Kyle Fuller injury gives Ravens an unnerving sense of déjà vu
By Kristen Wong
Baltimore Ravens cornerback Kyle Fuller is the most recent player to be placed on injured reserve after tearing his ACL, and already the team is feeling a bit of déjà vu.
Late in the fourth quarter of Week 1’s matchup against the New York Jets, Kyle Fuller went down while trying to cover Elijah Moore. An MRI revealed that Fuller tore his left ACL and will miss the rest of the season, which bodes bad news for the Ravens’ secondary unit in 2022.
Baltimore has been here before.
Last year, four Ravens cornerbacks finished the season on injured reserve. Marcus Peters, who is still rehabbing his ACL tear in 2021 was noticeably inactive on Sunday and remains questionable for Week 2.
If Peters isn’t ready to go, second-year corner Brandon Stephens will likely step in as the starter. All in all, things aren’t looking good for a Ravens squad that has desperately tried to avoid injuries at the start of the 2022 season.
The Ravens placed CB Kyle Fuller (knee) and OT Ja'Wuan James (Achilles) on injured reserve.
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) September 13, 2022
Last year, Baltimore placed 25 players on IR at some point during the season. A week into 2022, the Ravens have six players currently on IR.
The Ravens lose key secondary piece in Kyle Fuller after Week 1
The ghosts of 2021 are popping back up to haunt Baltimore, and unfortunately, there’s not much the team can do.
The Ravens also lost left tackle Ja’Wuan James in the season-opener when James tore his left Achilles tendon, and he has since been placed on injured reserve.
That marks two players from two very crucial position groups — the cornerback unit and offensive line — who have already suffered potentially season-ending injuries, and if recent history is any indication, the Ravens’ injury woes will only get worse.
Along with Peters, many key starters are still recovering from injuries suffered in 2021. Ronnie Stanley may not be ready to take snaps at left tackle, and the Ravens will likely play Patrick Mekari there instead for the time being.
J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, too, are racing against the clock to get back on the field. In their place, the Ravens have rolled out a middling running back room of Mike Davis and Kenyan Drake, neither of whom made a sizeable impact in Week 1 against the Jets’ lackluster run defense.
Next. Baltimore Ravens Defensive Review: Week 1 vs. New York Jets. dark
Fingers crossed the Ravens can get through this season unscathed by any more devastating injuries.