ed dickson

Top two tight ends making progress as they aim to participate in Sept. 10 game against Cincinnati Bengals

Roster cuts made by Ravens, down to 53 players

In addition to cutting former Pro Bowl kicker Billy Cundiff today, the Ravens also released former fifth-round tight end Davon Drew and seven other players.

Backup tight end who has started in each of past two preseason games intent on surviving final cuts on Friday

Appearance of top two tight ends ends almost month-long absence

Appearance of top two tight ends on practice field ends almost month-long absence

Tight ends work out with position coach, special teams; Marshal Yanda misses second straight practice

Yanda sidelined with leg injury

Early in training camp, when Joe Flacco had his full arsenal of weapons at his disposal, the Ravens quarterback often gave the Baltimore defense fits in daily red-zone drills. He stood tall in the pocket and lasered touchdown passes between defenders, who were left shaking their heads.

Undrafted free agent Justin Tucker has mostly gotten the better of incumbent Billy Cundiff in the kicking competition, but not Monday.

The Ravens had eight players not participating in the early portion of Monday's practice and all were expected absences.

Dannell Ellerbe, 26, hurt his hamstring in the Ravens' Week 3 blowout of the Rams last season. He missed six of the Ravens' next eight games with the hamstring issue, and another game after sustaining a concussion.

Three weeks away from the first weekend of the NFL season, injured tight ends Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta are on the mend and optimistic that they will be ready for the Sept. 10 season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The final portion of the Ravens' practice involved the 2-minute drill. From their own 32-yard line, quarterback Joe Flacco and the offense marched 68 yards, capping the drive with a pass from Flacco to wide receiver Tandon Doss, who scampered 21 yards to the end zone. Coach John Harbaugh immediately signaled the end of practice after the score.

Pernell McPhee, who has started at defensive end in both of the Ravens¿ first two preseason games, and special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg, are absent from the team¿s practice at Stevenson University¿s Mustang Stadium in Owings Mills.

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.

Defensive end Arthur Jones and center Gino Gradkowski wrestled each other to the ground during one play. Jones wound up on top and both started swinging.

Lardarius Webb, who led the defense in interceptions with five last season, has been just as opportunistic in camp.

Jacoby Jones also joins eight-time Pro Bowl free safety and wide receiver as absent players; Pernell McPhee returns

There was one bright spot for the offense. Working in the shadow of his own goal line, Flacco made a gorgeous throw down the sidelines to Boldin who got behind second-year cornerback Jimmy Smith. Boldin wasn't touched down until he reached the opponent's 20-yard line.

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.

Expected to miss the rest of the preseason due to sprained right shoulder, tight end is itching to return sooner rather than later

Smith, Logan Payne and Patrick Williams participate in Sunday's session, but a pair of cornerbacks in Chykie Brown and Asa Jackson do not

John Harbaugh said potential candidate would have to be healthy and fit in team's salary cap

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.

Baltimore Ravens tight end Ed Dickson only suffered a sprained right shoulder against the Atlanta Falcons and didn't incur any structural damage Thursday night as a magnetic resonance imaging exam confirmed the initial diagnosis, according to a source.

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.

Billy Bajema, 29, an eight-year veteran, started 25 games for the St. Louis Rams from 2009 to 2011, including 12 starts last season. After his three-year contract expired in St. Louis, he remained on the free-agent market until NFL training camps kicked off in late July. The Ravens were the first team to host Bajema for a tryout, and he's excited to be here.

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.

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.

Cornerback Jimmy Smith, who left practice early yesterday, had his back lock up on him. Harbaugh said that it is a muscular issue that Smith also dealt with while playing at the University of Colorado. "It takes a couple of days usually for that to resolve," Harbaugh said.

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.

Reserve tight end getting some of the reps that would have gone to Pitta, who is nursing broken right hand

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