Brown, Onwuasor back at practice
Veteran safety Thomas sits out with a knee injury
The Ravens, practicing for the first time Wednesday since returning from their bye week, had two key starters return to practice ahead of Sunday night’s matchup against the New England Patriots.
Rookie wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and inside linebacker Patrick Onwuasor practiced Wednesday for the first time since injuring their ankles Oct. 6 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Both Brown and Onwuasor were limited.
Before practice, Brown said he wasn’t sure if he would suit up Sunday, but said he wants to play if given the opportunity.
“[I am] very excited to keep progressing every day and getting better,” Brown said. “It’s very tough, just sitting and watching since I’ve been here is tough. But [I’ve] got good teammates and good people around me. ... I’m just taking it day by day. I want to be out there.”
Coach John Harbaugh said Monday that he was confident that Brown, Onwuasor and cornerback Jimmy Smith would be able to play Sunday.
Smith hasn’t played since spraining his knee in Week 1 but returned to practice before the team’s bye week and was limited. He was limited again Wednesday.
Cornerback Maurice Canady (thigh) was also limited. Safety Earl Thomas III, who typically receives a vet day on Wednesday, missed practice with a knee injury.
Jackson praises Brady
After an August preseason game between the Ravens and Green Bay Packers in which Packers star quarterback Aaron Rodgers gave quarterback Lamar Jackson praise and advised him to slide more often, Jackson affectionately referred to Rodgers as the “GOAT,” or the “Greatest of All Time.”
But on Wednesday, ahead of the Ravens’ prime-time matchup with the New England Patriots, Jackson made sure to reaffirm his admiration for quarterback Tom Brady.
When asked if Brady was the “GOAT of all GOATs,” Jackson interjected, “Tom Brady [is] definitely the one at the top. Definitely, definitely. He’s got six Super Bowls.”
Jackson has frequently publicly expressed his respect for the future Hall of Famer, stating a desire to emulate the prolonged success that Brady, 42 and in his 20th season, has seen.
“He’s just so cool,” Jackson said. “In the pocket, he drops back, he looks so smooth, like he’s not even dropping [back]. It looks like he really just standing there, just waiting [for] stuff to happen, just [picking] the defense apart. [He is] a great quarterback, man.”
In his first 14 regular season starts, Jackson has 11 wins, second in NFL history. Only Brady and Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson have more wins in that span (12).
Jackson has often downplayed the significance of his involvement in quarterback matchups but acknowledged a win on Sunday would feel a little different.
“I’m not going against Brady, because I’m not playing against him, actually,” Jackson said. “The defense is. But to get a win versus him, it’d be pretty cool. So I’m going in there, trying to win.”