OWINGS MILLS — The Ravens were able to activate cornerback Arthur Maulet from injured reserve at a time when they could use his help.
Not only has the secondary struggled but one of the team’s top playmakers, Marlon Humphrey, sustained a knee injury Monday night when he made his second interception against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night. Humprhey’s status is uncertain for Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns.
Humphrey has been the highest-graded cornerback in the NFL over the past two weeks, according to Pro Football Focus.
“He’s in good spirits, but I don’t know if it’s too serious,” coach John Harbaugh said about Humphrey after the game against the Buccaneers.
The Ravens are ranked last in the NFL, yielding 287.1 yards passing per game. The addition of Maulet, who was added to the roster this week, will provide a valuable veteran presence in the back end of the defense and provide much-needed depth at the nickel position.
Maulet sustained a knee injury in training camp and then injured his hamstring when he returned to practice on October 2nd. He could make his season debut on Sunday against the Browns.
In a corresponding roster move, the Ravens waived inside linebacker Josh Ross, who appeared in all seven games this season, finishing with five tackles on special teams.
Maulet, 31, became a valuable player in the Ravens’ defense last season, especially when Humphrey was sidelined with an injury. Maulet had 37 tackles, 1 interception, 5 passes defensed, 2 sacks, 5 tackles for loss and 2 fumble recoveries in 14 games, including three starts.
That performance led the Ravens to re-sign him to a two-year, $4 million deal in March. Maulet said that he wanted to return to Baltimore and did not test the free-agent market.
“I didn’t want to go anywhere. I love it here – this is like a second home to me,” Maulet said during training camp. “I want to end my career here. I just want to prove every day that I’m worth their investment, like I said, [and] keep grinding away and getting better every day.”