Four NFL players with Alabama football roots returned to practice on Wednesday for the first time since at least the start of the regular season.

New England Patriots defensive end Trey Flowers (Columbia), Houston Texans offensive lineman Tytus Howard (Monroe County, Alabama State), Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey (Hoover, Alabama) and Jacksonville Jaguars offensive tackle Cam Robinson (Alabama) took a big step toward making their 2023 season debuts by joining their teammates at practice.

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A Pro Bowler in three of the past four seasons, Humphrey had foot surgery on Aug. 16. He stayed on Baltimore’s active roster, but he has missed the first four games of the season.

The Ravens visit the Pittsburgh Steelers in an AFC North rivalry game on Sunday.

“He’s been working super hard,” Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said on Wednesday. “It’s one of those things where it’s just a matter of the healing process in there taking place in the bone or whatever, so it looks good. We’ll see what happens. We just have to see how it responds to the workload. That’s the main thing right now.”

Robinson could not play in the first four games of the 2023 regular season. He also couldn’t practice with the Jaguars while he served an NFL suspension imposed for violating the league’s Policy on Performance-Enhancing Substances.

But Robinson was on the field on Wednesday as Jacksonville practiced in London in preparation for Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills there.

“He’s in a really good frame of mind,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said on Wednesday. “He’s prepared himself for this moment. He knew all along what he needed to do to get ready. For us as a staff, I think it’s just going out there, it’s how he executes this week in practices and how he jells with Walker (Little) or possibly (Tyler) Shatley there at left guard, all those different combinations that could happen. I know he’s mentally ready, and the physical part is sort of natural to him.”

Robinson has started all 78 games in which he’s played since joining Jacksonville in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

“Another leader, another veteran player, somebody who’s played a lot of games there at left tackle,” Pederson said of getting Robinson back. “There’s a physicality there and a mindset that he brings. I think, too, there could be a little bit of a comfort level – stability, let’s call it – with the entire offensive line.”

Howard had surgery on Aug. 7 because of a broken hand, an injury suffered at practice in training camp. He spent the first four weeks of the season on injured reserve. By returning Howard to practice and designating him for return, the Texans opened a 21-window during which Howard can be restored to the active roster.

“Been a long eight weeks,” Howard said on Wednesday. “I’m excited to get back and play some ball.”

Howard was supposed to return to his spot as Houston’s right tackle this season, but only one player on the Texans’ projected starting offensive line has not missed multiple games already in 2023 – and Houston put one of its fill-in starters, left guard Kendrick Green, on injured reserve on Wednesday with a torn meniscus.

“We’ll have the best five guys out there who are available,” Houston coach DeMeco Ryans said on Wednesday. “Wherever we need them, guys will be ready to go.”

The Texans visit the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

In August, Flowers rejoined New England, where he spent the first four seasons on his NFL career. Flowers played in three consecutive Super Bowls with the Patriots, with two victories, before leaving in free agency after the 2018 season.

Injuries have affected Flowers past three seasons, when he’s played in 18 games and missed 32. He went on the physically-unable-to-perform list upon joining New England.

Flowers remains on reserve/PUP. His first practice opened a 21-day window during which he can be placed on the active roster by the Patriots.

New England hosts the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.