In the aftermath of the Ravens’ 23-20 loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC championship on Sunday, the finality of the season coming to an abrupt end was accompanied by the all-too-familiar feeling knowing that same team will never be together again.

The reality of the NFL’s offseason brings substantial change to all 32 teams — some more than others — and forces players to say goodbye to others for the final time as teammates.

“It’s tough to really think about that,” quarterback Joe Flacco said. “You know it’s going to happen, but you don’t know which guys it’s going to be, so it’s tough to be in our shoes and go through that. You finally just take it for what it is, and before you know it, you hope you had a good relationship with everybody on the team and said as much as you could say to that guy. We hope we can bring as many people back as we can.”

While other moves will be made — cornerbacks Domonique Foxworth and Chris Carr and wide receiver Lee Evans are the strongest candidates to be cut despite being under contract for the 2012 season — the Ravens have 13 unrestricted free agents, four restricted free agents, and four exclusive-rights free agents entering the offseason. I’ve included the entire list with a brief thought on each player’s potential future in Baltimore.

Two dates to keep in mind as the offseason begins are the March 5 deadline to designate a franchise player and the start of free agency on March 13 at 4:00 p.m.

Unrestricted free agents

RB Ray Rice
2011 stats: 16 starts, 2,068 yards from scrimmage, 15 touchdowns
Skinny: Rice isn’t going anywhere as the Ravens will either use their franchise tag on the Pro Bowl back or sign him to a long-term deal, though the latter would certainly create more cap space for 2012.

G Ben Grubbs
2011 stats: 10 starts, first Pro Bowl selection
Skinny: The Ravens clearly would like to bring the left guard back, but with Marshal Yanda receiving a sizable deal a few months ago, can the organization afford to invest so much money in the guard position?

C Matt Birk
2011 stats: 16 starts
Skinny: After 14 seasons in the league, Birk may decide to retire, but the Ravens could elect to go with the slightly-younger Andre Gurode or look to the draft for the center position.

LB Jarret Johnson
2011 stats: 16 starts, 56 tackles, 2 1/2 sacks
Skinny: With Johnson on the wrong side of 30, it might be time to part ways with the veteran linebacker, but the Ravens lack a logical replacement on the current roster with the disappointing development of 2010 second-round pick Sergio Kindle and the limitations of pass rusher Paul Kruger.

LB Jameel McClain
2011 stats: 16 starts, 81 tackles, one sack, one interception
Skinny: The former undrafted free agent credits Ray Lewis for his growth, so you have to wonder if McClain becomes the next Baltimore linebacker to receive an inflated contract elsewhere.

DE Cory Redding
2011 stats: 15 games (11 starts), 43 tackles, 4 1/2 sacks
Skinny: Before an ankle injury slowed Redding over the final month of 2011, he was having his best season in years, but the Ravens could elect to go with younger — and cheaper — defensive lineman Arthur Jones at this position.

LB Brendon Ayanbadejo
2011 stats: 16 games, 27 tackles, 1 1/2 sacks, nine special teams tackles
Skinny: The 35-year-old intends to play in 2012 and expects to be back with the Ravens, but the nickel linebacker may not be on the same page as Baltimore in terms of a contract to make his return feasible.

S Tom Zbikowski
2011 stats: 14 games (four starts), 16 tackles, one sack
Skinny: Largely a forgotten man after Bernard Pollard wrestled away the strong safety job early in the season, it appears Zbikowski will likely try to find a new home where he can start.

S Haruki Nakamura
2011 stats: 15 games, three tackles, nine special-teams tackles
Skinny: In a similar position to Zbikowski, the Ravens will likely make a harder push to keep Nakamura due to his exceptional ability as as special teams player.

OL Andre Gurode
2011 stats: 13 games (five starts)
Skinny: Signed as an insurance policy behind Matt Birk, the 10-year veteran wound up being needed at left guard for an injured Grubbs and could be the short-term replacement at center next season.

DT Brandon McKinney
2011 stats: 12 games, 14 tackles
Skinny: A regular part of the rotation along the defensive line, it’s hard to envision teams beating down McKinney’s door, but the Ravens may try to go younger and cheaper than the six-year veteran.

TE Kris Wilson
2011 stats: 15 games, four special teams tackles
Skinny: His touchdown catch in the divisional round was his claim to fame, but the veteran’s competent special teams ability may not be enough to keep him in Baltimore next season.

LB Edgar Jones
2011 stats: nine games, three special teams tackles
Skinny: Though he was active all nine games after being signed in early November, there’s a reason why Jones was unemployed when the Ravens were looking for special-teams depth.

Restricted free agents
(The Ravens can offer a tender attached to a draft pick and then have the right to match any offer from an opposing team and would receive that team’s draft pick if they choose not to match it.)

CB Lardarius Webb
2011 stats: 16 games (15 starts), 68 tackles, five interceptions, sack
Skinny: With another season like he had in 2011, Webb will be looking for a large payday and deservedly so.

CB Cary Williams
2011 stats: 16 starts, 77 tackles, two forced fumbles
Skinny: Easily the most pleasant surprise on the Baltimore defense, Williams will battle 2011 first-round pick Jimmy Smith for a starting corner job in training camp.

LB Dannell Ellerbe
2011 stats: nine games (three starts), 17 tackles
Skinny: The third-year linebacker always leaves you wanting more but could find himself in position to compete for a starting role depending on how the Ravens address the inside linebacker position this offseason.

RB Matt Lawrence
2011 stats: Did not play (injured reserve)
Skinny: Though a competent special-teams player when he’s been healthy in his three-year career, you have to think the Ravens are ready to cut ties with the injury-plagued back.

Exclusive-rights free agents
(These are players with two or fewer accrued seasons and own no negotiating rights.)

LS Morgan Cox
2011 stats: 16 games
Skinny: There’s no reason to think the Ravens are displeased with Cox’s performance as the long snapper.

CB Danny Gorrer
2011 stats: 11 games, three tackles, four pass breakups
Skinny: Considering he was pushing Chris Carr for the No. 4 corner spot by season’s end and was strong on special teams, Gorrer should have no reason to think the Ravens won’t bring him back.

LB Sergio Kindle
2011 stats: two games
Skinny: The Ravens will bring Kindle back, but he’ll need to make major strides in the offseason and training camp to make the 53-man roster again.

LB Albert McClellan
2011 stats: 16 games (one start), seven tackles, 12 special teams tackles
Skinny: He drew a start for the injured Ray Lewis on Thanksgiving night and is one of the best special teams players on the team, making his return a certainty.

In what’s easily been the most frustrating week in the history of the franchise, the Ravens will now need to look for a new defensive coordinator as Chuck Pagano has been hired as the next head coach of the Indianapolis Colts.

Leading the Ravens to the No. 3 overall defensive ranking in his first season as coordinator, Pagano interviewed with Indianapolis on Tuesday before being offered the job on Wednesday. The 51-year-old spent three seasons as the Baltimore secondary coach before being promoted to replace former defensive coordinator Greg Mattison last offseason.

“It’s difficult to leave the Ravens but I couldn’t pass up on this great opportunity,” Pagano said to the Ravens’ official website. “I’m just thrilled and so excited.”

Pagano was extremely popular with his defensive players and brought a more aggressive play-calling style than Mattison, helping the Ravens improve from a franchise-low 27 sacks in 2010 to an AFC-best 48 this season.

“He just had an inkling for [making the right calls],” linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo told AM 1570 WNST on Wednesday afternoon. “More than anything, he wasn’t going to rely on just going vanilla and saying, ‘Oh, we’re going to beat everybody just going vanilla.’ That’s what coach Mattison liked to do.”

The Ravens sent four defensive starters to the Pro Bowl this year, including linebackers Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, and free safety Ed Reed.

Pagano will be introduced to the Indianapolis media in a press conference on Thursday afternoon. The Colts fired general manager Bill Polian and head coach Jim Caldwell following a disastrous 2-14 season without quarterback Peyton Manning.

“We are so happy for Chuck, [his wife] Tina and their daughters,” coach John Harbaugh said in an official statement. “We are proud of him. Like me, Chuck grew up in the game and loves it. We will miss him and thank him for all he did for the Ravens.”

The 51-year-old will likely usher in a new era with Indianapolis primed to take Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck with the first overall pick in April’s draft. Ayanbadejo said the Colts will immediately take to Pagano’s infectious personality.

“He was one of those guys [where] it was like he was out on the field of battle with you and you’d never want to let him down, because he’s such a good guy,” Ayanbadejo said. “He’s also a family guy and a great person. You really felt like you knew him, and more than anything, you just didn’t want to let him down.”

Pagano had previous stints as a defensive assistant with the Cleveland Browns and the Oakland Raiders and also coached at several colleges, including most recently at the University of North Carolina before being hired by Harbaugh in 2008.

The Ravens will also wonder what impact Pagano’s departure might have on their list of defensive players with expiring contracts. Linebackers Jarret Johnson, Jameel McClain, and Ayanbadejo, defensive end Cory Redding, safeties Tom Zbikowski and Haruki Nakamura, and defensive tackle Brandon McKinney are all set to become unrestricted free agents and could now view Indianapolis as a viable alternative to the Ravens, who will not have a great deal of salary cap space.

After former Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan was hired as the head coach of the New York Jets in 2009, linebacker Bart Scott and safety Jim Leonhard joined him in the Big Apple as free-agent signings.

Baltimore will now have its fourth defensive coordinator in five years after Rex Ryan, Mattison, and Pagano all held the job under Harbaugh. The most logical in-house candidate to fill the role would be linebackers coach Dean Pees, who was the defensive coordinator of the New England Patriots from 2006 to 2009 before moving on to Baltimore.

“I don’t think you’ll see any letdown if Dean Pees takes over,” said Ayanbadejo, who described Pees’ relationship with players as one based more on respect than the emotional Pagano. “You might even see a better defense if Dean Pees takes over because he likes things done a certain way, and he’s really particular about the way he does things.”

Pagano becomes the fourth defensive coordinator in the history of the franchise to depart for a head coaching position elsewhere, joining Marvin Lewis, Mike Nolan, and Ryan.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — A Fu-Manchu-free Joe Flacco cleaned out his locker with the rest of his teammates at the Ravens’ Owings Mills facility on Monday morning, still feeling the hurt of a heartbreaking 23-20 loss in the AFC championship less than 24 hours earlier.

However, the dramatic conclusion to the season doesn’t prevent the Ravens from turning an eye toward the future with difficult personnel decisions needing to be made on a number of veteran free agents. Players knew they were greeting some teammates for the final time, and that uncertainty only adds to the sting of the last-second disappointment in Foxborough.

“It’s tough to really think about that,” Flacco said. “You know it’s going to happen, but you don’t know which guys it’s going to be. It’s tough to kind of be in our shoes and go through that. You kind of just take it for what it is.”

Of course, Flacco remains under contract for one more season under the five-year deal he signed when the Ravens drafted the Delaware quarterback with 18th overall pick in the 2008 draft. The 27-year-old expressed his desire for an extension last offseason and only improved his stock with a strong performance against the Patriots in which he outplayed future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady.

Muting many of his doubters with a 306-yard, two-touchdown performance despite the Ravens falling to New England, Flacco reconfirmed his preference to not have to play out the final year of his contract. The quarterback feels confident in his play to command a long-term extension with Baltimore.

“Definitely,” Flacco said. “We’ll see how it goes. If it goes, it goes. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t.”

Though Flacco came under plenty of fire this season after failing to take a leap in his development — at least, statistically speaking — he also orchestrated comeback victories against Pittsburgh and Arizona.

He would have done it again if wide receiver Lee Evans had maintained control of a beautifully-thrown ball that dropped right in his breadbasket before rookie Sterling Moore punched the ball loose. Regardless of the final outcome, Flacco proved capable of having a major part in the outcome of a championship game with running back Ray Rice being a non-factor for most of the game.

“I said it all along, I’m the quarterback I am,” Flacco said. “The first four years that I’ve played here, we’ve gone to the playoffs every time [and] won a game. I think the last two years I’ve played in the playoffs I’ve played well in the playoffs. If you watched the film and you’re a guy in this organization, I think that you can say, ‘Hey, he’s played really good for us.’ Like I said, you never know what’s going to happen, so we’ll see.”

Linebacker decisions

While recent talk has centered around the future of veteran linebacker Ray Lewis, the Ravens will face difficult decisions with starting backers Jarret Johnson and Jameel McClain set to become unrestricted free agents.

With the Ravens likely discussing the possibility of Lewis’ role in the defense being altered — specifically in passing situations — they will also try to determine McClain’s value before the fourth-year linebacker hits the open market. Since being signed as a rookie free agent from Syracuse in 2008, McClain has transformed his role as a special teams player into a starting inside linebacker.

With past Ravens linebackers such as Edgerton Hartwell and Bart Scott receiving lucrative offers from other teams, could McClain be the next Ray Lewis protege to leave the nest?

“I don’t know,” said McClain, who expressed a preference to remain in Baltimore. “I’ve been in this game long enough to know that everything is unpredictable, so expect the unexpected.”

Speaking of Hartwell and Scott, it’s no secret that many defensive players have left the Ravens, only to find the grass isn’t always greener elsewhere. Aside from the simple economics, McClain will consider all his options before making a decision on his future.

“You weigh everything,” McClain said. “You weigh the relationships that you build, you weigh how your family is going to be situated, you weigh how good you fit in on a system. All of those things aren’t up to me. At this point, it’s out of my hands. I feel like I did the best I could do. I gave what I gave, and I give my heart every day and won’t regret [anything]. Right now, if it’s out of your hands, there’s no need to worry about something you can’t control.”

Carr in limbo

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I’ve had the opportunity to make a number of radio appearances throughout the country during the last few weeks while the Baltimore Ravens marched along in the National Football League playoffs.

In virtually every conversation, I was asked a question about how the outcome of the next game could alter the future of Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron in Charm City.

It always felt a little strange to be asked about Cam Cameron. Usually I only hear Cam Cameron’s name when a listener/caller screams at me about him. It’s never in the form of a question.

After the Ravens’ 23-20 loss to the New England Patriots Sunday in the AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium, it didn’t take 30 minutes for the screaming to start again. It was a bit odd considering there was really no way Cameron could be blamed for the loss in Foxborough.

The reality is that as the team’s offseason officially got underway, Cameron sits at the forefront. His future can only be labeled as “to be determined”, as his contract expires with the end of the season.

Head coach John Harbaugh and the Ravens’ coaching staff are headed to Mobile, AL this week for scouting at the annual Senior Bowl. It would seem as though the team wouldn’t want the situation with Cameron to linger far into the offseason, especially if they ultimately decide not to retain Cameron after four playoff trips in four seasons and have to find a new coordinator without a likely replacement on staff.

(That’s not an endorsement for either decision. It’s just a fact. I’m actually indifferent towards the situation, as I believe any coordinator in 2012 would need more offensive talent to work with.)

The next pressing situation remains on offense. The team’s Most Valuable Player in 2012 (RB Ray Rice) becomes an Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA) at a time where NFL teams have been particularly unwilling to invest in long term deals for running backs. Also hitting unrestricted free agency is LG Ben Grubbs, who has never reached a Pro Bowl but has certainly played at a Pro Bowl level. (Monday update: Grubbs will in fact be making his first trip to Hawaii this season as a replacement for Patriots G Logan Mankins.)

There is a likelihood that the Franchise tag will come into play with one of the above players, as it did with DT Haloti Ngata last season before a long-term deal was reached.

DE Cory Redding, LB’s Jarret Johnson & Jameel McClain and S’s Tom Zbikowski and Haruki Nakamura highlight other Ravens who become Unrestricted Free Agents. LB Brendon Ayanbadejo (who has publicly stated he would like to play another season) is also on the UFA list, as are OL Andre Gurode, TE Kris Wilson, DT Brandon McKinney and LB Edgar Jones.

(CB’s Cary Williams & Lardarius Webb as well as LB Dannell Ellerbe are restricted free agents, all are expected to return.)

Also on the list of Unrestricted Free Agents is C Matt Birk, who denied a CBS report earlier this month that he had already decided to retire at the end of the season. With no “center of the future” clearly on the roster, it may behoove the team to bring the big man from Harvard back for one more season if he’s interested.

While we await Birk’s decision about his future, future Hall of Fame LB Ray Lewis told reporters in New England he intends to return to Baltimore for a 17th season. S Ed Reed’s future isn’t quite as defined, as he did not speak to reporters after suffering his second AFC title game defeat. Nagging back and neck issues appeared to affect Reed’s play at the end of the season, but he came with big plays in both playoff games.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens continue to be blessed with health in the postseason as the entire 53-man roster was present and working during Wednesday’s practice.

As they continue preparations for the conference championship game against the New England Patriots, the Ravens have no significant injury concerns for Sunday, especially with safety Ed Reed practicing without any apparent incident after turning his left ankle on the final defensive snap of Sunday’s game.

“Everybody’s been working hard the last couple days,” coach John Harbaugh said prior to Wednesday’s workout. “[It] looks like we’re in pretty good shape. There will be one or two guys that will be close, but I feel pretty good about where we’re at with that.”

Right tackle Michael Oher was practicing despite having his knee wrapped following Sunday’s game, and defensive tackle Arthur Jones confirmed in the locker room that he was fine after limping off the field at one point on sunday. Linebackers Jameel McClain (sprained MCL) and Brendon Ayanbadejo (quadriceps) were both practicing after making it through the Houston game without incident.

Players in the locker room were sporting “Ball So Hard” t-shirts, courtesy of linebacker Terrell Suggs. The shirts included the players’ numbers and were in their college colors.

The Ravens announced they’ve signed guard Garrett Chisholm to the practice squad to take Josh Byne’s spot after the rookie linebacker was promoted to the 53-man roster last weekend. Chisholm played his collegiate ball at South Carolina.

Needless to say, the Monday radio interview given by safety Ed Reed that was critical about Joe Flacco and the Baltimore offense was the hop topic of discussion around the facility. I’ll have more on the reaction later at WNST.net, but you can hear from John Harbaugh, Joe Flacco, Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, and Ray Rice right here.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — As the Ravens turn the page to their 20-13 win over Houston and look ahead to Foxborough and the AFC championship game, they once again appear to have health on their side despite a physical fight against the Texans.

Coach John Harbaugh provided a similar prognosis for free safety Ed Reed’s injured ankle to what was offered following Sunday’s game. Reed told reporters Sunday his left ankle was not a concern after turning it on the final defensive play of the game.

“Ed looks like he’s alright with the ankle,” Harbaugh said. “Everything’s coming up OK as far as the x-rays.”

The prognosis is certainly good news as the Ravens prepare to face the NFL’s “most explosive offense” in Harbaugh’s words.

Though Reed being helped to the sideline certainly provided a scare, the Ravens are in good shape elsewhere with linebackers Brendon Ayanbadejo (quadriceps) and Jameel McClain having both played on Sunday after being game-time decisions. Ayanbadejo did not see much action defensively while McClain split time with Dannell Ellerbe at linebacker.

“We really got through [the game] it very well,” Harbaugh said. “The two toughest ones were Brendon and Jameel, and they fought through theirs. They were right to the last minute decisions, and they came out of it OK.”

Right tackle Michael Oher had his knee wrapped following the game, and defensive tackle Arthur Jones limped off the field with an apparent leg injury at one point, but neither injury was considered serious enough to report following Sunday’s game.

“Nothing serious [with them],” Harbaugh said. “I haven’t been told anything yet.”

Evans sighting

In an otherwise lackluster afternoon for the Ravens’ passing game, wide receiver Lee Evans provided an acrobatic one-handed catch on a third-down play to give Baltimore a first-and-goal at the Texans’ 9-yard line.

The Ravens failed to score on the possession after they were stymied on fourth down from the Houston 1, but the reception by Evans provided a glimpse of what the organization expected after trading a fourth-round pick to Buffalo for him in the preseason. Harbaugh also hopes it’s a sign of things to come for the remainder of the postseason.

“Lee’s huge for us. We would’ve liked for Lee to have been involved, obviously, all the way through,” Harbaugh said. “That’s something that we will like to see as we go forward here trying to get that done, and we’re not going to stop trying to get that done. Seeing that play get made, you get kind of excited. He’s certainly capable of making those plays; we’ve seen him make them his whole career. I think it brought a smile to everybody’s face. We’ll be looking forward to more of that.”

After missing seven games with an injured left ankle, Evans posted only four receptions for 74 yards despite entering the season as the Ravens’ No. 2 receiver on the depth chart.

Carr still in Ravens’ plans

With Ayanbadejo and McClain the only question marks on the Ravens’ injury report entering Sunday’s game, it was surprising to find veteran cornerback Chris Carr’s name on the list of inactives against the Texans.

Battling hamstring and back injuries that sidelined him for seven games this season, Carr has slid down the depth chart behind starters Lardarius Webb and Cary Williams as well as rookie Jimmy Smith, who enters the game in the nickel package. With Houston limited in the passing game, the Ravens elected to activate cornerback Danny Gorrer for his special teams prowess, leaving Carr as the odd man out in the divisional playoff.

Carr started all 16 games for the Ravens a season ago after Domonique Foxworth suffered a season-ending knee injury in training camp and Lardarius Webb was coming off an ACL injury of his own.

“Chris is a big part of what we’re doing, especially when we play teams that throw the ball a lot, so that could be a big factor this week,” Harbaugh said. “We put the extra [defensive] lineman up this week because of the type of offense we were playing, and then special teams were a part of that decision, too.”

With New England owning the second-ranked passing game in the league, the Ravens will need all hands on deck to contain the Patriots as much as possible. Though his 5-foot-10 frame certainly won’t help against the likes of tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, it’s a good bet Carr fits into defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano’s plans for certain passing situations on Sunday.

Visit the BuyAToyota.com Audio Vault to hear from Harbaugh, Jarret Johnson, and Torrey Smith right here.

BALTIMORE — For the first time in five years, the Ravens host a playoff game in Baltimore as they welcome the AFC South champion Houston Texans to M&T Bank Stadium for a divisional round playoff this afternoon.

Of course, the Ravens have the edge in experience as they make their fourth straight playoff appearance while Houston played its first ever postseason game last week in knocking off the Cincinnati Bengals. Baltimore hopes for a similar result to its Week 6 win over the Texans in Baltimore, a 29-14 final that improved the Ravens’ mark to 5-0 against Houston.

The Texans will try to beat the Ravens in Baltimore for the first time this season after Baltimore went a perfect 8-0 at their home stadium. The Ravens haven’t lost a home game since Dec. 5, 2010 when Pittsburgh beat them in a nationally-televised Sunday night game.

Today marks the 16th playoff game the Ravens have played in the 16-year history of the franchise. They are 1-2 at home and have not won a postseason game in Baltimore since Dec. 31, 2000, the Ravens’ first playoff game that began their run to Super Bowl XXXV.

The Ravens will wear their purple jerseys and black pants this afternoon while Houston dons its white jerseys and blue pants. Baltimore will introduce its seven Pro Bowl players with veteran linebacker Ray Lewis being announced last, of course. With the futures of Lewis and safety Ed Reed uncertain, it’s possible today marks the last time the two run out of the tunnel at M&T Bank Stadium.

Ravens fans certainly hope not.

Linebackers Brendon Ayanbadejo (quadriceps) and Jameel McClain are both active and will play after being questionable for this game.

Surprisingly, cornerback Chris Carr is inactive despite not being on the injury report this week. While there’s always the possibility that a lingering back issue could have flared up over the weekend, it’s pretty clear the former starting cornerback has fallen dramatically on the depth chart. Rookie Jimmy Smith will come on the field in the nickel package and Danny Gorrer is available as the fourth cornerback.

Here are today’s inactives:

Baltimore
WR Tandon Doss
CB Chykie Brown
CB Chris Carr
RB Anthony Allen
LB Josh Bynes
OL Justin Boren
LB Sergio Kindle

Houston
QB Jeff Garcia
CB Brandon Harris
S Troy Nolan
G Thomas Austin
T Andrew Gardner
TE Garrett Graham
WR Jeff Maehl

With linebackers Brendon Ayanbadejo and Jameel McClain both listed as questionable for Sunday’s divisional playoff game against the Houston Texans, the Ravens have elected to boost depth at the position by promoting rookie Josh Bynes to the active roster.

To make room on the 53-man roster, Baltimore has waived offensive tackle D.J. Jones.

Ayanbadejo practiced this week on a limited basis after suffering a sprained quadriceps muscle in the Week 17 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. His level of activity has been low during the portions of practice open to media. McClain was listed as a limited participant in practices on Thursday and Friday, but the starting inside linebacker expressed confidence that he would be able to play following Friday’s practice, even hopping around to show reporters how well his knee feels after suffering a sprained MCL in the regular-season finale.

All indications point to McClain playing while Ayanbadejo’s status remains in doubt, with the promotion of Bynes supporting that notion. In addition to his stellar play on special teams, Ayanbadejo is considered to be the Ravens’ best linebacker in pass coverage and plays in the nickel package. Coach John Harbaugh said both players would be game-time decisions in his press conference with the media following Friday’s practice.

Bynes originally signed with the Ravens as an undrafted rookie from Auburn prior to training camp. During his college career, he appeared in 43 games, posting 238 tackles (127 solo), seven interceptions, 19 passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries.

The rookie linebacker was waived on Sept. 3 but was signed to the practice squad on Nov. 9. Bynes was promoted to the active roster for the Ravens’ Thanksgiving win over the San Francisco 49ers as linebackers Ray Lewis and Dannell Ellerbe were dealing with injuries at the time.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — With the final injury report being released prior to Sunday’s game between the Ravens and Texans, the story remained the same in terms of who to expect on the practice field.

Linebackers Jameel McClain and Brendon Ayanbadejo were limited in practice on Friday and are questionable for Sunday’s game. Ayanbadejo was limited all week while McClain practiced fully on Wednesday before using more caution on Thursday and Friday.

“It’s going to come down to a game-day decision,” coach John Harbaugh said. “They both practiced to different degrees, and we’ll just have to see how they are on Sunday right before the game. We are optimistic about both guys.”

McClain is expected to play and was bouncing around in the locker room to show reporters how healthy his knee felt. The inside linebacker suffered a sprained MCL in the Week 17 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

“I’m ready to go out there and play, and I’m preparing myself to fullest of my capacity,” McClain said. My knee feels better, of course.”

Ayanbadejo’s status remains more of a mystery after he was not available to speak to reporters following Friday’s practice. His sprained quadriceps kept him out of practices during the bye week, and he appeared to be very limited in activity during the portions of practice open to the media this week.

Both linebackers benefited from an extra week to recuperate for the injuries sustained in the regular-season finale. Ayanbadejo would have almost certainly been unavailable for wild-card weekend while McClain’s status would have been very cloudy.

Fortunately for the Ravens, they didn’t have to worry about that problem.

“Time off helps everybody,” McClain said. “Everybody gets a chance to heal up all their little nicks and wounds, and then we get to go out there and play.”

Houston listed 18 players as probable on its final injury report, including quarterback T.J. Yates, wide receiver Andre Johnson, and cornerback Johnathan Joseph.

BALTIMORE
QUESTIONABLE: LB Brendon Ayanbadejo (thigh), LB Jameel McClain (knee)
PROBABLE: WR Anquan Boldin (knee), LB Dannell Ellerbe (head), CB Jimmy Smith (head), G Marshal Yanda (chest), S Tom Zbikowski (head)

HOUSTON
PROBABLE: LB Mister Alexander (shoulder), CB Jason Allen (thumb), LB Bryan Braman (neck), G Mike Brisiel (ankle), DE Tim Bulman (calf), FB James Casey (knee/foot), NT Shaun Cody (knee), TE Owen Daniels (hand/knee), TE Joel Dreessen (knee), WR Andre Johnson (knee), CB Johnathan Joseph (hip), CB Sherrick McManis (ankle), C Chris Myers (knee), S Troy Nolan (ankle), LB Brooks Reed (knee), RB Ben Tate (shoulder), T Eric Winston (calf), QB T.J. Yates (left shoulder)

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — As the Ravens move closer to Sunday’s divisional playoff matchup with the Houston Texans, their injury report continued to look promising on Thursday.

Jameel McClain joined fellow linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo as a limited participant after not being listed on Wednesday’s injury report. The fourth-year linebacker suffered an MCL sprain in the season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals on New Year’s Day.

Ayanbadejo wore a blue beanie on top of his helmet during Thursday’s practice as he continued to work on a very limited basis during the open portion of practice. The veteran sprained his quadriceps muscle in Week 17 and is considered to be the Ravens’ biggest injury concern for Sunday’s game.

Right guard Marshal Yanda was added to Thursday’s report but was listed as a full participant.

For Houston, standout cornerback Johnathan Joseph was added to the injury report as a limited participant in Thursday’s workout, joining tight end Owen Daniels and wide receiver Andre Johnson as players who failed to take their normal amount of reps.

BALTIMORE
LIMITED: LB Brendon Ayanbadejo (thigh), LB Jameel McClain (knee)
FULL PARTICIPATION: WR Anquan Boldin (knee), LB Dannell Ellerbe (head), CB Jimmy Smith (head), G Marshal Yanda (chest), S Tom Zbikowski (head)

HOUSTON
LIMITED: G Mike Brisiel (ankle), TE Owen Daniels (hand/knee), WR Andre Johnson (knee), CB Johnathan Joseph (hip), S Troy Nolan (ankle)
FULL PARTICIPATION: LB Mister Alexander (shoulder), CB Jason Allen (thumb), LB Bryan Braman (neck), DE Tim Bulman (calf), FB James Casey (knee/foot), NT Shaun Cody (knee), TE Joel Dreessen (knee), CB Sherrick McManis (ankle), C Chris Myers (knee), LB Brooks Reed (knee), RB Ben Tate (shoulder), T Eric Winston (calf), QB T.J. Yates (left shoulder)