The Baltimore Ravens announced on Tuesday that defensive back Damarion “Pepe” Williams has been designated to return from injured reserve and returned to practice.
DB Pepe Williams has been designated for return and returned to practice❗ pic.twitter.com/Y9F2KGdH4M
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 21, 2023
The second-year defensive back was placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury that sidelined him for most of the off-season activities. Williams will bring depth to the slot corner position first and foremost, where the Ravens have used a combination of players this season, including veteran cornerback Arthur Maulet and second-year safety Kyle Hamilton, to much success.
Baltimore drafted Williams with the No. 141 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The Houston cornerback immediately saw playing time in his rookie season for the Ravens, though he saw less and less time on the field as the year went on. Williams finished his first NFL season with 24 total tackles and two passes defended in 14 games.
It is unclear how much playing time Williams could see this season with the amount of quality depth Baltimore currently has at the cornerback position with Marlon Humphrey, Brandon Stephens, Ronald Darby, Arthur Maulet, Rock Ya-Sin, and fellow 2022 draft mate Jayln Armour-Davis.
Still, cornerback is a position that can thin out quickly due to injuries throughout an NFL season, so getting a promising player like Williams back into the fold as a potential option, if need be, on game days is beneficial.