Vega Ioane is set to play Thursday night against the Jacksonville Jaguars after missing one game with a knee injury, a boost for the Ravens on a short week. He had no designation on Wednesday's final injury report and was a full practice participant on two days this week.
That matters now because the Ravens are trying to steady an offense that has been reworked and is still trying to gel again. Ioane said Monday, “I feel really good. I am confident in my ability to be able to come out,” and Wednesday’s report backed that up with a clean status heading into Thursday night.
The rest of the Jaguars injury report is less clean. Nate Wiggins missed Wednesday’s practice because of illness and is questionable, while Jaylinn Hawkins will miss a third straight game because of a knee injury. Bhayshul Tuten has not practiced all week because of ankle and foot injuries and may be a game-time decision, and Travon Walker is also questionable with a rib injury.
There is still a gap in the Ravens’ defensive outlook. Wiggins’ status is unsettled, and that leaves one more decision to watch before kickoff for a team already dealing with absences and rotating pieces around Joe Fagnano, Austin Reed and Kedon Slovis on the depth chart. The Ravens elevated Jake Moody and Adisa Isaac from the practice squad for Thursday’s game, a sign that they are preparing for a layered night rather than a simple return.
Now the focus shifts to whether the Ravens can use Ioane’s return to their advantage against a Jaguars team that is 5-2, has the NFL’s highest point differential this season and has won 13 of its last 15 regular-season games. Baltimore is 4-4 and trying to snap a three-game losing streak against Jacksonville. For Ioane, the next proof comes under the lights on Thursday night.
