Ravens C Matt Skura eyeing return for training camp after gruesome knee injury

After a gruesome knee injury last season, Ravens C Matt Skura is already thinking about a return and has his sights set on training camp

Baltimore Ravens center Matt Skura’s return from injury is going well. And that might mean a pretty miraculous return to the field come training camp.

“Whenever training camp starts, I’d like to be out there if I’m feeling really good,” Skura told BaltimoreRavens.com’s Clifton Brown. “If I’m not ready at the beginning, then maybe we’d take a week to get me back in the groove. I’m trying not to rush back too quickly, but I don’t want to delay myself too long.

Skura suffered a devastating knee injury in Week 11 last season, tearing his ACL, MCL, PCL, and dislocating his knee cap. While that type of injury might have been a career ender even just a decade ago, Skura has been making steady strides towards returning. He’s posted updates on Twitter, showing him getting back to lifting weights, though he readily admits squats are a far cry from having to fend off a defensive tackle that wants to push you out of the way and put your quarterback into the dirt.

“I’m feeling good strength wise, and obviously I’m still building that up. I just have to see how I feel when there’s a moving target, or when there’s another 300-pound dude trying to get to the quarterback or a running back. We’ll see how it feels then. But as of right now, things are feeling good.”

While lifting heavy weights that quickly after a knee injury is impressive, Skura’s return to running again back in April is an even more encouraging sign.

“I’d say I’m almost at full speed running,” Skura said, per Brown. “I can’t go from a stop all the way to full speed as quickly as I used to yet, but I’m getting close to that, maybe 80 to 90 percent.”

Though Baltimore is returning most of its starting lineup from last season, they have a few competitions being set up. None are as intriguing as the starting center job, which is surprisingly deep this year. Now on a one-year, restricted-free-agent deal, Skura will need to return quickly and fully to ensure his roster spot, much less his place on the depth chart.

Though the Ravens got good results from Skura, who made 36 consecutive starts at both center and guard before his injury last season, his job is far from guaranteed. When Skura went down, Patrick Mekari stepped in and performed admirably and will undoubtedly be considered for the job again this season. Then there’s likely going to be a further push from Bradley Bozeman — who started all 16 games at left guard for Baltimore last season — as well as fourth-round pick Ben Bredeson and UDFA Trystan Colon-Castillo.

However, if Skura can continue his rapid return, it might just be his job to lose at training camp.

“I know I’ve made a lot of big strides,” Skura said. “I’m going to keep that going.”

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Ravens give C Matt Skura low RFA tender

The Baltimore Ravens are giving center Matt Skura an original-round RFA tender as he battles back from a devastating knee injury.

The Baltimore Ravens really liked what they got out of center Matt Skura last season. They’re trying to bring him back for the 2020 season, handing the restricted free agent a low tender, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. The original-round tender projected to cost $2.13 million for the 2020 season, according to Over The Cap.

As a restricted free agent, the Ravens had the chance to place one of three different tenders on Skura, which would dictate what they received if he was signed away. The first-round tender, second-round tender and original-round tender all come with different salary cap hits and act as a one-year contract.

Since Skura was an undrafted free agent, the original-round tender effectively only gives the Ravens the right of first refusal to match any offers he receives. In this case, Baltimore wouldn’t get a draft pick in return if they decide not to match an offer and Skura is signed away. However, given Skura’s season-ending knee injury, the Ravens are gambling he won’t get an offer they can’t or won’t match.

Skura suffered a devastating knee injury last season, tearing his ACL, PCL and MCL while also dislocating his kneecap in Week 12. The extent of the injury and how late in the season it was puts Skura’s availability for training camp in some jeopardy. However, Skura was at Marshal Yanda’s retirement press conference and said he had begun weight lifting, which is a good sign.

If Skura is either signed away, Baltimore will likely put fellow UDFA Patrick Mekari back in the starting spot. Mekari played well in Skura’s stead for the final five games of the regular season.

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Ravens C Matt Skura not sure if he’ll be ready for training camp

Baltimore Ravens C Matt Skura suffered a devastating knee injury that put him on injured reserve and leaves him unsure when he’ll return

The Baltimore Ravens had one of the best offensive lines in the NFL last season. But a key member of the unit isn’t sure if he’ll be healthy enough for training camp next season.

Center Matt Skura suffered a devastating knee injury in Week 12 that saw him tear his ACL, PCL and MCL while also dislocating his kneecap and sent him to injured reserve. While the team cleaned out their lockers, Skura told reporters there is no timetable for his return and that his status for training camp is still in doubt.

.@Matt_Skura62 addresses his injury, goal to return for Training Camp: pic.twitter.com/FQjzmIVZvN

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 12, 2020

Skura was replaced well by undrafted rookie free agent Patrick Mekari but was a key figure on Baltimore’s offensive line prior to the injury. The unit helped keep quarterback Lamar Jackson upright while paving the way for an NFL-record rushing attack.

Earlier this month, Skura posted on Twitter that he was finally walking without crutches. While a step in the right direction, the lack of firm timetable leaves the Ravens in the lurch heading into the offseason.

As a restricted free agent this offseason, the Ravens have some leverage to retain Skura if they want. They can place one of four tenders on him that have varying cap hits — right of first refusal, original round, second round, or first round. But with Mekari’s emergence in Skura’s stead and his potentially prolonged recovery time, it’ll be interesting to see how Baltimore approaches his status this offseason.

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8 Ravens that stepped up in 2019

The Baltimore Ravens finished the regular season 14-2. In order to achieve that record the team needed to have multiple players step up

The Baltimore Ravens had a historic regular season, finishing with the best mark in franchise history at 14-2. The team blew past all expectations in what was deemed a “year of learning” for Baltimore, and suddenly became contenders while also being the most exciting team in football.

In order to have a team that’s so successful, there must be contributions from players everywhere on the field. Stars must play like stars and under-the-radar players have to make big plays in big situations. The Ravens constructed a young roster full of potential dotted with a few key veterans to help elevate everyone

But in order to break records and clinch the No. 1 seed in the AFC with their 14-2 record, Baltimore needed to have a handful of key players step up at the right moments. From stars to unsung heroes and even a few late free-agent pickups, these eight players stepped up in the biggest way in 2019.

QB Lamar Jackson

It would be impossible to talk about Ravens who stepped up this season without mentioning the player who makes the wheels turn on offense. After an offseason filled with criticism, hat, and doubt from fans and pundits alike, Jackson stepped up in the biggest ways in 2019.

Not only did his play on the field speak for itself but his leadership took a huge leap forward. He became more vocal and more involved, leading to his teammates and coaches trusting him more every week.

On the field, Jackson saw his numbers jump in just about every statistical category possible. He improved his completion percentage from 58.2% in 2018 to 66.1%. He led the league in passing touchdowns with 36 and threw half of his interception total in 2018 in over double the amount of starts. He even improved as a runner, setting an NFL record for single-season rushing yards by a quarterback while not being plagued by the fumbles he saw as a rookie.

Jackson showed that he is a star quarterback and consistently proved the doubters wrong with his high level of play every week. In the end, Jackson is the frontrunner for the NFL’s MVP award and had a record-breaking season that ranks among the best the league has ever seen.

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4 Ravens to watch against the Bills

The Baltimore Ravens have a chance to clinch a playoff spot and extend their lead on the No. 1 seed. But these four players need to show up

The Baltimore Ravens enter Week 14 with a chance to not only clinch a playoff berth but to extend their lead on the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoff picture. To do that, they simply need to handle their own business and beat the Buffalo Bills.

The Bills won’t be an easy task, however. They sit at 9-3 and are trying to reinforce their standings in the postseason. With such an important game for both teams, Baltimore will need to see solid play from a few particular players to pull off the win.

Keep a close eye on these four Ravens in Week 14 against the Bills.

RB, Mark Ingram

With the potential for cold weather and high winds again this week, Ingram should see a heavy workload. And considering the Bills’ run defense is a little porous thanks to a defensive line that has struggled to tackle ball carriers, it seems like the type of matchup Ingram should be licking his lips over.

As we’ve seen all season long, Baltimore loves pounding down a defense early and often in order to open them up against the pass and Jackson running outside the tackles. If Ingram and the Ravens find some early success when running inside, they should be able to eat up a lot of time and apply pressure on Buffalo’s offense to make up the ground quickly. Once that happens, Baltimore has pretty much already won the game.

But that means Ingram has to show burst through the hole and make defenders pay for getting in his way. Luckily, that’s his forte.

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Ravens put C Matt Skura on injured reserve; needs knee surgery

The worst fears were confirmed as the Baltimore Ravens center Matt Skura will need surgery on his knee, heading to injured reserve

The Baltimore Ravens continued their winning streak by beating the Los Angeles Rams in Week 12 but came out of the game a little weaker. After center Matt Skura was carted off the field with a knee injury, the worst fears came true with further testing. The Ravens announced they’ve placed Skura on injured reserve, ending his 2019 campaign early.

Skura had his leg rolled on during a pile-up on fourth down in the first quarter. The team initially announced it as a knee sprain, giving some hope Skura would be able to return at some point this season. However, once they got back to Baltimore and further testing could be done, it was determined surgery was needed.

It’s expected undrafted rookie Patrick Mekari will continue as Skura’s replacement after playing well for the remainder of the game against the Rams. Baltimore could also decide to move left guard Bradley Bozeman further inside to center and replace him with someone like James Hurst. However, that would mess with the continuity on the offensive line quite a bit — a unit that has started the same five guys at their respective positions for all 11 games this season.

This was Skura’s second season as Baltimore’s starting center. He’d really come into his how as the season wore on and was playing at a high level when he went down.

Skura posted a touching message to his Instagram thanking the fans and his teammates.

View this post on Instagram

I am honored to have shared the field with this group of men. We truly have something special going on here in Baltimore. These guys are more than teammates, they are my brothers. We fight and battle for each other every week, putting everything we have on the line. My season has ended, but there’s much more to be accomplished. We have a clear vision and aren’t wavering for anyone until the mission is complete. Thank you to all the family, coaches, friends and fans that have sent encouraging, thoughtful messages. It means more than many of you will ever know seeing the support I’ve received. I’m ready to attack this adversity and get back to the field stronger and better than ever! #RavensFlock #BigTruss

A post shared by Matt Skura (@mskura62) on Nov 26, 2019 at 5:42pm PST

7 studs, no duds from Ravens’ 45-6 win vs. Rams

The Baltimore Ravens blew out the Los Angeles Rams in Week 12 but these seven players are deserving of special recognition for their play

The Baltimore Ravens once again were doubted entering the week. And once again, they handled their business by beating the Los Angeles Rams 45-6 in Week 12.

With such a lopsided score, I can’t in good conscience say any player on Baltimore’s roster was a dud. Even if I could pick out a player that didn’t have an amazing game, not a single Ravens player had a dud-worthy performance. So I present, the seven biggest studs of Baltimore’s Week 12 win over Los Angeles.

Stud: QB, Lamar Jackson

Jackson started the game 9-of-9 for 87 yards and three touchdown passes. His first six runs went for 80 yards and yet another highlight-reel addition. Jackson being perfect to start the game was why they got out to such a large lead and were able to coast.

Jackson finished the game early in this blowout, giving way to backup Robert Griffin III in the fourth quarter. Jackson’s night ended with him completing 15-of-20 passes for 169 yards, five touchdown throws, no interceptions and a 139.4 passer rating. He added 95 yards on just eight runs.

Against a very talented defense, Jackson made sure he’ll earn a unanimous MVP award this season.

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Ravens C Matt Skura carted off vs. Rams after apparent leg injury

The Baltimore Ravens saw center Matt Skura carted off the field after his fellow offensive linemen rolled up on his legs vs. the Rams.

The Baltimore Ravens have been very lucky this season when it’s come to injuries. But in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Rams, they got bit on the offensive line as center Matt Skura was carted off the field.

The injury occurred on a 4th-and-1 run by quarterback Lamar Jackson. It appeared as though Skura had his legs rolled up on by another offensive lineman. Skura was replaced with undrafted rookie free agent Patrick Mekari. On the very next play, Jackson found wide receiver Marquise Brown on an 18-yard touchdown pass.

Baltimore had gotten off to a strong start against Los Angeles. They’d been able to dominate the line of scrimmage thanks to the offensive line, ramming the ball down the Rams’ throats to the tune of 97 rushing yards on just 12 attempts, including multiple runs of 10-plus yards. It’ll be interesting to see how well Mekari can make up for the loss of Skura and if it affects either guards Marshal Yanda or Bradley Bozeman.

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