OWINGS MILL – The Ravens got some good news on the injury front when wide receiver Rashod Bateman and rookie cornerback T.J. Tampa returned to practice on Monday.
Both players were limited in their participation. Tampa didn’t participate in team drills and Bateman left the practice after about an hour.
“They always have sort of a ramp-up plan that we try to abide by and follow, and those guys are on that path, but it was good to see them back out there,” coach John Harbaugh said.
Bateman was out for a week when he was injured making a sensational catch in the end zone when he jumped over two defenders for a 15-yard touchdown reception. Bateman appeared to hurt his ribs on the play when he landed on the ball, and did not return. He stayed on the sideline, but he appeared to be holding his left side.
“[Bateman] is going to be OK. He’ll be fine,” Harbaugh said. “He’s trying to get himself out there as much as he can, and he’ll be out there soon.”
Harbaugh expressed optimism this week that the injury was not serious.
Tampa made his training camp debut after having double hernia surgery following the mandatory minicamp. Tampa, 6 feet 1, 185 pounds, was widely regarded as one of the best cornerbacks in the nation last season at Iowa State.
In 2023, he started all 12 games during the regular season and earned First-Team All-Big 12 honors, finishing with 44 tackles, including three for a loss, with two interceptions and seven pass breakups. He allowed just one touchdown in his last 497 coverage snaps.
Tampa has a chance to play in the remaining two preseason games.
“I would love to see him in the preseason but it’s going to depend on him being able to do it,” Harbaugh said. “It all depends on his recovery from the bilateral sports hernia surgery. I think he has a good shot. We’ll just have to see how he comes along in the next week or so.”
Safety Kyle Hamilton and cornerback Nate Wiggins were not available after dealing with injuries. Harbaugh did not provide a timeline for when Hamilton will return to practice.
On Sunday, Hamilton landed awkwardly on his left leg and had to leave practice with about an hour remaining. Harbaugh said it appears as if Hamilton will be fine. The All-Pro safety did running and stretching with a member of the athletic training staff before practice.
“[Hamilton] will be kind of ramping back [up] a little bit. He’s good,” Harbaugh said. “It’s kind of a minor, I’d say, a sprain, and so he got out there and moved around a little bit today, and [he’ll] just kind of progress each day a little more [and] get going.”
Wiggins was having a solid game against the Philadelphia Eagles in the preseason opener and broke up three passes on the opening drive. He went to the locker room with a shoulder injury early in the third quarter after he attempted to make a tackle.
Harbaugh said the injury was not serious but did not provide a timeline for when Wiggins might return.