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OWINGS MILLS, Maryland – The Ravens are heading to Pittsburgh and Wednesday’s game is still underway, but Baltimore had two more positive COVID-19 tests before leaving on Tuesday, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Sources told ESPN the positive tests belonged to Ravens safety Geno Stone, a seventh-round rookie pick who has appeared in two games this season, and an equipment manager.
The results are “not unexpected and are not game-related,” a source told Schefter.
Both positive tests were deemed to be safe for others because, a source told ESPN’s Dan Graziano, the Ravens “have been operating in recent days acting like everyone is positive.” Walk-in workouts were masked, remotely and outdoors to reduce risk, essentially eliminating close contact.
The Ravens will be tested again Wednesday before the game with point-of-service tests that return results within 30 minutes and are considered by the league to be more accurate than the point-of-service tests they used earlier in the season. . If the point-of-care tests are negative, the game is on, a source told Schefter.
The Ravens have had 10 consecutive days of testing positive as they prepare to face the unbeaten Steelers in a game that has been postponed three times due to the outbreak in Baltimore. At least a dozen Ravens have tested positive, including reigning NFL MVP Lamar Jackson.
Baltimore trained early Tuesday and then waited for the final test results. The Ravens headed for the airport around 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday, a source told ESPN’s Dianna Russini.
The news came hours after Baltimore activated nasal tackle Brandon Williams, quarterback Trace McSorley and injured cornerbacks Tavon Young and Khalil Dorsey from the reserve / COVID-19 list.
However, Williams was left out of Wednesday’s game with an ankle injury. He hasn’t trained since injuring his ankle in a 23-17 loss to New England on Nov. 15.
The Ravens also announced that two assistant coaches – Joe D’Alessandris (offensive line) and Matt Weiss (running back) – did not travel to Pittsburgh due to illness.
The Ravens have reduced the number of players on the reserve / COVID-19 roster to 16, marking the first time they have reduced the number of players on this roster since the outbreak began in Baltimore on November 22 .
It’s possible the Ravens will go down to 14 before playing the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday afternoon. Running backs JK Dobbins and Mark Ingram are both eligible to be removed from the list after completing a 10 day quarantine.
McSorley, who was on the reserve / COVID-19 list for 10 days, gives Baltimore two quarterbacks on the active list. Robert Griffin III is expected to start in place of Jackson, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Thanksgiving. If McSorley is unable to back Griffin, Baltimore will promote undrafted rookie Tyler Huntley from the practice squad.
Young and Dorsey return to the injured reserve after leaving the reserve / COVID-19 list.
Baltimore is in the midst of one of the biggest epidemics in professional sports.
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