Jared Gaither’s Back Is “Totally Healed”
By Riley B
According to the Carroll County Times, Baltimore Ravens’ offensive tackle Jared Gaither has made a full recovery from his back injury. Gaither had a thoracic disk injury which kept him sidelined all of last season. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus tweeted “Jared Gaither’s back is totally healed.” Pending a team physical and clearence, Gaither should be all set for next year. However, it is unclear whether he will be a restricted or unrestricted free agent without a collective bargaining agreement.
Many contribute last year’s offensive woes to Gaithers absence from the O-line last year. If he does return, it will be a HUGE addition to the Ravens offense. I cannot emphasize this enough. Not only will this provide more depth at the tackle position, but will provide time for some younger players, like Jah Reid, to further develop and get mentored by an experienced player. Gaither would prefer to stay with the Ravens and let’s hope he does. In 2009, he paved the way for Ray Rice allowing him to rack up over 2000 yards from scrimmage. That number dropped significantly in 2010 when Jared Gaither did not play. No one really expected him to recover from this injury, so to have him back next season would be a huge bonus. His presence is greatly felt on the line and he should help the Ravens run the ball effectively this season.