On paper, the Ravens won 24-16 against the Colts. But the W felt sour in the face of a ‘step in the right direction’. Rookie corner Bilhal Kone was the unlucky one this time. His season ended before it ever got started, the sixth-round pick tearing a ligament in his left knee against Indy. It happened late in the first quarter while he was defending a pass in the end zone.  A clean play, no collision, just a sudden twist. He clutched his leg, trainers rushed in, and minutes later, his limb was locked in an air cast as the cart rolled him away.

For a rookie, the preseason is the test before they earn their right to play with the grown-ups. It’s their field to prove they belong in the NFL. Kone was firmly in the mix for one of Baltimore’s depth cornerback spots. At Western Michigan last year, he racked up 70 tackles, broke up nine passes, and picked off one throw. Scouts liked his physicality and short-area quickness… And John Harbaugh felt it, too. “Even seeing him in the locker room just now is really hard. Very hard,” Harbaugh said. “But I told him the sun will come up tomorrow. You’ll get this taken care of. You’ll be rehabbing, you’re part of our team, and you’ll be back.”

The Ravens had been rotating him heavily in camp, testing his versatility in the slot and outside. Now, the depth chart gets a little thinner. And “thinner” is not a word Baltimore wanted to hear in August. Losing Kone this early strips away a developmental piece and forces the front office to act fast. So, the Ravens didn’t waste any time. By Friday (Aug. 8) morning, they had a new face in the building.

That face belongs to M.J. Devonshire, a 24-year-old defensive back with speed to burn and a résumé that’s heavier on college playmaking than NFL snaps. A seventh-round pick by the Raiders in 2024, he spent his rookie year parked on the practice squad before short stints in Carolina and now Baltimore.

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What the Ravens like: he’s versatile enough to cover outside, drop inside, and help on special teams — something coaches value in roster crunch time. On X, the official Ravens account broke the news: “We have signed DB M.J. Devonshire and placed CB Bilhal Kone on Injured Reserve.”

Devonshire’s best football so far came at Pittsburgh after transferring from Kentucky in 2021. In three seasons with the Panthers, he recorded 84 tackles, 22 pass breakups, and eight interceptions, three of which he took all the way back for touchdowns. One of those, an 86-yard pick-six against Louisville in 2023, earned him ACC Defensive Back of the Week honors and a spot on highlight reels nationwide. For Baltimore, that knack for big plays is worth a look.

The Ravens’ next preseason test comes Aug. 16 against the Cowboys. Devonshire could be in uniform if he absorbs the playbook quickly this week. For now, his signing is more than just replacing a fallen rookie — it’s an open audition. And if he shows enough in the coming weeks, Baltimore may have stumbled into a solution that sticks past August.

Has the Bilhal Kone injury further increased coach John Harbaugh’s headache?

Standing at the podium after the preseason opener, John Harbaugh confirmed what no one in the locker room wanted to hear. Rookie cornerback Bilhal Kone, whose relentless rise from small-school standout to NFL draft pick had become one of camp’s most promising storylines, had torn a ligament in his knee and would miss the entire season. The sixth-rounder from Western Michigan had been gaining momentum, blending length, aggression, and a knack for breaking on the ball. Alas, it was not to be for the young star.

The loss of Bilhal Kone was already a major blow for Baltimore’s cornerback depth. Losing Robert Longerbeam days later turned a position of promise into one of immediate concern. Well, Longerbeam was out since an injury on July 31, after colliding with LaJohntay Wester. But it wasn’t until August 10 that the Ravens put him on the season-ending IR. Both rookies had flashed in camp, and both were expected to contribute on defense and special teams. Now, neither will take a snap in 2025.

John Harbaugh’s cryptic comments about Longerbeam’s patella tendon injury only added to the uncertainty. His “long story” answer left more questions than it resolved. “It’s a long story… Just a long story. I really couldn’t even explain it to you. As much as I might want to, I couldn’t explain it to you. It is what it is.”

However, the reality is simple: two of Baltimore’s youngest defensive backs are sidelined before the season begins. The next-man-up mantra is now a necessity. Sure, in response, they have moved quickly, adding M.J. Devonshire to the mix and keeping an eye on other available talent. But is this enough? Veterans will shoulder the load early, while younger corners like Jalyn Armour-Davis and T.J. Tampa will get their shot to prove they belong in the rotation. The margin for error just got slimmer, and every preseason rep now carries a little more weight.