OWINGS MILLS — The Ravens’ special teams got a boost when Devin Duvernay was designated to return from injured reserve and was back on the practice field Wednesday.
Duvernay, a two-time Pro Bowl returner, injured his back on December 10th against the Rams. He missed the final four regular-season games but could be eligible for the playoffs.
Duvernay ranked 10th in the NFL, averaging 12.6 yards per punt return this season.
Tylan Wallace became the primary punt returner and made an immediate impact, scoring on a 76-yard punt return in overtime against the Rams. Wallace averaged an NFL-best 21.2 yards on six returns since taking over for Duvernay.
Justice Hill has been the starting kickoff returner and averaged 39.7 yards on three returns.
Newly signed running back Dalvin Cook also made his practice debut. Cook carried the ball only 67 times for 214 yards, a 3.2-yard average — 1.4 yards below his career mark — for the Jets this season. He played only 202 snaps on offense.
All-Pro recipients
Quarterback Lamar Jackson, safety Kyle Hamilton, and inside linebacker Roquan Smith were named First Team All-Pro for the 2023-2024 season.
Jackson had the AFC’s second-highest completion percentage (67.2 percent), passer rating (102.7), and touchdown-to-interception ratio (3.4). He threw for a career-high 3,678 yards with 24 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He’s also produced the NFL’s most rushing yards (821) by a quarterback and has five rushing touchdowns.
Hamilton has posted a career-high 81 tackles (63 solo) and one forced fumble while permitting an NFL-safety-low 38.4 passer rating (minimum 40 targets) in coverage. Hamilton was the first NFL defender to produce at least 10 tackles for loss and four interceptions in a season since safety Tyrann Mathieu in his 2015 Pro Bowl and All-Pro season.
Smith led the team with 158 tackles. His 39 consecutive games with at least five tackles marks the NFL’s longest active streak. Smith also had five tackles for loss, 1 1/2 sacks, one interception, one forced fumble, and a career-high eight passes defensed.
Other moves
Wide receiver Dan Chisena, an undrafted player from Penn State in 2020, was signed as a practice squad exception. Chisena made the Vikings’ 53-man roster as a rookie and played mostly on special teams.
He spent most of this past season on Arizona’s practice squad. Chisena has 11 career tackles on special teams and a fumble recovery.
Former Maryland running back Jake Funk was cut from the practice squad after being signed last month.
