ExtremeRavens Posted August 6 Posted August 6 Injuries are inevitable during training camp, and the Ravens suffered their most significant one to date this week. Cornerback Arthur Maulet was absent from Tuesday’s practice in Owings Mills with a knee injury, coach John Harbaugh said. While Harbaugh didn’t put a timetable on Maulet’s return, it doesn’t sound as if it will be immediate. “We’ll see,” Harbaugh said. “It’s not going to be anything season-ending, but we’re looking at it right now.” When a reporter asked whether it was more of a long-term injury, Harbaugh responded by saying he’d just answered that. Maulet practiced Monday and didn’t appear to be in any pain. Late in the session, he was standing on the sideline talking with teammates and showed no signs of discomfort. Though the Ravens have a deep and talented secondary, losing the 31-year-old veteran would be a blow given his ability and versatility. Maulet is expected to again be Baltimore’s starting slot corner, a role he performed well in after signing a one-year deal with the Ravens last summer. Last season, he had 37 tackles, one interception, five passes defended, two sacks, five tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries in 14 games. A physical and skilled defender and adept at blitzing off the edge, Maulet also performed solidly on special teams and epitomized the Ravens’ culture. That netted him a raise with Baltimore re-signing the ex-Pittsburgh Steeler to a two-year, $4 million deal last month. “It was very key to re-sign Arthur Maulet,” Harbaugh said last week. “He’s a guy that I was pretty confident that we were going to re-sign all the way. I felt like he wanted to be here, and we wanted him back, and [general manager] Eric [DeCosta] had a good plan. It’s one of these things, sometimes the right players are looking for the right team, and I feel like Arthur was the right player for us, and we were the right team for him, and it’s really paying off.” Arthur Maulet had been a standout through the first two weeks of training camp. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Maulet likewise had little interest in leaving Baltimore to test free agency after asking the Steelers to release him in May 2023. “I didn’t want to go anywhere,” he said last week. “I love it here — this is like a second home to me. “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.” Maulet had been a standout through the first two weeks of training camp and at one point recorded an interception on three consecutive days. He has been a vocal leader among the group as well. He also expects to play an expanded role this season alongside starting cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Brandon Stephens after ranking fourth among Ravens corners in snaps last season with 408. “Offseason work [helped me],” Maulet said last week. “I worked out every day, I didn’t take too much time off. Broke down the film and saw my weaknesses and attacked them. Just got in the lab. was truthfully honest with myself. wanted to be a bigger piece this year [and] help this team win. I think we have one common goal, and we know what it is.” Though it appears the Ravens will be without Maulet for some time, they do have replacement options. Humphrey as well as All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton are among those who can step in to play in the slot. Cornerback Ar’Darius Washington, who has primarily been working at safety during training camp, also has experience in the role. “We have a lot of guys we’ve got a lot of confidence in,” Harbaugh said last week of the secondary. “We just want to see those guys keep doing well, keep growing [and] keep getting better, and see where it takes us.” The Ravens will open their preseason Friday night at M&T Bank Stadium against the Philadelphia Eagles. View the full article Quote
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