The Baltimore Ravens received a rare piece of positive injury news on Tuesday in regard to defensive lineman Derek Wolfe.
The Ravens announced that they had designated Wolfe to return from the injured reserve and that he had returned to practice for the first time this season.
Wolfe has been sidelined with a back injury since August when he was injured in the team’s joint practices with the Carolina Panthers ahead of their Week 2 preseason meeting.
The Ravens hoped that he would miss just a few games, but after he was a game-day inactive for the first few weeks of the season, the team officially placed him on the injured reserve on October 2.
Now that he’s been designated to return from IR, the Ravens will have 21 days to activate him to the active roster.
Derek Wolfe should be returning to the Ravens roster soon
Head coach John Harbaugh spoke to the media on Monday and revealed that Wolfe should be returning in the immediate future. Harbaugh said that Wolfe should be back on the field either this week or next week.
The Ravens held an indoor practice on Tuesday with mostly young, developmental players, but Wolfe was one of the few veterans in attendance as he attempts to work his way back into playing condition.
Wolfe’s return would provide a huge boost to a Ravens defensive line that has had its struggles this season.
The Ravens defense is fresh off one of their worst performances of the season in which they surrendered 41 points to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7.
They’ve battled injuries all season, although their defensive line has remained relatively healthy aside from Wolfe.
Wolfe will join the likes of Calais Campbell, Brandon Williams, and Justin Madubuike in a veteran-heavy defensive line rotation upon his return.
The reinforcements are on their way for the Ravens.