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The Ravens roster may get a boost from returning key players before the team heads to Brazil, according to head coach Jesse Minter.

When the Ravens elected to keep two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike on the 53-man roster instead of starting him on injured reserve, the decision implied he would be back within four games.

His return would make a big difference for the pass rush, which disappeared on important downs in Sunday’s loss to the New Orleans Saints, and to the run defense, which was leaky.

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The Ravens were without another star, wide receiver Zay Flowers, after he hurt his hamstring in Week 1. The Ravens said he was day-to-day last week, but he didn’t return in time for the home opener. Wide receiver Rashod Bateman stepped up in Flowers’ absence, but the offense still lacked the explosiveness of Week 1.

Linebacker Teddye Buchanan has been working his way back from a torn ACL suffered last season. He was a limited participant all last week but is getting close. He will present an interesting dilemma because Trenton Simpson, who’s seen his workload increase, has been one of the defense’s best players, according to Minter.

Cornerback TJ Tampa, who is a key special teams player, hurt his knee in Week 1. He did not practice last week.

The Ravens also lost starting left tackle Ronnie Stanley to a toe injury during Sunday’s game.

“I feel like we’ll have a good shot with a lot of guys this week, which is encouraging,” Minter said without naming specific players. “So we’ll know more probably Wednesday. But I think we’re on a positive trajectory with a lot of those guys having a chance to chance to be back.”

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Minter was also asked about running back Derrick Henry, who finished with a much lighter load in the second half of the game.

“I think throughout the course of a game, there’s plays where [he dealt with] maybe something small or whatever, but for the most part, Derrick was definitely himself,” he said.

The show must go on in Brazil

NFL field director Nick Pappas told The Banner on Monday that the league has “plenty of work to do” to prepare the grass field at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracanã Stadium for the Ravens’ game Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, but “I have faith that it’ll all get done.”

Pappas said intense rainfall in recent weeks has created “more challenging conditions” for field maintenance, which led to complaints from soccer players in recent weeks about the quality of the playing surface.

Pappas and other NFL staffers in Rio de Janeiro said the grass is not a concern after Sunday’s soccer game at the stadium, the final event before the Ravens-Cowboys game this weekend.

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“We come in with a plan, and then obviously, once we’re in market, it’s always about assessing the plan and being able to adjust in live time,” Pappas said. “So should we end up with rainfall throughout the week, we may be pulling the tarp out to cover the field. And then maybe that pushes our time to paint or pushes time to mow, things like that. You know, your calendar gets a little bit mixed up, but that’s normal in the groundskeeping world. So we’ll be prepared for whatever comes our way.”

Minter said the Ravens have been in contact with the NFL but that decisions about the field are “really in the league’s hands.”

He added: “They got people there feel who pretty good about it, so both teams are going to be playing there and and we’ll be ready to roll.”

Extra points

  • Minter said that while the defense should always “chase a better scheme,” it has a lot of controllable things to clean up, such as tackling and leverage angles.
  • Penalties are a major point of emphasis for this team, which has the sixth-most penalties (17) in the league. A lot of the offensive penalties are operational, he said, and he’s not going to use the “lazy” excuse that it’s a new system. He said they need to be quicker, smarter and dialed in.
  • Minter said he and cornerback Chidobe Awuzie talked today about getting the veteran cornerback more playing time. Awuzie was a key depth piece for the Ravens last season but only played one snap.
  • On the final Ravens play, an interception thrown by Lamar Jackson, Minter said he saw a desperation play. The rush came in too quick, and Jackson got the ball out quicker than planned.