Ravens Lose Offensive Tackle, Cornerback for Season

Baltimore had two key injuries against Jets.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens did not escape the Week 1 game against the Jets unscathed. 

Cornerback Kyle Fuller suffered a season-ending knee injury and offensive tackle Ja'Wuan James was lost for the second straight year after tearing his Achilles.

The Ravens signed Fuller to a one-year deal in May. He was a proven addition to the secondary and was solid in the 24-9 victory over the Jets.

"He was playing good football too," coach John Harbaugh said. "He’ll tell you, he really loves it here; his mom is here. He just liked everything about what we were doing, and he fit in so well and was playing good ball in the game, really all camp. [He’s] such a serious guy, so determined. He’ll come back stronger than ever. [It’s] one of those things, just a crazy circumstance on their AstroTurf. 

"He got pushed off, and just landed the wrong way in the turf, and the turf doesn’t usually give as much as grass. So, that’s what happened.”

Fuller grew up in Baltimore and attended Mount Saint Joseph High School before playing at Virginia Tech.

Fuller, who made the Pro Bowl 2018 and 2019, serves as a role model to rookie fourth-round picks Jalyn Armour-Davis and Damarion Williams, who will need time to adjust to the speed of the NFL.

Second-year player Brandon Stephens can take over for Fuller until Marcus Peters is ready. Fourth-round rookies Jalyn Armour-Davis and Damarion Williams provide depth and the Ravens also have Daryl Worley and Kevon Seymour on the practice squad.

“He played a really good, fundamentally-sound football game. Technique wise, [his] eyes were in the right spot," Harbaugh said about Stephens. "[He had a] very solid game, made plays on the ball, [making] key plays on the ball to get us off the field. Generally, he played a really good game. He took a step from where he was last year.”

The injury to Ja'Wuan James has left the @Ravens precariously thin at left tackle and they might need to make a move, especially if Ronnie Stanley remains sidelined. #RavensFlock #RavensNation https://t.co/AWn5mwosfy via @toddkarpovich

— Todd Karpovich (@toddkarpovich) September 12, 2022

With the loss of James, the Ravens moved the versatile Pat Mekari to left tackle and he performed well. However, this injury will hasten the need for Ronnie Stanley to get back in the lineup because there is no depth.

Harbaugh said the team was deciding whether to add a free agent tackle. 

"I think that’s something that’s in conversation right now," he said. "We’ll just kind of see where we’re at with all the moving parts there. There are a lot of moving parts that go with that. Where we’re at with our team, what’s out there, those kinds of things. So, we’ll continue to talk about those things."