Ravens rookie CB carted off field with injury vs. Colts
Things were already a little messy at the cornerback position for the Baltimore Ravens after a practice fight, but they got even worse when sixth-round rookie Bilhal Kone suffered a leg injury on Thursday night, according to a post on X by Ari Meirov.
'#Ravens 6th-round rookie CB Bilhal Kone suffered a knee injury and was immediately ruled out after being carted off with an air cast on his leg. Not good.'
A later update confirmed the severity of the injury, according to a post on X by Jordan Schultz.
'#Ravens rookie CB Bilhal Kone tore his ACL and MCL in tonight's preseason game vs the #Colts, per sources. The 6th-rounder out of Western Michigan was having an excellent camp and will now miss the entire 2025 season.'
It's a tough blow for Kone, who stood as a member of the third team at the right cornerback spot behind starter Jaire Alexander and backup T.J. Tampa. And it's rough for head coach John Harbaugh and the Ravens, who harbor dreams of the Super Bowl.
Ravens CB Bilhal Kone suffers injury
The injury occurred in the first quarter of the preseason game against the Colts, according to ESPN.
'Kone … was battling Colts wide receiver Ashton Dulin down the left sideline when he went down in the end zone on an incomplete pass,' Jamison Hensley wrote. 'He was visibly in pain and immediately grabbed his left leg.'
It's a hard path for Kone, who said he was determined to honor his family with his performances, according to baltimoreravens.com. Kone suffered childhood poverty and the death of his younger brother before this three-college trek to the NFL.
Kone said his brother was on his mind the day of the NFL Draft.
'Playing football is when my expressions come out and I have this high energy motor about me that I know comes from my little brother,' Kone said. 'I'm ready to go at any time, and I don't get tired quickly. Neither did my little brother. I definitely have his spirit through me every time I'm out on the field.'
It's a difficult thing for the Ravens to move forward without Kone. Any depth is important because Alexander wasn't able to consistently stay on the field with the Packers.
Related: Colts rookie CB suffers season-ending injury in NFL preseason loss to Ravens
Related: Ravens HC John Harbaugh breaks brutal season-ending news on injured rookie

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Which Commanders will play in Monday's preseason game against the Bengals?
Dan Quinn announced Jayden Daniels will see action Monday night. Daniels, now in his second NFL season, did not play in the Commanders' first preseason game up in New England, where the Pats rolled Washington 48-18. It's also to be remembered that Quinn sat 30 Commanders, providing him and his staff plenty of opportunity to see what others could do. Quinn told the media Saturday that he is looking forward to Daniels, along with several others, getting their first game action this preseason. "I would say it's a little bit customized, but we'd like to see a few series, and we're excited to see the guys," Quinn said. "They're excited to get performing, too, so we customized it a little bit." Quinn was quick to assert that Daniels will not be playing a whole lot either. "It's not going to be super long, so I wouldn't like to do like an extended popcorn break or something, but I'd be ready to be involved with it for sure.' It won't be thirty players Quinn designates to sit Monday night against the Bengals, but the head coach did go ahead and announce those players he has declared out on Monday. He did make a distinction, "some players that will be out for the game, some that we're going to hold, and others due to injury. LB Bobby Wagner LB Von Miller TE Zach Ertz T Laremy Tunsil G Sam Cosmi G Brandon Coleman WR Noah Brown WR Terry McLaurin QB Marcus Mariota LB Jordan Magee DE Javonte Jean-Baptiste CB Jonathan Jones In the preseason opener, running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt had to go to the tent, nursing a sore shoulder. But when asked about JCM, Quinn quickly responded that he is not injured. 'Nope, ready to roll more. Just making sure that he's doing well. We had a good, tough padded practice yesterday and that went well. So, we wanted to just kind of continue on that trajectory.' Magee was someone the coaches were very high on last offseason. However, he couldn't remain on the field due to injuries sustained in both training camp and the regular season. He just last this week returned to practice. So look for the Commanders to pace his reps and recovery, hoping he can see action in the preseason finale against the Ravens. This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Which Commanders will play vs. Bengals on Monday night?
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
James Cook contract details: Bills agree to $48M deal with star RB
The Buffalo Bills are making sure their Cook isn't leaving the kitchen. James Cook agreed to a four-year extension worth $48 million, the Bills announced via social media Wednesday morning. The two-time Pro Bowl running back was set to enter the final year of his rookie contract in 2025, paving the way for an extension. MORE: What we know about the Bills contract extension with James Cook Cook has been a key piece to the Bills offense since arriving in Western New York, totaling at least 1,200 scrimmage yards in each of the last two seasons. Here's what to know about Cook's new deal. James Cook contract details Cook agreed to terms on a four-year, $48 million extension, according to reports. The deal carries an average annual value (AAV) of $12 million, tying him with Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs as the sixth highest-paid running back, according to OverTheCap. His $30 million in guarantees is third-most of all running backs behind only Philadelphia Eagles star Saquon Barkley and Las Vegas Raiders rookie Ashton Jeanty. There's been a spirited debate in recent years about paying running backs, but it's clear that Buffalo values theirs. Prior to Cook's extension, only seven players at the position carried an AAV of more than $10 million. James Cook stats Cook has taken on a big role in the Bills' offense since arriving three years ago. The 25-year-old missed just one game during that time, playing in 49 of 50 games. He's coming off back-to-back seasons with at least 1,000 yards rushing, which came after taking over the starting gig ahead of the 2023 season. Cook scored 16 rushing touchdowns in 2024, finishing tied for the league lead with Jahmyr Gibbs and Derrick Henry. The Bills will hope for more of that going forward after already receiving a great return on their investment to this point. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: James Cook contract details: Bills sign RB to extension
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Winners, losers from Arizona Cardinals preseason loss to Denver Broncos
DENVER — The Arizona Cardinals second preseason game got ugly fast and stayed that way throughout. A week after an encouraging, mostly clean win over the Kansas City Chiefs, this was anything but. With both teams' starters sitting out, the Cardinals backups were outmatched and outclassed by the Denver Broncos in a 27-7 loss. The most important part of the Cardinals trip to Denver came earlier in the week, in the joint practice between the teams. Unlike the game, that session provided crucial snaps for the Cardinals starters. Still, the performance Saturday night was jarring. The Cardinals were outgained, 561 yards to 135. They gained 2.9 yards per play and allowed 7.8. So, what matters and what doesn't from the Cardinals performance? Here are the winners and losers from an ugly night in Denver. Winners Chad Ryland The Cardinals biggest winner emerged an hour before the game even kicked off. Going through his typical pre-game warmups, kicker Chad Ryland hit a few standard field goals from 40 and 50 yards. Then, he decided to test his leg in the thin Denver air. Ryland had the specialists unit back up past midfield to test an audacious 72-yard field goal. The result: perfection. Ryland split the uprights with a yard or two to spare. Had it been in a regular season game, the kick would comfortably have been an NFL record. The current record belongs to Justin Tucker, who hit a 66-yarder in 2021. Earlier this month, Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Cam Little nailed a 70-yarder in a preseason game. Of course, a kick in warmups does not equate to a kick during a game, with a kick blocking unit rushing toward the ball. Plus, Ryland's ball came in Denver's mile-high altitude, which can add roughly five yards to a kicker's distance. But despite those qualifiers, it was an impressive strike, and one that could influence Jonathan Gannon's thinking if he needs Ryland to attempt from 60-plus in the regular season. His current career long is 58 yards. The guys who didn't play We knew the Cardinals starters were not set to play against the Broncos. We didn't know exactly what that would mean. A handful of names ended up being surprise exclusions. That bodes well for those players, who have evidently impressed the coaching staff enough to not require further preseason reps. Trey Benson, the Cardinals second-string running back, headlined that group — another sign that he could cut into James Conner's workload more than he did as a rookie. Defensive end Darius Robinson and tight end Tip Reiman, two more 2024 draft picks, also sat out. They could be in line for more work this season. Perhaps the most surprising player to not play was defensive tackle Dante Stills, who impressed in both the first preseason game and the joint practice. He seems to have locked up a spot as a crucial depth piece on the defensive line. On the flip side, cornerback Will Johnson played eight snaps and safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson played 13 — an indication that the coaching staff believes they have areas in which they need to improve before the opener. Linebacker Owen Pappoe, a training camp standout, didn't play until the second half, an ominous sign for his roster chances. The decision to sign Jacoby Brissett The moment Brissett signed his one-year contract with the Cardinals this offseason, he became entrenched as their second quarterback. Entering training camp, that much was never in doubt. Throughout camp, though, Brissett has repeatedly shown the gap between him and third-stringer Clayton Tune. In one quarter of action, Brissett commanded the offense with aplomb. He led one touchdown drive and may have led another, had he not been let down by his wide receivers. His best play might have been on one of those drops. Brissett stepped up in the pocket, manipulated the defense with his eyes and hit Xavier Weaver in stride, only to see Weaver drop the ball. That play showed a level of composure that Tune has not displayed this summer. Brissett finished 6 of 8 for 57 yards and a touchdown, with the only two incompletions coming on drops. Tune finished 13 of 20 for just 56 yards. A long-term injury to Kyler Murray would still upend the Cardinals' season, but with Brissett in the building, they can feel much more comfortable in their ability to weather a short-term injury to Murray. Losers Young wide receivers With Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch and Zay Jones all sitting out, this was an opportunity for the Cardinals young receivers to show that they deserve a role in the offense. They did not take advantage of it. The most jarring sequence came on the Cardinals first drive of the game. The snap after Weaver's drop, 2024 sixth-round pick Tejhaun Palmer dropped a third-down screen pass that hit him directly in the hands. Both players have struggled to come down with contested catches in training camp — an area in which Gannon has called for them to improve. After Palmer's drop, he was benched for most of the Cardinals next drive. Weaver bounced back better, picking up a 17-yard reception on a crossing route and beating a cornerback by a step on a go route (although Tune overthrew him). Still, he'll have to be more sure-handed to push for regular-season snaps. Secondary depth Against Broncos backup quarterbacks Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger, the Cardinals secondary allowed 402 yards and two touchdowns on 39 pass attempts. That is, suffice it to say, not ideal. Some of that production came in the second half, against training camp defensive backs who will not be on the Week 1 roster. The bulk of it, though, came against players whom the Cardinals view as crucial backups. There was no shortage of ugly moments. Cornerback Denzel Burke and safety Kitan Crawford seemingly had a miscommunication on a busted coverage touchdown. Burke was beaten deep in man coverage twice, once on a comeback route and once on a go route for a touchdown. Kei'Trel Clark committed a pass interference penalty. Jaylon Jones was beaten a few times. Even Will Johnson, the second-round pick who has a firm grasp on a starting job, was beaten on a crossing route and committed a holding penalty. It's been a difficult week for Johnson, who also struggled in the joint practice. He was the only full-time starter who played Saturday. That doesn't mean it was all bad for the secondary. Crawford, in particular, had some nice moments, as did Burke. Overall, though, the group's performance was concerning. It's hard to see who the Cardinals would rely on if any of their starting cornerbacks suffer an injury in the regular season. Defensive line The secondary wasn't helped by the performance of the defensive line. They did not notch a single sack and generated just seven pressures, per Pro Football Focus. Jordan Burch, a standout last week, had one of those pressures on his nine pass rush snaps. The rest of the players in contention for a roster spot on a defensive front, though, did little. Their edge rushers also struggled to set the edge in the run game, allowing the Broncos to bounce a handful of explosive plays to the outside. L.J. Collier and Xavier Thomas stood out as two players on the fringe of the roster who did not make much of an impression with their opportunities. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Winners, losers in Cardinals' preseason loss to Broncos