The AFC North is considered one of the most complete, and competitive, divisions in the NFL this season. Whether you’re talking about the reigning division champion Cincinnati Bengals, or the other three teams who call the division home, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens, there are no gimme games on the division schedule.

For one division rival, the Ravens, their defensive secondary took a big hit Wednesday when it was made public Pro Bowl cornerback Marlon Humphrey will undergo a procedure and is likely to miss the start of the regular season.

This per Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network:

#Ravens Pro Bowl CB Marlon Humphrey is expected to miss time with an injury that may require a medical procedure and his status for the start of the season is now up in the air, sources tell me and @TomPelissero. pic.twitter.com/KdEfjoAzKO

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 16, 2023

There is not a lot of concrete information out there surrounding Humphrey’s overall timeline to return to the field, but it could impact the early portions of the season for the former Alabama product.

Here are the first give games of the Ravens’ 2023 schedule:

Week 1: vs. the Houston Texans
Week 2: at Cincinnati Bengals
Week 3: vs. Indianapolis Colts
Week 4: at Cleveland Browns
Week 5: at Pittsburgh Steelers

When you look at the slate of games Humphrey could miss, they are more than notable. Division games are riddled throughout the start of the season for the Ravens, and not having Humphrey in the lineup will impact the overall effectiveness of the defense.

As more information comes to light, be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers and the AFC North as the preseason rolls on.