The injuries are piling up for the Baltimore Ravens’ defensive line, as the team placed DT Michael Pierce on injured reserve, it announced today on its website. Pierce’s injury comes with DL Brent Urban also dealing with a concussion and DT Travis Jones with an ankle injury. Pierce suffered a calf injury in Baltimore’s loss Sunday to the Cleveland Browns.
With the Steelers and Browns set to play in Week 11, Pierce will miss that game as he must sit out four games before being eligible to be activated off IR. This season, Pierce has 15 tackles and one sack in 156 snaps. He’s more of a run defender than a pass rusher, and he’s been working in a rotation with Jones at the defensive tackle position this season.
In a corresponding move, the Ravens added WR Diontae Johnson to their 53-man roster after acquiring him yesterday in a trade with the Carolina Panthers. The former Steelers wide receiver is slated to make his debut against his former team in just his third game with the Ravens, and the matchup against Pittsburgh could add a little extra fuel to Johnson’s fire.
Steelers-Ravens games are traditionally defensive affairs, and Baltimore’s banged-up defensive line could tilt the game in Pittsburgh’s favor. The Steelers lead the AFC North at 6-2, one game ahead of the 5-3 Ravens, and so the game will certainly have playoff implications in just a few weeks. The Ravens will definitely not have Pierce, but they’ll hope that Urban and Jones are able to return by Week 11 and make an impact at Acrisure Stadium.
On Monday, the Ravens signed DT Josh Tupou to their practice squad to give them additional depth with Pierce sidelined. Pierce will miss this weekend’s game against the Denver Broncos and also matchups against the Bengals and Chargers in addition to the Steelers game.
