Owings Mills ~ Two years after outside linebacker Sergio Kindle suffered permanent hearing damage in one ear and other injuries when he fractured his skull during a fall down two flights of stairs, the Ravens remain hopeful that the former second-round draft pick will eventually fulfill his potential.
"We’ll have a full offseason," Newsome said. "I think we know what some of the issues are, and we will attack those issues. It’ll be interesting to see.”
The Ravens haven’t committed much money to the former University of Texas star, but they have given the 6-foot-3, 250-pounder an opportunity to rehab from his injuries and get back on the field.
"In all fairness, it’s probably unprecedented what he has had to face, that kind of an injury," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "He’s really unusual. Like our doctors tell us all the time, we’re treading in unknown territory. He’s made great progress.
"The year of practice really helped him. He’s going to get every opportunity, and we’re going to coach him like crazy, and we’re going to make it our mission to get him on the field and get him playing, because he has talent and he wants to do well.”
When asked about Kindle’s hearing impairment, which he has acknowledged makes it difficult for him to pick up the defensive signals, Newsome replied: "Huh?" then laughed before saying: "Next question."
