The Baltimore Ravens had a lengthy injury report this week, but for the most part, they can breathe a massive sigh of relief. Many key contributors will be ready to go for Sunday’s matchup with the Dallas Cowboys.
We held a walkthrough on Friday, the report is a practice estimation. pic.twitter.com/xPltqxJBK9
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 25, 2026
Yes, you read that right. Nnamdi Madubuike and Teddye Buchanan do not have a game status designation. After being full participants all week, the two are healthy and set to play. The defense should look really scary.
It’s also worth noting that Trey Hendrickson and John Simpson logged full practices on Friday. If there was any question about them being ready to give it their all, there shouldn’t be any more.
Unfortunately, this comes with a catch. Zay Flowers is questionable with a lingering hamstring issue; he missed two practices and was limited on Friday. More notably, though, Ronnie Stanley will be out with a toe injury.
Baltimore Ravens receive reinforcements but take one big hit ahead of Week 3 matchup
There’s a tough mix of good news and bad news. On the bright side, the defense gets exactly who and what they need back in the fold.
In the team’s Week 2 loss to the New Orleans Saints, two major things went wrong on the defensive side of the ball: a lack of interior pressure and missed tackles in the big moments down the stretch. Nnamdi Madubuike and Teddye Buchanan could fix both of those problems.
Last weekend, it felt like there was enough pressure coming off the edge from Trey Hendrickson and Mike Green. The interior didn’t do a good enough job collapsing the pocket, though, allowing Tyler Shough to step up and make plays.
Madubuike is just the man to solve that issue. When he’s 100%, there aren’t many better interior game-wreckers than Madubuike, who had 25 sacks from 2022 to 2024.
Buchanan, on the other hand, will be a surefire tackler in the middle of the defense. And he will create a strong linebacker trio.
Roquan Smith is the heart and soul of the defense, and Trenton Simpson seems to be turning the corner with his ability to win in pursuit. Buchanan? He’s looking like the guy you can trust to make a tackle in the open field.
In his rookie campaign, Buchanan finished third on the team with 93 combined tackles. That number is even stronger when you take a look under the hood. He had a low missed-tackle rate at 8.6%, and his Pro Football Focus tackling grade was 75.9 (14th among qualifying linebackers).
With those two, Baltimore should have an easier time locking down the middle of the field.
It’s unknown how much Madubuike and Buchanan will play— both are coming off serious injuries. But Jesse Minter did say they have a "real opportunity" to contribute. Hopefully at whatever rate they play, they look like their usual selves.
Ronnie Stanley’s absence will leave a major question mark on the offensive line
Left tackle becomes the urgent issue. With the Ravens’ offensive line already looking out of sorts in 2026, Lamar Jackson will be without his long-time blindside protector, Ronnie Stanley, against the Cowboys.
There probably isn’t much of a shock. Stanley battled through his toe injury last week, but left Baltimore’s Week 2 contest with the same toe problem late in the game. He didn’t return, and after not practicing all week, it’s clear he reaggravated it.
Throw in questions about the playing surface at Maracanã Stadium in Brazil, and it was never going to be a good idea to put Stanley on the field. It was already clear he wasn’t fit to play for all four quarters last week, and reports about the field being extremely bumpy probably had the team playing this extra safe.
In Stanley’s place, it’ll be Carson Vinson. The second-year pro has played 27 offensive snaps across his career, 20 of which came in relief of Stanley versus the Saints.
Like everyone, Vinson looked solid as a run blocker. Also like almost everyone, though, he had trouble in pass protection. He allowed two pressures in his limited time on the field.
We’ll see how Baltimore works through it, but Stanley’s absence may bring more questions than the answers Madubuike and Buchanan might bring.
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