OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) — Baltimore Ravens defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike has passed his physical and been removed from the physically-unable-to-perform list.
Madubuike didn’t do too much at practice Wednesday, but his return is a boost for a Baltimore defense that lost him early last season to a neck injury.
“It is phenomenal. We needed him back,” quarterback Lamar Jackson said. “I cannot say 100% yet — I do not know about the medical — but he is back, and I am looking forward to seeing him get a lot of sacks and disrupt a lot of offenses.”
Coach Jesse Minter indicated the Ravens will still be careful with Madubuike, a Pro Bowler in 2023 and 2024 who gives Baltimore a presence in the middle of the defensive front.
“It’s still a process to get ready to play football, and that’s something we’re going to work through over these next couple of weeks,” Minter said. “I think everybody has a good feeling about where he’s at and where it’s headed. But again, those things — there’s a timeline involved, and that could go wherever.”
Veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell wasn’t practicing, weeks after his brother was charged with murder after police found their 71-year-old mother dead at her home in Atlanta.
“Obviously he dealt with personal tragedy over the summer. So, from a preparation standpoint, that took up a lot of his time and his mental focus and energy,” Minter said. “Again, we’re here for Calais to get ready at the rate that he can get ready at. This guy — it’s different than a 25-year-old that’s played maybe only a year or two. This guy has so many banked reps of experience of getting himself ready in camp. We’re going to work together with Calais to have a great plan to, again, have him ready for September, December, January, February.”
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