Vorhees (ankle) can't play.
S Marcus Williams vs. QB Josh Allen
If there was an MVP award through three weeks, it would likely go to Allen. Buffalo's offense is No. 1 in the NFL (37.3 points per game), and he only has one turnover. The Ravens' secondary has surprisingly struggled through three weeks, but Williams had a track record of being a ball hawk and could hand Allen his first interception of the season. Limiting Allen's damage will be priority No. 1 for Baltimore.
QB Lamar Jackson vs. CB Christian Benford
Last week Jackson attempted just 15 passes as the Ravens dominated on the ground, but Baltimore will likely air out the ball more this week. Benford is having a strong season and should see time covering Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman. The Ravens don't have a ton of explosive passing plays so far, but they could change that on "Sunday Night Football."
Roquan Smith Is Adamant About Protecting 'The Bank'
The Ravens lost their home opener at M&T Bank Stadium to the Las Vegas Raiders. They lost the AFC Championship game at home last season.
The Ravens have a spectacular 20-3 record in primetime games at "The Bank," the best in the league by far since the start of the Harbaugh era in 2008, and there's a yearning to send the hometown fans home happy Sunday night.
"I'm very excited about the game, just because it's at 'The Bank.' We have to protect 'The Bank,'" inside linebacker Roquan Smith said.
"Obviously, the last time we were in here, we didn't do that, so we definitely have a sour taste in our mouth, even after the way we finished last week. We just want to show the world exactly who we are as a defense. We're excited about the matchup, and we know exactly what we bring to the table, and it's about playing four complete quarters. And if we do that, we'll like our chances. I can promise you that."
Harbaugh, Bills Head Coach Sean McDermott Share Coaching Connection
It's a fraternity amongst NFL head coaches, but one of Harbaugh's closest friends among his peers is the Bills' Sean McDermott.
Harbaugh and McDermott were both college safeties at Miami (Ohio) and William & Mary, respectively. They coached together with the Philadelphia Eagles from 1998-2007, with Harbaugh handling special teams and McDermott coaching defensive backs. They both coached the team's defensive backs in 2007.
"Sean's a heck of a guy, great coach [and] great family. We talk about our kids all the time," Harbaugh said.
"He's done a great job with the team. It's a team that reflects his personality – both sides of the ball, all three phases. You kind of see how they're built; that's kind of who he's always been as a coach. You could see early on that he was going to be a great coach. He certainly fulfilled that."
Ravens Host Olympian Quincy Wilson at Practice
If speed could rub off, the Ravens got a little faster Friday with a visit from Olympic sprinter Quincy Wilson.
Wilson is still in high school at Bullis in Maryland, and at 16 years old, he became the youngest track and field Olympic gold medalist in history for his participation in the heats of the 4 x 400-meter relay.
Cornerback Marlon Humphrey, who won a silver medal in the 110-meter hurdles at the 2013 World Youth Championships in Ukraine, said he's a big fan of Wilson.
