DeShon Elliott out for remainder of season with torn biceps and pectoral muscles

Ravens lose another starter to a season-ending injury

The Baltimore Ravens came out on top of their interconference matchup with the Minnesota Vikings 34-31 in overtime but it came at a cost. Starting free safety DeShon Elliott will miss the remainder of the season after he suffered a torn biceps and pectoral muscle late in the game.

Elliott exited the game on the Ravens’ last defensive drive in regulation after tackling Vikings fullback CJ Ham on a 27-yard completion where got behind him and tried to get up and advance the ball after being down. Head Coach John Harbaugh shared the unfortunate announcement in his postgame press conference.

“The guy is so courageous he gutted it out through all that,” Harbaugh said. “He’s going to be out, so that’s a major loss for us.”

This marks the third season-ending injury of Elliott’s career and it could not have come at a worse time for both him and the franchise. Elliott is in the fourth and final year of his rookie deal and was playing for a new contract. The strength of the Ravens defense coming into the season and over the past few seasons had been their secondary and now a unit that already lost All-Pro cornerback Marcus Peters will be without another starter going forward.

Elliott appeared and started in every game for the first time in his career last year and was arguably having his best season to date in 2021. He will finish what might be his last season as a Raven with 23 total tackles including 19 solos and three a loss, 2 pass deflections, a sack, 3 quarterback hits, 6 pressures, and his first career interception in six starts.

The next man up for the Ravens at free safety is rookie Brandon Stephens, who started two games earlier this season while Elliott was out in Weeks 4 and 5. The 2021 third-rounder out of SMU has had an up-and-down rookie season thus far but the Ravens envisioned him as a free safety when they drafted the versatile defensive back. While he has looked better in a limited role, he won’t have that luxury anymore and will likely have to step up as a full-time starter. The Ravens also have second-year pro Geno Stone and undrafted rookie Ar’Darius Washington as the other two true safeties on the active roster.