The Ravens activated cornerback Jimmy Smith and outside linebacker Pernell McPhee off the reserve/COVID-19 list Monday, but sidelined practice squad safety Tony Jefferson.
With the return of Smith and McPhee, the Ravens have eight active-roster players on the reserve/COVID-19 list, notably quarterback Tyler Huntley, defensive lineman Justin Madubuike, outside linebacker Justin Houston and cornerback Chris Westry. The team’s recent coronavirus outbreak has thinned the defense’s depth in recent weeks.
McPhee, a strong run defender, hasn’t played since Nov. 11 because of a knee injury, but Smith’s arrival should help a secondary that played much of Sunday’s without any of its top five outside cornerbacks. The status of starting cornerback Anthony Averett, who was knocked out of Sunday’s game with a ribs injury, is uncertain heading into a crucial Week 17 game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Jefferson, who rejoined the Ravens on Dec. 13, had a team-high-tying nine tackles and a sack in Cincinnati and was one of the Ravens’ highest-rated players, according to Pro Football Focus. He finished with 47 defensive snaps Sunday, the 10th most on the team.
Under the NFL’s updated COVID-19 protocols, fully vaccinated players who test positive can clear protocol within one day if they register two negative tests and are asymptomatic. Players who are not vaccinated must quarantine for 10 days.
