Outside linebacker Kamalei Correa had breezed through St. Louis High School in Honolulu and Boise State without sustaining a serious injury. So dealing with a thigh injury that kept him from playing in Sunday's 21-14 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium is an unfamiliar exercise for the Ravens rookie who finished his career with the Broncos by making 27 consecutive starts.
"I've actually been very lucky with not getting injuries all throughout college and even in high school," he said. "So this is really a first injury for me, and it's new. So I don't really know what to expect, and I've just got to do what I've got to do to get back. That's all it is."
The 2016 second-round draft pick has four tackles, one forced fumble and one pass breakup, and had earned the first start of his career in the team's loss to the New York Jets on Oct. 23.
But two days later, the 6-foot-3, 250-pound Correa walked off the practice field after appearing to suffer the injury during the special teams portion of the session. Without commenting on the specific nature of the ailment, he said he has not been told that the injury is of the long-term variety.
"Things happen, and you just never know what to expect," he said. "So you've just got to take it as it is and live with it. I'm just trying to do as much treatment as I can to get back as fast as I can."
Correa, 22, said he is eager to return as quickly as possible. But he is beginning to understand the fickle nature of the recovery process.
"It's not very frustrating, but it is a bump in the road, and it's something that I've got to get over," he said. "I'm hoping to come back better, faster and stronger than I was. That's my goal."