Terrell Suggs is back on the practice field.
Last week, Head Coach John Harbaugh told the press that Terrell Suggs was the closest of the injured Ravens to returning. This gave Ravens fans plenty of hope, but I don’t think anyone expected Suggs to be back so soon. Suggs surprised everyone by hitting the practice field this morning. He hasn’t seen the field since tearing his Achilles in the 2015 week one opener against the Denver Broncos.
Related Story: Don't Bet Against Terrell Suggs In 2016
Suggs has now torn his Achilles twice. This rightfully brings up concerns about his ability to play at a high level again. Another concern for Suggs is his age, as he will be turning 34 this season. At the very least, even if his physical skills aren’t where they used to be, Suggs brings a veteran presence to a relatively young Ravens defense. His wisdom and experience is invaluable to the young guys on the team who have the potential to be great.
The six-time Pro Bowler made some noise earlier in training camp by completing the Raven’s conditioning test without Harbaugh’s knowledge. This is especially impressive as the Raven’s conditioning test is widely considered one of the hardest in the league.
Obviously eager to get back, Suggs gave us a pretty clear hint that his return was imminent by passing the test. Now that he’s officially been activated off of the PUP list, Suggs will get valuable time on the field after not practicing for almost a full year.
Steve Smith Sr., Breshad Perriman, Elvis Dumervil, and Lorenzo Taliaferro all remain on the PUP list. However, Harbaugh says they should all be ready to play by week one. If the Ravens hope to bounce back after a rough 5-11 season, they’re going to need to keep guys off of the PUP/IR and stay healthy.
Next: Roster Bubble Profile: James Hurst
Suggs is the Ravens’ all-time leader in sacks with 106.5. If he and Dumervil can both get healthy in time for the regular season, quarterbacks beware.