When the Patriots traded up six spots to draft Alabama’s Dont’a Hightower last week, many Baltimore fans felt like Bill Belichick had stolen their guy. Whether he did or not, there’s no question the Ravens could use a guy like Hightower now. According to multiple sources including NFL.com’s Jason LaCanfora, Terrell Suggs suffered a torn Achilles’ tendon while working out in Arizona. That type of injury generally takes a year to heal, and it is likely that the 2011 defensive player of the year will miss all of the 2012 season.
Talk about a massive setback four months before the start of the season. To add insult to injury, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the injury was suffered while Suggs was playing basketball. A season-ending injury is a season-ending injury, but it will likely sting fans a bit more to hear that it wasn’t even suffered playing the appropriate sport.
The good news for Baltimore is there is a lot of time left until the 2012 season begins, meaning they have ample time to prepare. The Ravens can explore trade options or sign a couple of free agents to try and bolster their front seven, and any new acquisitions will have time to get used to the system. The bad news is the injury occurred after the NFL Draft. Had they known they would be without their best defensive player for the entire 2012 season, the Ravens coaching staff could have drafted accordingly. Another unfriendly reminder of how quickly a serious injury can change the landscape of an offseason.
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