Baltimore Ravens: Wide Receiver Injuries Hurting Development of Offense

The Baltimore Ravens have been on the practice field as a team for barely over a week and there is reason to worry that the injury bug that plagued John Harbaugh’s bunch last season might not have gone away just yet.

More from Baltimore Ravens

The biggest lost thus far took place when Matt Elam tore his biceps trying to slow up a receiver in coverage on the first weekend of practices. The Ravens now have another injury to their secondary which seems to be a never ending cycle. Harbaugh told reporters that the team likely will not seek outside help at safety, so it’s up to the guys on the roster to step up and fill the void with Elam on the shelf for the season.

Elam was expected to play a significant amount of snaps for the Ravens defense, but he was not a projected starter either. Dan Pees already intended to enter the regular season with Will Hill as his starting strong safety, and rotate Elam in throughout the game. If Elam won the job down the line, great. That is what he was originally drafted for in the first place.

That is not necessarily the case with the wide receivers that the Ravens were counting on to be the focal point of the offense.

Breshad Perriman has been out since the first team practice last Thursday with a knee injury, and the fact that it has taken this long for him to get back on the field is worrisome. It could be precautionary measures on the part of the Ravens staff, but the first-round pick is expected to be a large part of the Ravens’ plans on offense and has had little time to work with Joe Flacco. The injury is a setback to the learning curve that Perriman must adjust to entering the NFL and there are some that say if he doesn’t get on the field soon that he is in jeopardy of missing the Ravens preseason opener against the New Orleans Saints.

The injury that might be more troublesome for Baltimore is Marlon Brown‘s back problems. The Ravens were hopeful that Brown could make that leap into a productive starting receiver. The three-year veteran had an MRI on his back after missing three of the last four practices and Harbaugh has no timetable for a return.

“We were a little bit worried about,” Harbaugh said after Wednesday’s practice. “There’s nothing in there as far as any kind of a twist, or anything like that. It’s a nerve, glute issue of some kind. I don’t now how long it’s going to take. I hope not very long. “

Could the injuries be shifting from the defense to the offense? The injuries at the position are a concern as Michael Campanaro and Aldrick Robinson also missed time with their own ailments this offseason. Then, there was the brief scare when Steve Smith Sr. walked off the field gingerly. All those guys are in camp, but Marc Trestman is counting on Perriman and Brown to be two key guys in the aerial attack.

Meanwhile, the injuries change the shape of the competition. Kamar Aiken and Jeremy Butler have continued to shine with their added repetitions and are making a case to earn roster spots. The aforementioned Campanaro needs a strong preseason to keep a spot on the roster, and his punt return skills might be what it takes to keep him on board.

The Ravens want to see those guys do well, but ultimately, they want the two guys they projected as starters to get back on the field as soon as possible. The fact that Perriman exited practice with a “bruised knee” and is still not back on the field makes you nervous. Anything involving nerves and your back is never a good sign either. You want to be careful with these injuries because you do not want them to flare up down the road.

Then again, we are not talking about two established vets. They need the practice time more than most players on the field. Flacco needs to be working with these guys on a daily basis. At this point, it’s looking unlikely that Perriman will be able to play next week because he won’t have enough of the playbook down by then. That’s a shame because the first game of the preseason you want your rookies to get ample playing time.

The important thing is to get Perriman and Brown healthy. They might be behind the rest of the receivers right now, but in the grand scheme of things they are two of the best playmakers the Ravens have to offer.

Next: Casey Walker Waived, Deflategate Still Looming

More from The Baltimore Wire

Home/Baltimore Ravens