Injuries are the most unfortunate part of the NFL. It especially hurts when they occur in the preseason. Many players are fighting for their careers, and rookies are looking to earn their stripes. The Baltimore Ravens received unfortunate news on Thursday during their preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts that rookie cornerback Bilhal Kone would be out for the season with a torn ACL and MCL, per Jordan Schultz.
The 2025 sixth-round selection hurt his knee on a pass intended for Colts wide receiver Ashton Dulin. Kone was having a strong start to the night and played good coverage on the play, forcing an incompletion on third down, but got hurt after an awkward landing. He was immediately tended to by the Ravens' medical staff and was carted off the field following the play.
It was a strong offseason for Kone, who was in the midst of a battle for one of the team’s final spots at corner. He was making plays on the ball, impressing coaches, and signs were pointing toward him making the Ravens’ initial 53-man roster. Now, he will be sidelined for the entirety of the 2025 season.
Bilhal Kone suffers a torn ACL and MCL
Coming out of Western Michigan, Kone was an exciting prospect. He tallied 17 pass deflections in two seasons with the Broncos and notched two interceptions. He earned a Senior Bowl invite, where he was a standout in those practices, which helped his draft stock rise on NFL teams’ boards. He was quickly becoming a favorite of both fans and the coaching staff in Baltimore, but his regular-season debut will have to wait.
For Kone, he will be on injured reserve, while the rest of the corner room battles it out for the final few roster spots. There is still loads of potential for the rookie. He has a knack for disrupting receivers at the catch point with impressive ball skills, physicality, and good size. He should come back better than ever next season and truly show what he is capable of.