Injuries to the secondary had been the biggest concern for the Ravens defensively during training camp, but the team also is dealing with issues along the defensive line.
The Ravens are without reserve defensive tackle Dwan Edwards for the season with a back injury while starters Haloti Ngata and Kelly Gregg have not played in any of the team’s three preseason games.
Ngata, a 2006 first-round pick, appears close to a return and could play in tonight’s preseason finale against the Atlanta Falcons after missing much of training camp with a strained right medial collateral ligament.
But the prognosis is not nearly as clear for Gregg, who had three sacks and a career-high 111 tackles last season. The 6-foot, 315-pounder sat out practice again Tuesday while recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery.
“We’re optimistic he’ll be ready for the opener, but he’s not ready yet, so we’ll have to see how [his knee] progresses,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said.
SPECIAL TEAMS CAN DO ‘BETTER’: One area the Ravens appear to have fared well in during the preseason is special teams.
Return specialist Yamon Figurs has averaged 30 yards a kickoff return and safety Jim Leonhard leads the NFL during the preseason by averaging 19.5 yards a punt return. Also, kickers Matt Stover and Piotr Czech have converted all four of their field goal tries.
“I think [special teams coach] Jerry Rosburg is doing a good job of throwing in a few wrinkles to keep the other team off guard,” said rookie safety Tom Zbikowski, who had a blocked punt in Saturday’s loss to the St. Louis Rams. “We definitely want to get out there and be aggressive.”
But, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh — a long-time special teams coach —believes the team can improve.
“We can play better in that area,” Harbaugh said. “I’m really pleased with how they are playing. I’m not any more pleased with the special teams, honestly, than the offense or defense. Now the results on the special teams have been better. Maybe we’ve come further as far as doing the kinds of things that you do to win games at that stage. There are a hundred little things that we have to get better on at special teams, too, and these guys know that.”
CONNECTIONS: There will be many familiar faces to Ravens’ fans when the Atlanta Falcons take the field tonight. Falcons backup quarterback Chris Redman, fullback Ovie Mughelli and head coach Mike Smith each have a tie to the Ravens. Redman played with the Ravens from 2000-03; Mughelli was with Baltimore from 2003-06 and Smith served as the team’s assistant defensive line coach from 1999-01 and then as linebackers coach in 2002. He is the brother-in-law of former Ravens coach Brian Billick.
rsnyder@baltimore examiner.com
