Dec 14, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens safety Terrence Brooks (31) is assisted off the field after suffering an apparent injury on the opening kickoff against the Jacksonville Jaguars at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports
There’s no doubt whatsoever that injuries took their toll on the Baltimore Ravens in 2014. The Ravens placed 19 total players on injured reserve last season, which was the 7th most in the NFL. The list included four starters and three draft picks.
Out of those 19 players, five hit I.R. before the season even began. Defensive end Brent Urban, a fourth round 2014 draft choice, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee at the start of training camp. Wide receiver Jeremy Butler was placed on I.R. with a shoulder injury after a disappointing camp (likely a roster “stash”).
Defensive end Kapron-Lewis Moore tore his Achilles tendon during training camp, landing on I.R. for the second straight year. Guard Will Rackley suffered a concussion in camp after just one week, and cornerback Aaron Ross tore his Achilles tendon while conducting the team’s conditioning test for training camp.
That, my friends, is a tough series of breaks for both players and team alike. There’s little more cruel and unusual than suffering a season ending injury before the season even begins, especially for players that come in with lots of promise, as was the case with Urban and Lewis-Moore.
It’s part of the reason, at least, why the Ravens are being cautious with their players who are currently recovering from injuries. They placed safety Terrence Brooks and tight end Dennis Pitta on reserve/PUP just the other day, and they are easing guard Rick Wagner, cornerback Jimmy Smith, and center Jeremy Zuttah into action slowly.
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History has taught us that the sorts of freak occurrences that we saw last season don’t typically happen over and over again, at least not to the same teams. The Ravens have had a relatively quiet and healthy offseason so far. But training camp looms.
The best we can hope for is an injury free camp, and at worst one that doesn’t produce any major injuries like we saw last season. But one thing’s for sure – the injury wire is going to be lighting up for some teams, no matter how cautious they are.
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