Devontez Walker, who the Baltimore Ravens drafted in the fourth round this past April, has not recorded a catch through the first two preseason games. In Saturday’s win over the Atlanta Falcons, Walker was not even targeted.
Preseason games provide an excellent opportunity for rookies to get playing time and establish themselves, so speculation has mounted as to why Walker has had such a diminished role.
Turns out he’s battling a rib injury, according to what head coach John Harbaugh told reporters at the postgame press conference on Saturday.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh said the limited playing time for WR Devontez Walker is due to a rib injury that he’s dealing with. A fourth-round pick, Walker wasn’t targeted in the second preseason game.
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) August 17, 2024
The good news is that Walker’s lack of development isn’t due to his playing poorly. The bad news is that he’s far from fully fit and finds himself lower on the depth chart come opening day.
It was expected that Walker would be behind the likes of Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, and Nelson Agholor. However, given how much the former North Carolina Tar Heel has been slowed by injury, he could also find himself behind Tylan Wallace and Russell Gage.