Coming off their biggest win of the year, an epic 47-42 AFC North victory over the Cleveland Browns on Monday, the Baltimore Ravens continue to struggle with COVID-19. Three receivers, including two starters, were placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday.
Marquise Hollywood Brown, Miles Boykin and James Proche were all added to the list, Wednesday, after they were identified as close contacts to someone who tested positive for COVID-19. Brown is the Baltimore Ravens’ No. 1 receiver and Boykin is also a starter. Proche is the team’s punt returner.
Under NFL protocols, the three had to be placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list after being identified as close contacts. Since none of the three have tested positive at this time, they are eligible to come off the list on Friday, as long as they continue to test negative for COVID-19.
Timeline of the Baltimore Ravens 2020 COVID-19 woes
• Nov. 3: After only minimal COVID-19 concerns over the first two months of the season, the Ravens place seven players on the reserve/COVID-19 list, including rookie first-round pick Patrick Queen and four other defensive starters.
• Nov. 23: Star running backs J.K. Dobbins and Mark Ingram, as well as starting defensive tackle Brandon Williams are placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
• Nov. 25-30: The Ravens place an additional 18 players on the reserve/COVID-19 list including MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson and more than 10 other starters, forcing the Ravens Thanksgiving game at the Pittsburgh Steelers to be postponed three times.
• Dec. 2: In the long awaited contest with Pittsburgh, the Baltimore Ravens play with more than 20 players on the reserve/COVID-19 list, including Jackson, but play surprisingly well in a 19-14 loss.
• Dec. 4-7: The Ravens activate 13 players from the reserve/COVID-19 list, including Lamar Jackson, in advance of their 34-17 Dec. 8th victory over the Dallas Cowboys, snapping a three-game losing streak. However, wide receiver Dez Bryant was notified of a positive COVID-19 test during pregame warm-ups prior to the Dallas game and was added to the list two days later.
• Dec. 9-14: The Ravens activate four more players from the reserve/COVID-19 list, including All-Pros Mark Andrews (TE) and Matthew Judon (DE), before defeating Cleveland, 47-42.
• Dec. 15: The Ravens activate Dez Bryant and corner back Terrell Bonds from the reserve/COVID-19 list, leaving them with just one remaining player on the list, practice squad defensive back Geno Stone.
• Dec. 16: Wide receivers Marquise Hollywood Brown, Miles Boykin and James Proche are all added to the reserve/COVID-19 list.
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“They won’t practice but will be available for Sunday’s game against the Jags if they continue to test negative,” said Ravens head coach John Harbaugh in a press briefing with the media on Wednesday afternoon.
The Baltimore Ravens certainly need all hands on deck as they continue to make a push for the 2020 NFL postseason. The Ravens are currently the eighth seed in the AFC and most likely need to win their final three games to move into the top seven to qualify for the playoffs.
Baltimore hosts the one-win Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday and the 5-8 New York Giants next week before closing the regular season in Cincinnati against a Bengals team which has won just two games thus far this year.
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