Just the first day of 2016 Training Camp, but already I’ve had to talk a few Ravens fan friends of mine off the ledge.
Rookie running back Kenneth Dixon came up gimpy with a knee issue. He caught a pass in the flat and then collided with undrafted rookie linebacker Patrick Onwuasor along the sideline. Dixon got attention from the trainers after the play and then limped off the field into the locker room.
Head coach John Harbaugh described the injury as “just a slight, slight thing with the knee,” and called it day-to-day for Dixon—which is exactly how the Breshad Perriman knee injury last summer was described by Harbaugh, and as we know now Perriman never played a single down in 2015.
Then we find out wide receivers Mike Wallace and Dobson Collins, and cornerback Jerraud Powers all failed their conditioning tests. How is that even possible in this era of year-round workouts and aerobic conditioning? Certainly not the best first impressions you want to bring to your new ball club…
Outside linebackers Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil, wide receivers Steve Smith Sr. and Breshad Perriman, and running backs Lorenzo Taliaferro and Trent Richardson were unable to practice because all are still recovering on the P.U.P. list.
But there is some good news, too:
Defensive end Bronson Kaufusi (back), wide receiver Michael Campanaro (calf) and cornerbacks Jimmy Smith (foot) and Will Davis (knee) all returned to practice as full participants after being sidelined during the offseason.
Also good to know: Quarterback Joe Flacco was back on the field taking full reps with the first-team offense. According to Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com, “Flacco showed no hesitation from last year’s torn ACL, and the only lingering signs from his rehab is that he’s wearing a brace and a red non-contact jersey. Quarterbacks are already off-limits when it comes to contact in practice, but the red jersey is a bright reminder for all defenders to keep their distance from the franchise quarterback.”
Players are still practicing in shorts and shells. They run full speed, but there is no full contact. They will put on pads on Saturday, and that’s when the intensity picks up.
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