Obviously, The Grateful Dead didn’t have the 2015 Baltimore Ravens, a team that was nearly three decades from existence, in mind back in 1970 when they penned the lyrics “What a long, strange trip it’s been” but no truer words could describe John Harbaugh’s team this season.
While the Ravens’ problems go deeper than just injuries this season, the numbers are staggering when it comes to the amount of players placed on injured reserve, and just roster moves in general the organization has made since week one of the season.
Including today’s addition of guard Leon Brown to the practice squad to replace guard Robert “Snacks” Myers who was signed to the Broncos’ active roster, the Ravens have now made 105 changes to their roster.
While rosters are always fluent throughout the season, 105 is certainly uncommon and is a new franchise record.
On the injury front, the numbers are even more incredible.
Yesterday’s placement of wide receiver Marlon Brown‘s (back) to injured reserve puts the Ravens at an NFL-high 20 players on the list.
Of the 20 players on injured reserve, eight players are starters who, per the Ravens, have a combined 1,003 games of NFL experience. In fact, 62 games have been missed by 11 different starters this season with most coming from the offensive side of the football.
More amazing is the fact that 41 different players have suited up to start at least one game for the purple and black in 2015 – 24 on offense and 17 on defense.
That number alone makes it even more impressive that the offensive and defensive coaching staff have been able to keep the Ravens in most of their games throughout the season.
The carousel continues to spin looking ahead to the season finale in Cincinnati. When the Ravens suit up on Sunday against the Bengals, they will have had at least 71 different players play in at least one game this season, another Ravens franchise-high, along with 16 players who were not even part of the franchise in week one.
As previously stated, injuries were not all to blame for this dismal season. However, they played a huge role in it.
And the Ravens…kept on Truckin.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pafY6sZt0FE[/youtube]
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