The Ravens will meet their AFC North archrival Pittsburgh Steelers with a nearly full secondary as both cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Tavon Young are active for Sunday’s game at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.
Young and Humphrey had respectively missed three and two consecutive days of practice last week because of illness and were listed as questionable on the team’s final injury report of the week on Friday. But Young participated in warmups before the game, and Humphrey posted a photo of his locker before the game.
Their presence could be significant. Humphrey leads the Ravens in pass breakups (13) and ranks second in solo tackles (41), total stops (55) and interceptions (one). Young, the secondary’s top slot cornerback, has 20 tackles, three pass breakups and one interception.
Cornerback Anthony Averett, who leads the defense in interceptions (two), will play after being limited Thursday and Friday by shoulder and ankle injuries. Also returning is cornerback Jimmy Smith (neck), who did not practice Friday after being limited Wednesday and practicing fully Thursday.
But cornerback Chris Westry (thigh) was deactivated. He did not practice Wednesday and Thursday and was limited Friday.
The Ravens also will play without wide receiver Myles Boykin (finger), who had been regarded as doubtful on Friday; tight end Nick Boyle (knee), who had not practiced all week; outside linebacker Jaylon Ferguson (illness), who did not practice Friday; and running back Ty’son Williams, who is a healthy scratch.
Rookie outside linebacker Odafe Oweh will play. A shoulder injury kept him out of Thursday’s practice before he returned on a limited basis Friday. He ranks second on the defense in sacks with five.
The Steelers have their own issues on defense. Starting cornerback Joe Haden was ruled out Friday because of a foot ailment, and defensive end Isaiah Buggs joined him with an ankle injury. Haden will miss his third consecutive game, while Buggs will sit out his second straight game.
Also inactive are defensive lineman Carlos Davis, who was activated from the reserve/injured list on Saturday, quarterback Dwayne Haskins and running back Anthony McFarland Jr. (Maryland).
The defense did welcome back starting outside linebacker T.J. Watt, who was cleared Saturday morning from the team’s reserve/COVID-19 list. Watt enters the game ranked second in the NFL in sacks with 12 ½, trailing only the Cleveland Browns’ Myles Garrett (14).
