As the Ravens begin a much-needed bye week, Head Coach John Harbaugh went through a checklist of injury updates on their banged-up roster.
Outside linebacker Tavius Robinson suffered a broken foot in the Ravens' 17-3 loss to the Los Angeles Rams Sunday, but the good news is that it wasn't a season-ending injury.
Harbaugh estimated that Robinson should be able to return in six to eight weeks, similar to tight end Isaiah Likely's timeline during training camp.
The Ravens' other injured players all have a chance to return after the bye. That list is led by Lamar Jackson (hamstring), who Harbaugh is expecting to play in Week 8 against the Chicago Bears.
"If I was on the couch with a psychiatrist right now, if I was spilling it, I would have to say I'm leaning really hard into that," Harbaugh said.
Left tackle Ronnie Stanley, who has either not played or exited early in the last three games, should benefit from extra time to rehab his injured ankle. It's the same ankle Stanley has long had health challenges with, and it has forced Joe Noteboom into the lineup.
"[The ankle is] structurally good or he wouldn't be out there playing," Harbaugh said. "It becomes a matter of his ability to perform on it. The only person that knows that is the player, so you've got to go by that. But he's fighting to get out there and play. … Having Ronnie Stanley out there is a big deal. It's a really, really big deal."
The Bears game was also the target for fullback Patrick Ricard (calf), but that's in doubt after Ricard had a couple of limited practices last week.
"It's pretty much recovered from that kind of standpoint. It's just a matter of him being comfortable with his level of strength and his ability to perform," Harbaugh said. "It's him being able to get out there and push himself through practice and feel like it's going to stay healthy – to move and run and change direction and power into people. It's really up to him."
Harbaugh was not asked about linebacker Roquan Smith (hamstring), but Smith was seen getting in a workout before practice last week.
Cornerback Marlon Humphrey went down in pain with about three minutes left in Sunday's game, but Harbaugh said he came out of the game without an injury.
Ravens Turning Over Every Stone Looking for OLB Help
After Robinson's injury and the trade of Odafe Oweh, the Ravens were down to just three outside linebackers for much of Sunday's game: Kyle Van Noy, rookie Mike Green, and David Ojabo.
Harbaugh said the team is looking at all options for adding outside linebacker help during the bye. They could sign a free agent or two, promote from within, or both.
Adisa Isaac, who is on injured reserve with a dislocated elbow, isn't expected to return until mid-November, but Baltimore does have two outside linebackers, Malik Hamm and undrafted rookie Kaimon Rucker, on the practice squad.
"We have a couple guys that we like on the practice squad right now that are doing really well. I wouldn't mind giving those guys a shot – one of those guys, at least," Harbaugh said.
Cooper Rush Remains the No. 2 QB, But Don't Rule Out Tyler Huntley
In his two starts in place of Jackson, Cooper Rush completed 25 of 39 passes for 251 yards, four interceptions, and zero touchdowns.
While the Ravens' three turnovers (including Rush's interception), ineffectiveness in short-yardage situations, and penalties doomed Baltimore's offense in a three-point showing, the Ravens also didn't challenge the Rams much through the air with just 72 passing yards from Rush.
Tyler Huntley provided a spark in the fourth quarter, adding another element as a scrambler. On his two fourth-quarter drives, Huntley was 10-of-15 for 68 yards and ran three times for 39 yards.
Harbaugh was asked Monday if Rush is still the team's No. 2 quarterback.
"I'm going to say yes, but I would also say that we have two backup quarterbacks. I believe that," Harbaugh said. "We're going to have to see how we want to do the roster. I'll talk to [General Manager] Eric [DeCosta] about that, too. I think Tyler's in the conversation, just like he was in the game."
Derrick Henry Won't Be Taking 'Tush Pushes'
The Ravens' inability to score on back-to-back goal-line "tush pushes" at the end of the first half was one of the turning points in the game.
Baltimore could have taken a 10-3 lead into halftime, but instead was stopped short. Derrick Henry tried to bounce his fourth-down run outside and was tackled for a loss.
Though Harbaugh wants to see better execution on the play, he isn't considering replacing tight end Mark Andrews with Henry as the ball carrier.
"Mark is a good ball handler. He's been doing it. We like Mark doing it," Harbaugh said. "Derrick, that I know of, has never taken a snap under center. So we'd have to teach him how to do that. Why Derrick over Mark? … That's not something we've thought about doing."
Harbaugh said the Ravens will continue to use the "tush push," pointing out that they converted on third-and-1 later in the game with Andrews again taking the direct snap under center.
Harbaugh said the Ravens' "ineffectiveness" in goal-line and short-yardage situations has been a surprise and his No. 1 priority to fix offensively during the bye week.
"Sometimes you say keep it simple and sneak it in," Harbaugh said. "They were loaded up for it, but you still should be able to push it in there."
Colts Claim Reuben Lowery III Off Waivers
The Indianapolis Colts have claimed safety Reuben Lowery III off waivers, the team announced.
The Ravens waived Lowery on Saturday after trading for safety Alohi Gilman and signing C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the practice squad last week.
Lowery was one of three undrafted rookies to make the Ravens' original 53-man roster, joining linebacker Jay Higgins IV and cornerback Keyon Martin.
Lowery played in three games and made one start, stepping in for the injured Kyle Hamilton, in which he made five tackles. The Colts got a longer look at Lowery this summer during their joint training camp practice with the Ravens and their preseason game.
