The Baltimore Ravens’ roster has been ripped to shreds by injuries in recent weeks. They put Nnamdi Madubuike (neck) and Broderick Washington (ankle) on injured reserve heading into Week 4. In that game against the Kansas City Chiefs, they saw several more starters go down with injuries. Lamar Jackson (hamstring), Ronnie Stanley (ankle), Roquan Smith (hamstring), Marlon Humphrey (calf), and Nate Wiggins (elbow) all left Sunday’s game and did not return.
Head Coach John Harbaugh has yet to provide any updates on those injured in Sunday’s contest. But reports around Smith’s injury do not look encouraging for his status in the coming weeks. NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Monday that Smith was diagnosed with a Grade 2 hamstring strain and is expected to miss the next few weeks of action.
Without Smith, Baltimore will rely on rookie Teddye Buchanan and third-year linebacker Trenton Simpson to call the shots in the middle of the defense, along with some help from versatile safety Kyle Hamilton. While Baltimore has trusted Buchanan as a starter early in his career, and Simpson has 14 starts over the past two seasons, they might need some veteran leadership, and help could be on the way.
The Ravens brought in veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks for a workout on Tuesday. Kendricks has 10 years of experience and could be a leader for Baltimore’s defense that is sure to miss Smith’s voice for the next couple of contests.
Ravens host Eric Kendricks for a visit
While he is 33 years old and not the All-Pro player he once was, Kendricks still has it. He posted a 75.2 overall grade last year, per Pro Football Focus, which was good for 27th among linebackers. He has also started in 142 of his 147 games played. If Baltimore does not feel the young duo of Buchanan and Simpson would work out well, Kendricks would have no issue filling in.
The Ravens have Jake Hummel and Jay Higgins also ready to suit up with the defense on Sunday if needed. However, Hummel is mainly a special teams contributor, and Higgins has yet to see any action on the defensive side in his rookie year. It is clear Baltimore needs another contributor at middle linebacker, and Kendricks looks to be that guy.
In the next few weeks, the Ravens will look for many of their young players to step up. Rookies Mike Green, Aeneas Peebles, and Keyon Martin are already expected to take on bigger roles, so bringing in a veteran like Kendricks could be the perfect move to help steady the season.