Baltimore Ravens Have Two Impact Starters Return To Practice From Injury

The Baltimore Ravens had two welcomed sights back on the field to begin the third week of training camp.

Jul 30, 2026; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers (4) during practice at Under Armour Peformance Center. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The rumors of Pro Bowl wide receiver Zay Flowers' demise proved to be greatly exaggerated and the long-awaited return of nose Travis Jones to the field finally arrived Tuesday morning when both were on the practice field at Under Armour Peformance Center when the Baltimore Ravens returned from their day off.

.@ZayFlowers back at practice! pic.twitter.com/MhjuR7h6Xb

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 11, 2026

Just days after signing the largest deal for a non-quarterback in franchise history, Flowers limped off the practice field with what head coach Jesse Minter revealed was a quad contusion that he sustained after colliding with safety Jaylinn Hawkins during a 7-on-7 drill.

Fans didn't have to wait with bated breath for long, as the only practice Flowers missed was Sunday's under a scorching hot sun. Minter did share that they didn't expect the star wideout to miss much time, stating that he would be "day-to-day" but avid followers of the team had the right to be understandably skeptical given how that term sometimes meant days, weeks and even months under former head coach John Harbaugh.

"I feel really good about where that is at, and I think those types of things may take a couple of days," Minter said Sunday. "It may take one day [or] three days," Minter said. "But, I feel good that he will be back out there being Zay here pretty soon."

Jones, on the other hand, is making his training camp practice debut after passing his physical and being removed from the Physically Unable to Perform list. He missed the first couple of weeks of camp and most of the offseason program while recovering from a reported pectoral injury.

The fifth-year veteran is coming off a career year in which he led the team with a personal-best five sacks and was first among interior defensive linemen in defensive snaps played (743) and total tackles made (47).

He joins two-time Pro Bowler Nnamdi Maduike and veteran nose tackle John Jenkins as the third player from their position group and fifth overall to come off the P.U.P. While six-time Pro Bowl defensive end Calais Campbell didn't open camp on any sort of injury list, he started on a gradual ramp-up and is now taking part in full team 11-on-11 drills.

"Expect that room over the next week to two weeks to really, really take shape for us," Minter said.

Jones' removal from P.U.P leaves second-year inside linebacker Teddye Buchanan as the only one still on the list as he continues his miraculous recovery from a torn ACL.

Ravens are still thin in defensive trenches heading into preseason opener

Aug 12, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley (2) rolls out in the third quarter against the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

As great as it is to see the starting and primary backup interior defensive linemen achieve or near full health with just over a month until the start of the regular season, the current depth behind them is shallow and will have its endurance tested this Saturday when the Philadelphia Eagles come to town for an exhibition game at M&T Bank Stadium.

The Ravens also had second-year defensive tackle Aeneas Peebles return to practice on Tuesday after he missed nearly a week with an undisclosed injury. However, they are heading into their first preseason game with the same group of unheralded youngsters who have been grinding away with the first and second team defenses the past fortnight while the more established players have been getting healthy.

Expect to see a lot of Peebles, veteran Broderick Washington, rookies Rayshaun Benny, Aaron Graves and Dion Wilson Jr. as well as second-and-third-year pros David Olajiga and C.J. Okoye, the last two of whom are international pathway players.

Another key injury to monitor heading into the preseason opener is the status of veteran reserve quarterback Skylar Thompson.

He continues to miss practice with an undisclosed injury, and if he can't play against the Eagles, the Ravens will likely only play Pro Bowl backup Tyler Huntley for the first quarter or just a couple of series and will get an extended look at undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano out of UConn.