The Baltimore Ravens officially kicked off their three-day mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, and the vast majority of the roster was in attendance. After all, it is mandatory for all players with few exceptions.
This included the long-awaited return of Lamar Jackson who made his way to Owings Mills for the first time this spring. Others such as J.K. Dobbins, Ronnie Stanley, and Marcus Peters were excused as they continue their rehab process.
However, one notable absence that doesn’t appear to be injured-related was that of nose tackle Michael Pierce. Pierce was noticeably absent for all of OTAs and was not spotted with the team at mandatory minicamp on Tuesday.
It’s currently unclear why Pierce wasn’t in attendance at the time of writing, although Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun labeled him as a “no show” and suggested that the “team should have concerns.”
We will likely find out more about Pierce’s unexpected absence in a little bit, but for now, this isn’t exactly an encouraging development.
The Ravens are counting on Michael Pierce to anchor their defensive line in 2022
Pierce re-signed with the Ravens this past March on a three-year, $16.5 million contract after two years spent with the Minnesota Vikings.
The former undrafted free agent played the first four years of his career in Baltimore where he developed into a rock-solid interior run-stuffer and an important part of the team’s defensive line rotation.
Pierce walked in free agency in 2020, although his time with the Vikings didn’t exactly go according to plan. The 29-year-old opted out of the 2020 season as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and played just eight games in 2021 due to an elbow injury.
Now, back in Baltimore, Pierce is being tasked with serving as a replacement and hopeful upgrade over his former teammate, Brandon Williams.
If Pierce were to miss any significant amount of time, the Ravens would have to turn to younger players such as Travis Jones, Justin Madubuike, or even Aaron Crawford to fill his role.
Here’s to hoping that Pierce’s absence isn’t anything to be concerned about and that he could return before long.