In a bruising start to the preseason opener, injuries took center stage as the Baltimore Ravens and Indianapolis Colts both lost key players early. But the irony is, the injuries began haunting the Ravens from the moment they put on pads for the first time this offseason. It started with cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Bilhal Kone, who both went down. Well before the dust could even settle, Jalyn Armour-Davis joined them soon. Meanwhile, Head Coach John Harbaugh held a positive opinion and assured that the team would weather the storm. While the injuries also didn’t seem serious, there was tension that these issues could come back to haunt again at the wrong time. But in the preseason week 1, the Ravens had fresh new troubles at hand.

As said, one of the stars to go down was Ravens rookie cornerback Kone. His rough stretch isn’t letting up. Days after leaving practice early with what was believed to be an upper-body issue, Kone suffered another injury. This time, a left knee injury in Baltimore’s preseason opener clash against the Colts. The injury occurred as Kone made a play on a pass into the end zone. To be precise, the sixth-round pick was injured on an incompletion with 12 seconds left in the first quarter. He went down immediately after the play and was seen grabbing his leg in pain. Trainers and staff immediately rushed to his side, and soon the man was seen being carted off the field. Coach Harbaugh was also seen approaching the player.

As per Jordan Schultz reports, Kone tore the anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament. As a result, he is likely to miss his entire rookie season. Now that’s painful for sure for the player who had a lot of dreams while entering his first year in the league. “Bilhal Kone leg is sideways past the knee. Never want to see that happen,” one fan wrote on X, sharing a photo of the player lying down in pain.

It’s another gut punch for the Ravens, who were already monitoring Kone’s health coming into the game. He wasn’t the only casualty. Just minutes into the first quarter, Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson exited with a finger injury after taking a sack from David Ojabo.

Well, after Kone’s injury earlier, it was clear that the team had been keeping a close eye on the rookie. As said, Kone had already suffered a shoulder injury. The HC had downplayed the severity, saying it should be a quick recovery. However, it was a blow for the first-year player who was eager to make an impact.

Luckily, Kone doesn’t have a long injury history. But such repeated instances can make it tough for a rookie to find his footing. As NFL insider Jordan Schultz put it, the cornerback now tore his ACL and MCL. In his final season at Western Michigan, the 23-year-old recorded 66 tackles and one interception. A zone corner, Kone had the advantage of the speed to cover deep routes when playing off coverage, and was considered solid at driving on routes. But now that he is gone, the team definitely will have to suffer this time. And Kone? Ah, the man just saw his dreams being shattered.

Bilhal Kone joined the league with a special message!

Kone’s draft day held a deep meaning. The Ravens’ sixth-round pick out of Western Michigan was selected on what would have been his late brother’s birthday. For Kone, it was more about celebrating his younger brother’s birthday. “That’s another day to celebrate my brother’s birthday. I was thinking about that all morning, honestly. That was more on my mind than a lot of things, so I’m really grateful, and I know he’s watching above, just guiding all of us, so I’m appreciative for him,” he explained.

As the grind began for the Apple Valley, Minnesota native, he was sure of his goals for the team. When asked about what Baltimore is getting in him, Kone didn’t hesitate as he said, “You’re going to get a dog. You’re going to a guy who’s willing to play whatever it is that’s about winning, that doesn’t care what it is. He has to lace up. You’re going to get that type of player. You’re going to get a dog with a chip on his shoulder.”

Kone’s college résumé backs up that mindset. Back in 2024, he posted his best season at Western Michigan, recording a career-high 70 total tackles, nine pass breakups, and one interception. His strong play earned him invitations to two major showcases — the Senior Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine, where he was able to prove himself against top-tier competition. He had successfully earned his place. However, the injuries turned it all upside down in one season. Hopefully, he will be able to get back in action next season. Until then, thankfully, Ravens have positive news to celebrate, as they won against the Colts, 24-16.