Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike (92) reacts after sacking Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (not pictured) in the second half at Paycor Stadium.
Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
The Baltimore Ravens still have some injuries they're dealing with throughout training camp and preseason, with one of them being Nnamdi Madubuike. The defensive tackle was taken off the physically unable to perform list after recovering from his neck injury from last season, but he still has not returned to team activities.
As of now, there is uncertainty on whether he'll be ready for Week 1, and head coach Jesse Minter offered an update.
“Minter said he doesn’t have a ‘definitive answer' as to whether there’s enough time for Nnamdi Madubuike to be ready for Week 1. Said they’re focused on day to day improvement from Madubuike and that’s happening,” Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
There is a chance that the Ravens place him on injured reserve, but that would mean he'd have to miss the first four games of the season. Madubuike may not need that much time to return, but it could open up the space for a player who's actually healthy to get playing time.
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Madubuike has been key for the Ravens' defense, and if they want to start fast this season, he needs to be on the field.
The Ravens are hoping they can bounce back from an injury-riddled year that saw them miss the playoffs last season. Throughout the offseason, the Ravens have improved their roster on both sides of the ball, and they should once again be considered one of the top teams in the AFC.
Minter will have a big job in front of him, but he seems ready for the opportunity, and the players are supporting him. It'll be interesting to see how they perform this season, and the hope is that they can get back to the dominance they've shown over the past few years.