Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs claims that he is going to shock a lot of people this year, and by that he doesn\’t mean that he bought a tazer gun to play with. Suggs, who partially tore right Achilles a little over a month ago, claims he will be ready by late November at the latest, according to Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun.
Suggs claimed Sunday night that his rehab is going well and that his foot has already been placed in a boot. “I\’m going to shock a lot of people when I\’m coming out of that tunnel,” Suggs said. “I\’m in a boot already working on flexibility, getting back that range of motion. Next week, we\’re going to start a little walking and working side to side.” He continued according to Preston, “I won\’t say I\’m ahead of schedule, but I\’m a lot better than I, the doctors and rehab therapist thought. I kept telling people it wasn\’t as bad as some people made it out to be.”
The outspoken linebacker continues to claim that he suffered the injury while running conditioning drills, even though initial reports said that he suffered the injury while playing basketball. According to the report, Suggs thinks the Achilles injury might have been the result of him training too early in the off-season and he scoffed at the notion that the Ravens were looking into his contract to see if there were stipulations about him not being paid if he suffered an injury playing a sport besides football.
While Suggs continues his positive mental attitude approach to the injury, it still seems like a long-shot that he will be back in November. Even if he is, he surely will not be the same player that he was prior to the suffering the injury until he is likely a year removed from the surgery. ESPN injury expert Stephania Bell said following the injury of Suggs, “Some guys will say it takes them a full year to feel like they did pre-injury, especially when it comes to power, speed, explosiveness,” said Bell, a certified orthopedic clinical specialist. “Can they still come back and contribute before that? Absolutely, if everything proceeds according to plan and if they are medically cleared.”
The Ravens face the Pittsburgh Steelers for the first of their two yearly meetings on November 18th, and you have to think that this date is circled now on Suggs\’ calendar as a possible 2012 return date. Suggs will start the season on the Ravens Reserve PUP list and can ride it up until week 13 when the Ravens must make a final decision on him if they use the PUP list to their full advantage. Week 13 just happens to be the second meeting between the Ravens and the Steelers to played in Baltimore.
The Ravens have been bitten more than once this off-season when it comes to linebackers and Achilles injuries as outside linebacker Mike McAdoo tore his Achilles tendon this past Thursday during organized team activities. McAdoo was attempting to fill the role of Suggs until he fell prey to the same injury that will undoubtedly land him on injured reserve for a second straight season.
The injuries to both Suggs and McAdoo now means that rookie Courtney Upshaw and Sergio Kindle, the Ravens injury prone second round pick of 2010, will now likely battle it out to replace Suggs. The Ravens also have questions at the other outside linebacker spot after losing Jarret Johnson this off-season to the San Diego Chargers in free agency. Paul Kruger, who has just one start in his first three years in the league, appears to be the odds on favorite to replace Johnson.
Perhaps Suggs should buy that tazer gun after-all and try some shock therapy. What could it hurt?
