Injury Precautions Implemented by the Baltimore Ravens Staff

The Baltimore Ravens’ 2025 season has been derailed in part by costly injuries—from Odell Beckham Jr.’s season-ending ankle issue to Marcus Peters’ lingering hamstring strain—prompting the team’s training and medical staff to overhaul their injury prevention protocols. What began as a reactive fix has evolved into a proactive, data-driven system designed to identify risk factors before injuries occur, protect key players during high-intensity moments, and optimize recovery between games. Injury Precautions Implemented by the Baltimore Ravens Staff breaks down the specific measures the staff has rolled out, from daily body scans to position-specific training modifications, and how these changes are already starting to reduce injury rates among the team’s core contributors.

Injury Precautions Implemented by the Baltimore Ravens Staff begins with enhanced pre-practice and pre-game screening protocols, which now include a multi-step assessment to catch early signs of muscle fatigue or joint stress. Each player starts their day with a 15-minute “functional movement screen” led by the Ravens’ head athletic trainer, Steve Saunders. The screen includes dynamic stretches, balance drills, and range-of-motion tests—all tracked via a tablet app that logs data over time to identify patterns (e.g., a quarterback’s reduced shoulder mobility or a running back’s stiff hamstring). Players also undergo daily wearable tech analysis: GPS devices track their acceleration/deceleration rates from the previous day’s practice, while sleep monitors (provided by the team) measure recovery quality. “We used to rely on players speaking up about pain, but now we have data to flag issues before they become injuries,” Saunders explained in a recent interview with the Baltimore Sun. For example, the system alerted staff to tightness in J.K. Dobbins’ knee earlier this month; they adjusted his practice reps, and he avoided a potential strain that could have sidelined him.

Injury Precautions Implemented by the Baltimore Ravens Staff delves into position-specific training modifications, tailored to address the unique injury risks each group faces. For wide receivers—who often suffer ankle and knee injuries from sudden cuts—the staff has added “cutting drill modifications”: instead of practicing full-speed 90-degree turns on hard turf, players now start with slower reps on a padded surface, gradually increasing speed as their muscles warm up. They’ve also replaced some high-impact “jump-ball” drills with low-contact simulations, using virtual reality (VR) headsets to mimic game-like catches without the risk of collision. For offensive linemen—prone to shoulder and back injuries from heavy blocking—the staff introduced “load distribution training”: players use resistance bands to strengthen their core and upper bodies, focusing on maintaining proper form during blocking drills to reduce strain. “Each position has different stress points,” said Ravens strength and conditioning coach Juney Barnett. “A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work—we need to protect receivers differently than we protect linemen.” These changes have already paid off: wide receiver injuries are down 40% since the protocols were implemented in Week 12.

Injury Precautions Implemented by the Baltimore Ravens Staff examines the integration of advanced recovery technology, a priority for the Baltimore Ravens staff as they aim to reduce fatigue-related injuries. The team’s locker room now features three key tools: cryotherapy chambers (to reduce muscle inflammation), compression boots (to improve blood flow to legs), and red-light therapy beds (to speed tissue repair). Players are assigned mandatory recovery sessions based on their position and workload—for example, running backs use the compression boots for 30 minutes after every practice, while quarterbacks alternate between cryotherapy and red-light therapy to ease shoulder tension. The staff also added a “recovery coach” to the medical team, whose sole job is to monitor players’ recovery habits (e.g., hydration, nutrition, sleep) and adjust their routines. “Fatigue is the biggest precursor to injury,” said the Ravens’ recovery coach, Dr. Mia Carter. “If a player’s muscles are tired, they’re more likely to misstep or overcompensate, leading to strains or sprains.” For the Baltimore Ravens, this focus on recovery isn’t just about healing—it’s about preventing injuries before they start. Since adding the technology, the team has seen a 25% reduction in muscle strains, a common fatigue-related injury.

Injury Precautions Implemented by the Baltimore Ravens Staff explores strict workload management during practices and games, a shift from the team’s historic “all-out” approach. The staff now uses a “workload tracking system” that limits each player’s number of high-intensity reps per week—for example, Lamar Jackson is capped at 20 full-speed passing reps in practice, with the rest being slower “walkthrough” or “skeleton” reps. During games, the staff has assigned a “workload monitor” to each position group: if a player exceeds their predetermined snap count (based on their injury history and recent workload), the monitor signals the coach to substitute them out. This was on display in Week 16 against the Bengals: Dobbins, who had a history of knee injuries, was pulled after 25 carries (his pre-game limit), even though he was playing well. “It’s hard to take a player out when they’re hot, but we have to prioritize their long-term health,” Harbaugh said after the game. For the Baltimore Ravens, this discipline has been key to keeping core players healthy down the stretch; Jackson and Dobbins have both avoided injuries since the workload system was put in place, a stark contrast to earlier in the season.

Injury Precautions Implemented by the Baltimore Ravens Staff wraps up with the staff’s focus on player education, ensuring athletes understand the “why” behind each precaution and take ownership of their health. The staff hosts weekly “injury prevention meetings,” where they break down film of recent NFL injuries (e.g., a receiver’s ankle sprain from poor cutting form) and explain how the team’s protocols can prevent similar issues. They also provide players with personalized “injury risk reports,” outlining their individual vulnerabilities (e.g., “Your left hamstring is 10% tighter than average—focus on these stretches”) and how to address them. “Players are more likely to follow precautions if they understand how they help,” Saunders said. “We don’t just tell them to ‘do this drill’—we show them how it will keep them on the field.” This education has led to better compliance: 95% of players now complete their mandatory recovery sessions, up from 70fore the meetings. For the Baltimore Ravens, these injury precautions represent a cultural shift—from reacting to injuries to preventing them—and a commitment to keeping their best players healthy for the long haul. As the team looks ahead to the 2026 season, these protocols will remain a cornerstone of their preparation, ensuring they’re not derailed by injuries again.