ExtremeRavens Posted Friday at 07:39 PM Posted Friday at 07:39 PM Ravens safety Ar’Darius Washington, the spark plug who helped turn around Baltimore’s porous defense 10 weeks into last season, is trending toward an imminent return. Washington suffered a torn Achilles tendon during offseason conditioning in May. On Friday, he was seen partaking in an individual workout with team trainers on a side field — his first time running around on grass since the injury. Ravens coach John Harbaugh said that “reports have been really positive” throughout Washington’s rehab. “He’s moving around really well,” Harbaugh said. “He feels good.” Washington, who has spent all season on the physically unable to perform list, has not been cleared to practice yet, but Harbaugh indicated that he’s “getting close to that point.” Washington appeared in good spirits in the locker room after Friday’s practice. The 2020 undrafted free agent out of TCU stepped into a starting safety role beside Kyle Hamilton last year when team decision makers benched Marcus Williams, a $70 million free agent signing who had struggled mightily. Washington was, in many ways, considered the defense’s savior. In 17 games, the 5-foot-8 playmaker logged a pair of interceptions, 64 tackles, a key forced fumble at the goal line versus Pittsburgh, and a sack against Tampa Bay. Injecting Washington into a full-time role helped uplift Baltimore from one of the NFL’s worst pass defenses to one of the league’s best over the final third of the season. Washington’s injury occurred about one month after the Ravens drafted another safety in Malaki Starks. The rookie has admirably stepped into a starting role, having turned a corner since the bye week by recording an interception and pass deflection each of the past two weeks. Starks said that the game is slowing down for him to the point he can “fly around and get to the ball.” Baltimore’s secondary has also benefited from an early October trade that brought in veteran safety Alohi Gilman. That deal was finalized while Hamilton was on the shelf with a brief groin injury. The success of Starks and Gilman has allowed defensive coordinator Zach Orr to push Hamilton down into the box, unlocking what has been the Ravens’ most effective scheme this season. Harbaugh had this to say after drafting Starks, before Washington’s injury: “The good news is the offense isn’t going to know who’s going to be back there on any given play. They’re not going to be able to line up and say, ‘OK, Kyle’s going to be deep,’ or even, ‘Ar’Darius is going to be deep.’ … That’s pretty exciting.” Washington told his coach in late May that he’d be back by November. Harbaugh said at the time that he was counting on November or December. So, Harbaugh said Friday, “hopefully soon, he’ll be out there practicing.” Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.