Ravens Rookie Dealing With Minor Injury

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Devontez Walker was very quiet in his preseason debut.

Oct 28, 2023; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels wide receiver Devontez Walker (9) catches a pass against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the second half at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Friday's preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles marked the first chance for the Baltimore Ravens' rookies to show off in an actual game, and out of said rookies, wide receiver Devontez Walker was one many had their eyes on.

Unfortunately, Walker didn't leave quite the first impression he would've liked to. The fourth-round pick from North Carolina did not register a catch on Friday night, and he was only targeted once.

As it turns out, there is a reason for Walker's quiet debut. Following Sunday's practice, head coach John Harbaugh confirmed that the 23-year-old is dealing with a minor injury, though he is steadily improving.

"[Walker]'s been dealing with a rib thing, so he's been a little limited with that," Harbaugh said. "It should be good this week if nothing else happens. I'd like to see him get out there and take a lot more reps and really see what he can do."

Walker isn't the only wide receiver dealing with injury, as Rashod Bateman has also missed the past few practices. The Ravens signed free agents Russell Gage and Anthony Miller in the past week, simultaneously shoring up their depth and adding more competition for Walker and those further down the depth chart.

"I think sometimes, you're playing the opportunities," Harbaugh said. "There's an opportunity to bring those guys in who've done some things [in the NFL]. Russell has had a ton of catches in the league. Anthony has been in the league [for] two or three years, and he's a talented guy. He hasn't broken through yet, but we're impressed with his talent. He had a workout, [and he] looked very good, he looks like he's in great shape. So, why not take a look at these guys and see what they can do and see if they can make a push."

Walker is coming off a great season at North Carolina, in which he hauled in 41 passes for 699 yards and seven touchdowns in just eight games. Starting as a rookie may be a tall task, but if he's healthy, there's no reason why he shouldn't be a key part of the passing game.

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