Baltimore Ravens: Training Camp Too Intense?
Jul 24, 2014; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh addresses the media after practice at Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
The injury bug has already plagued the Baltimore Ravens early in training camp. This begs the question, is the intensity Head Coach John Harbaugh is bringing this offseason working, or is it dangerous?
Harbaugh said during the off season that this training camp was going to intense. He has certainly not been wrong.
Wednesday’s training camp saw rookies Brent Urban and Timmy Jernigan go down with injuries. Urban’s is more serious than Jernigan’s, but an injury is still an injury.
Brent Urban was carted off the field. Timmy Jernigan walked into the training room under his own power very slowly
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) July 30, 2014
Urban has now been diagnosed with an ACL tear, which will now cause him to miss the entire season. Raven’s new center Jeremy Zuttah also went down with injury, but he eventually returned, according to a tweet by Aaron Wilson.
Center Jeremy Zuttah got shaken up a bit, examined by trainers, before going back on the field to resume practicing
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) July 30, 2014
If that is not enough, middle linebacker Daryl Smith has been knocked around a bit, which caused him to miss a practice, but he is reported to be back.
The newly-signed cornerback Aaron Ross tore his Achilles during his conditioning drills and is out for the season.
Dallas Cowboys’ Head Coach Jason Garrett opted not to do conditioning drills for his team, because of the risk of injuries.
With a team that has not fared well with injuries in the past, is Harbaugh’s approach to this training camp pushing it too far?
Though injuries are bad, I do not think an intensified approach to training camp is a bad thing. The chance for injuries rises, but if the players are not physically ready, the injury could occur during a game when the tensions are high.
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With high intensity practices, more game-like conditions will arise, which will better prepare the players for the regular season.
When the injuries occur before the season starts, the Ravens have more time to replace them and prepare to play without them.
If the players are healthy, a more intense training camp should not hurt them but rather serve to better prepare them for the season.
It is tough seeing any player going down with injury, but it is a part of the game which happens all too often.
With the tougher training camp, the Ravens’ players need to better prepare as if they are heading into an intense game.
If the players are not physically ready, these initial injuries could only be the beginning.