As the Ravens entered their final week of the preseason Monday, Head Coach John Harbaugh gave updates on a host of injured Ravens players.
Outside linebacker Adisa Isaac, who suffered a dislocated elbow in Saturday's preseason win in Dallas, will miss more time than originally hoped.
Tests revealed Isaac has ligament damage and he will undergo surgery, Harbaugh said. Had it been a clean dislocation, it would've been about a three-week recovery.
"It's not a season-ender, though," Harbaugh said. "Maybe midway in the season, sometime, he'll have a chance to come back."
Harbaugh also said third-round rookie offensive lineman Emery Jones Jr., who has yet to practice due to a shoulder injury the Ravens knew about when he was drafted, will not be ready for the start of the regular season.
Jones can stay on the non-football injury list, which means he will not take up a spot on the 53-man roster due next Tuesday. Harbaugh previously said he expected Jones to return at some point in training camp, but doctors are remaining cautious.
"The surgeon, the best I can tell you, he wants to be sure that it's fully right," Harbaugh said. "That's the way it should be. We respect that. It's going to take a little longer, so we won't be counting on him early on in the season."
The most consequential player on Harbaugh's rundown was tight end Isiaah Likely, who underwent surgery for a small fracture in his foot.
Harbaugh said he has not received an update on whether Likely is still a possibility to play Week 1 in Buffalo, but even if he did, he probably would be guarded with divulging much information considering the circumstances.
"It was always going to be in that range – first few weeks," Harbaugh said. "It might be harder to pin me down on that one."
The Ravens could place Likely on injured reserve at roster cutdown, which would save a spot, but would also mean the talented tight end would be sidelined for at least the first four games.
Harbaugh Not Surprised Joe Flacco Won Cleveland's QB Competition
The Cleveland Browns announced Joe Flacco as their starting quarterback for Week 1, and his former coach isn't surprised.
The 40-year-old Flacco outlasted Kenny Pickett, who was once considered the favorite but has been dealing with a hamstring injury, rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, and fellow former Raven Tyler Huntley.
That puts Flacco in position to also be the Browns' starter for the Ravens' home-opener on Sept. 14. It would be Flacco's first time playing in M&T Bank Stadium since the former Super Bowl MVP was wearing purple in 2018.
"Knowing that he'll be the starter is good. I think we had that idea already, probably. You could tell," Harbaugh said.
"A lot of respect for Joe. Obviously, his homecoming back here will be a big story. We'll try to just focus on playing the best game we can. But we know Joe can sling it. We know what he's capable of doing. We also know what kind of team they are and how tough they are to play against. It won't be the focus right away directly, but it will be in the back of our minds."
Another Undrafted Rookie Defensive Back Is Impressing Harbaugh
While Reuben Lowery has received plenty of well-deserved buzz at Ravens training camp, and even more after getting an interception in Saturday's preseason win, another undrafted rookie defensive back has also impressed.
The 5-foot-9 Keyon Martin came untouched up the middle to drill 6-foot-5 Cowboys backup quarterback Joe Milton for a safety in the first quarter. Martin also had a tackle for a 5-yard loss on the previous play.
Harbaugh said he's appreciated the energy Martin has brought to the Under Armour Performance Center each day, and the feisty Louisiana-Lafayette product has backed it up on the field.
"He has an infectious personality – always smiling, always energetic, always ready to roll," Harbaugh said. "He's into and he's played well, and he's making a run at this thing [the 53-man roster]."
Nick Moore Gets Lofty Praise From His Coach
Long snappers always try to remain out of the headlines, but Senior Special Teams Coach Randy Brown said Nick Moore deserves more appreciation.
Moore, who bounced back from a torn Achilles in 2023 to return to form last season, is entering his sixth season in Baltimore and has established himself as a critical part of the specialist trio.
"Nick Moore is the Lamar Jackson of long snappers in the NFL because he does everything right," Brown said.
"Go back and watch the game this [Saturday]. He had eight, pretty much 12 o'clock snaps. … He's got to block defensive tackles, sometimes defensive ends. We ask him to block different than any of the other 32 teams in the NFL. And he covers as well as anybody and he's 260 pounds. Doesn't get enough credit."
