Completing their second day of practice against the Eagles in Philadelphia, the Ravens continued to be less than 100 percent along their offensive line with a few players dealing with injuries.
Left guard Kelechi Osemele returned to the practice field on Thursday for the first time since playing in the preseason opener a week ago. A lingering Achilles tendon issue has plagued Osemele for the last couple weeks as the Ravens try to manage giving him enough rest against the need for him to receive the necessary reps to prepare for the start of the season.
“It’s a tough balance, because I think we’re going to err on the side of making sure he is ready to go,” head coach John Harbaugh said. “We do that with everybody, really. K.O. can always use the reps. He and Eugene [Monroe] can definitely work together. By the same token, you need him ready to go when you need him ready to go. We’ve been kind of doing that balancing act with all of our guys.”
In addition to the injury being a concern for the Ravens, Osemele is entering the final year of his rookie contract and would appear to be in line for a significant payday should he have a strong 2015 season.
While Osemele was on the field for the first time in a week, right tackle Rick Wagner was held out of Thursday’s practice against the Eagles after being shaken up a day earlier.
The Ravens have limited Wagner’s practice reps at times this summer after he missed the entire spring while recovering from last December’s Lisfranc injury, but he has shown few effects of the injury. Harbaugh did not indicate following Thursday’s practice that the third-year lineman was dealing with a new injury.
“Rick has been rehabbing a foot. He had foot surgery in the offseason,” Harbaugh said. “He fell into a pile yesterday, so we decided to give him a little rest.”
Fifth-year reserve Jah Reid is listed as the primary backup to Wagner, but the former third-round pick has been sidelined all week with a sore back. It’s an unfortunate but familiar development for a much-maligned player who has had a good summer after years of injuries and disappointing play.
Second-year lineman James Hurst worked with the first-team offense with Wagner and Reid both sidelined on Thursday.
“Jah had back spasms three days ago just doing nothing,” Harbaugh said. “It just locked up on him, so they’re trying to loosen those things up right now.”
