The Baltimore Ravens have injured linebacker Terrell Suggs on the physically unable to perform list, meaning the earliest the five-time Pro Bowler could return is after six games.
The 10-year veteran is still mending after undergoing surgery in May to repair a torn Achilles Tendon and was expected to miss at least the first half the 2012, if not more, as he continues to recover.
Players placed on the PUP list must sit out their team’s first six games, meaning the earliest Suggs could be back on the field would be on Oct. 21 when the Ravens play the Houston Texans. Even that scenario seems optimistic at best, given the severity of the injury Suggs originally suffered in late April and the length of time needed to be physically ready to play football again.
Should Suggs not be ready to go after six games, he would be eligible to practice for up to three weeks before the team is forced to decide whether to place him on the active roster.
The move to place Suggs on the PUP is among the several the Ravens made Monday to get to the NFL roster limit of 75 players by 4 p.m. Teams still have until 9 p.m. Friday to have their rosters trimmed to 53 players.
The 6-foot-3, 260-pound Suggs recorded 14 sacks last season in helping the Ravens reach the AFC Championship game. He was voted the Associated Press Defensive Player of the Year and invited to his fifth Pro Bowl.
Prior to his Achilles injury, Suggs had been the embodiment of durability, playing 16 games in eight of his previous nine NFL seasons. He missed three games in 2009 with a knee injury.
The 29-year-old former Arizona State star is Baltimore’s all-time leader in forced fumbles and ranks second in team annals in both sacks (68.5) and fumble recoveries (11).
