courtney upshaw

Record-setting Prairie View A&M pass rusher excited about joining Ravens' practice squad

Despite Courtney Upshaw, Justin Boren scheduled to undergo MRIs, John Harbaugh doesn't offer much of an update on players dealing with ailments

With most of their projected starters not even suiting up for the game, the Ravens were beaten, 31-17, by the St. Louis Rams in their preseason finale last night. Here are five players who impressed and five who disappointed.

Baltimore Ravens rookie Courtney Upshaw, who was bothered throughout training camp by a sprained right shoulder, reinjured it in the second quarter of the Ravens¿ 31-17 loss.

The Ravens offensive line put together a positive outing in the third preseason game as tackle Bryant McKinnie and rookie Kelechi Osemele earned the start against the Jacksonville Jaguars last night.

When Terrell Suggs went down with a torn right Achilles tendon in late April, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that second-round draft pick Courtney Upshaw would start at one of the outside linebacker spots for the Ravens in Week 1. That belief was reinforced this spring when the rookie linebacker from Alabama worked almost exclusively with the first-team defense.

A look at the Ravens' draft picks

Wide receiver Torrey Smith was sidelined with a sprained right ankle Friday night, thrusting former Maryland teammate LaQuan Williams into the starting lineup for the Ravens' 27-12 preseason loss to the Detroit Lions.

In his NFL debut, Ravens rookie outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw immediately got his legs chopped out from under him when he tried to penetrate the Detroit Lions' backfield.

Ravens offensive tackle Jah Reid was scratched for tonight's preseason game against the Detroit Lions, a negative sign after he returned to practice Monday from a strained right calf.

Disregard preseason opener vs. the Falcons a week ago. Ravens should provide more coordinated effort vs. the Lions

Cary Williams was matched up with Jones on most of the wide receiver¿s catches against the Falcons, though Pees said that the cornerback was ¿close¿ on a couple of the completions and it just came down to Ryan and Jones executing at the highest level.

The loss of NFL Defensive Player of the Year Terrell Suggs to a partially torn Achilles tendon is expected to provide a serious challenge to the creativity of defensive coordinator Dean Pees.

Losses of Terrell Suggs, Jarret Johnson and Cory Redding won't change unit's success vs. the run, according to Haloti Ngata and Clarence Brooks

Cornerback Jimmy Smith and outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw are the Ravens' top picks in the past two drafts, but they have more in common than just that.

Ravens outside linebacker Albert McClellan looped around the Atlanta Falcons' offensive line Thursday night, powerfully redirecting his charge to crash into quarterback John Parker Wilson.

After surrendering two touchdowns in Thursday night's 31-17 preseason win against the Atlanta Falcons, the Ravens' first-team defense shined in Saturday's practice.

Dickson, the starting tight end who caught 54 balls for 528 yards and five touchdowns last season, sustained an apparent arm injury on the touchdown catch.

Even the special teams got into the disappointing act by allowing Dominique Franks to return a punt to the Ravens' 15-yard line.

Those five are part of the Ravens' 25-man rookie class that head coach John Harbaugh has already called the "deepest" group of first-year players that the organization has had in his five-season tenure. With the starters not expected to play much more than a quarter in the Ravens' preseason opener Thursday night against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome, the focus will quickly shift to the team's newcomers who hope to prove they can help an organization that prides itself on developing

Ravens starters to play sparingly

Near the end of their last open practice before Thursday night¿s preseason opener, the Ravens ran a two-minute simulation where the offense had to drive the length of the field. The first-team defense got the better of the starting offense, forcing quarterback Joe Flacco to settle for short completions, which quickly wound down the clock. After Flacco spiked the ball with eight seconds left, kicker Billy Cundiff missed a game-tying attempt from 58

Upshaw, the team's first of two second-round picks in April, was one of several Ravens to return to the practice field today. Running back Anthony Allen, guard Marshal Yanda, linebacker Jameel McClain and defensive end Pernell McPhee, who all left practice early yesterday, were also on the practice field.

Aaron Wilson delivers his impressions on the Ravens roster from training camp.

With the secondary covering the receivers, the rest of the defense turned up the heat on the quarterbacks. Inside linebackers Ray Lewis and rookie Nigel Carr, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata and outside linebacker Albert McClellan each got to the quarterbacks ¿ with Taylor getting tagged three times. McClellan and fellow outside linebacker Sergio Kindle also posted at least one quarterback hit each.

Eight-time Pro Bowl free safety might be resting after injuring left knee Saturday; Dickson, C.Williams return

Jeff Zrebiec offers his take on the latest news and notes from Baltimore Ravens training camp.

Rookie linebacker Courtney Upshaw hasn¿t practiced since spraining his right shoulder on July 28. And even though he stood on the sidelines Saturday night when the Ravens held an open practice for their fans at M&T Bank Stadium, he appreciated the atmosphere inside the stadium.

So far, Paul Kruger hasn¿t done anything to disappoint observers. The outside linebacker dove and tipped a pass from quarterback Tyrod Taylor to rookie wide receiver Deonte Thompson. On the very next play, Kruger sacked Taylor. Kruger then sacked Flacco twice.

Center Matt Birk (back spasms), rookie outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw (bruised right shoulder) and wide receiver Tandon Doss (hamstring) sat out their sixth consecutive practice. Tight end Dennis Pitta (broken right hand), rookie running back Bernard Pierce (hamstring) and linebacker Josh Bynes (undisclosed) did not participate for the fifth straight day.

Stevie Baggs Jr., a veteran of the Canadian Football League, fills spot vacated when team waived offensive tackle Paul Madsen on Friday

In just his second full training camp, Kindle has plenty of ground to make up. But with each bull rush of an offensive lineman, each burst off the edge toward the quarterback, the outside linebacker gains some traction in his long road back.

Williams continued to burnish his highlight film for the coaches. His touchdown catch in the red-zone drill involved a leaping grab in the end zone. During a third-down exercise, he hauled in two passes good for first downs, including a leaping back-shoulder catch over rookie cornerback Jordan Mabin.

After passing their conditioning test earlier today, Ravens left tackle Bryant McKinnie and defensive tackle Haloti Ngata both are practicing for the first time in training camp.

In a simulated scrimmage near the end of Thursday¿s practice, starting quarterback Joe Flacco took the Ravens 80 yards on four plays. He hit tight end Ed Dickson up the seam for a nice gain then connected with wide receiver Torrey Smith on the next play.

Also, continued absence of Courtney Upshaw doesn't concern Dean Pees

Ravens center Matt Birk missed practice for a fourth consecutive day Thursday. The reason for his absence has not been disclosed, though head coach John Harbaugh said on Tuesday that the 36-year-old is at the stage of his career where he doesn't have to practice every day.