OWINGS MILLS – Baltimore Ravens rookie cornerback Jimmy Smith suffered a high left ankle sprain that will sideline him for at least a few weeks, according to coach John Harbaugh.
Although X-rays revealed no structural damage, the first-round draft pick could still be out for an undetermined amount of games.
“Jimmy is the one guy that had an injury that was something a little more serious,” Harbaugh said Monday. “He’s in a boot, he’s on crutches. He had an MRI. He does have a high-ankle sprain, so that’s going to be a few weeks. We’ll just have to see how it plays out. Hopefully, he’s a quick healer.”
A former All-American selection from Colorado, Smith got hurt covering the opening kickoff of the Ravens’ 35-7 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium.
“That was a tough one,” Harbaugh said. “The first kickoff, he runs down there, is fighting like crazy and gets caught up in a pile.”
Losing Smith further thins the Ravens’ depth at cornerback, which is suddenly not a very deep position.
That’s because veteran cornerback Chris Carr aggravated his left hamstring injury that affected him for the entire preseason shortly after signing his $14 million contract.
Carr left the game in the second quarter and didn’t return, but Harbaugh emphasized it’s not serious.
“The good news is it’s not a tear,” Harbaugh said. “It’s grabbing on him at times. One of these times, he’s going to get through and it’s not going to grab on him. The thing we do want to avoid is we don’t want it to tear. We don’t’ want a hamstring tear. That’s why we’ve shut him down pretty quick whenever he starts to have an issue.”
Due to Carr and Smith’s injuries and starting cornerback Cary Williams leaving the game momentarily with muscle cramps, the Ravens were down to starting cornerback Lardarius Webb and backup Domonique Foxworth at one point.
So, the Ravens put reserve safety Haruki Nakamura in as a nickel back.
“He jumped into the nickel there, and the other two guys played outside,” Harbaugh said. “Having that kind of versatility, I think that’s really a credit to our players and to our coaches. Most of those guys on the back end can play every position. The younger guys are still learning how to do that.
“When you’ve got guys that can play inside and outside, high or low as safeties, that kind of versatility is huge in a game like that when you start losing guys. And it seems like you lose guys at the same position at times in games. For those guys to step up and do what they did is pretty important.”
NO DEAL FOR NGATA: The Ravens remain in contract talks with Pro Bowl defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, but no deal is imminent for the franchise player.
Ngata registered four tackles, a pass deflection that was intercepted, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries against the Steelers.
Under NFL rules, teams have until Sept. 20 to sign franchise players to long-term contracts. Otherwise, Ngata will play this season under a one-year, $12.476 million franchise tender.
“I’m on record; I’ve already done as much as I could do,” Harbaugh said when asked if he’ll lobby general manager Ozzie Newsome to accelerate contract talks. “I said we want Haloti way back when. I happen to be very good friends with Haloti’s agent [former Philadelphia Eagles scouting executive Mike McCartney] and very good friends with Ozzie and [owner] Steve [Bisciotti]. So, I’m pulling for both sides.”
KINDLE INACTIVE: One year removed from missing his entire rookie season with a fractured skull, outside linebacker Sergio Kindle remains on the sidelines.
He was a healthy scratch for the Ravens’ season-opener despite the expansion of gameday rosters to 46 players.
Former practice squad linebacker Albert McClellan was utilized on special teams instead of Kindle, who predicted last week that he would be on the punt and kickoff teams and possible in a situational pass –rushing role.
“He prepared well last week,” Harbaugh said. “You get 46, and you start doing the math. Sergio Kindle is a very good player. He can help us, there’s no doubt about it. We’d like to have him up, but right now we just don’t have the spot. He’s got to continue to improve and grow as a player. I’m certain he’ll have an impact before long.”
Down the road, Harbaugh predicted that Kindle would contribute to the team.
Kindle nearly blocked a couple of punts during the preseason, but lacked the proper technique.
“He can do a good job on special teams, he’s an excellent punt rusher,” Harbaugh said. “We saw it in the preseason. He’ll be up there. We want to stay healthy, but we want to keep developing all our players. We need them all.”
D. REED RETURNS: Wide receiver and kick returner David Reed has finished serving his one-game suspension for violating the NFL substance-abuse policy, rejoining his teammates Monday.
The Ravens placed LB Michael McAdoo on IR to create a spot for Reed.
Harbaugh had previously said the team planned to cut rookie outside linebacker Michael McAdoo with the intention of passing him through waivers before signing him to the practice squad.
Aaron Wilson covers the Baltimore Ravens for the Carroll County Times
