The Baltimore Ravens have been hit hard by the injury bug at the start of 2021 training camp. Before practices even began, it was announced that both quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Gus Edwards landed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. Over the first week on the field at camp, Baltimore saw wide receivers Marquise Brown, Rashod Bateman and Miles Boykin, offensive lineman Kevin Zeitler, and defensive back Nigel Warrior all deal with some sort of injury suffered during a practice.
That trend didn’t change during Friday’s session, as cornerback Jimmy Smith went down with a leg injury that he suffered while covering Mark Andrews.
Ravens CB Jimmy Smith was carted off field with about 30 minutes left in practice, unable to put weight on right leg. Smith was in tight coverage on Mark Andrews on the play.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) August 6, 2021
The fact that he was carted off of the field made the initial outlook of the injury look bleak, but it’s been reported that Smith is dealing with a low ankle sprain, which is great news for both the cornerback and the team all things considered.
Ravens got good news on the health of CB Jimmy Smith, according to source. He sustained a low ankle sprain. Could miss some time, but that was about the best possible news they could have gotten.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) August 6, 2021
Ravens CB Jimmy Smith suffered a low ankle sprain. It’s not considered serious.
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) August 6, 2021
Low ankle sprain recovery times can vary, but it will probably be a matter of weeks before Smith returns, not a matter of months. More severe sprains can prolong how much time a player misses, and with the severity unknown at the moment and a timeline not put out by the Ravens, it’s unclear when the veteran will return to the field. However, it’s not hard to imagine Baltimore taking an extremely cautious approach with Smith, who has played in a full slate of games during a season just twice in his 10-year career.
Baltimore’s injury luck during training camp has been practically non-existent. They’ve seen their depth stretched thin while losing a key contributor almost every day. Hopefully their fortunes turn around, and the players who are ailing can heal quickly and get back on the field at full strength sooner rather than later.
Leave a Reply