Ravens defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike is still not taking full contact in training camp, even after he came off the physically unable to perform list earlier. This is a red flag, folks, especially when you consider how crucial he is to that defense.
Still Not Full Speed After a Long Layoff
Madubuike’s been sidelined for a while. The guy missed most of last season with a neck injury, which is brutal. Now, he’s back, but not really *back*. He’s been stuck doing only stretching, conditioning, and some light individual stuff. That’s a far cry from banging heads in full contact drills, right? You gotta wonder how long this ramp-up is gonna take.
“Next Couple of Weeks” Is Cutting It Close
Ravens head coach Jesse Minter was straight up asked when Madubuike would get into contact work. Minter said both sides are “putting their heads together” to make sure the rate feels good and confident for everybody. His ballpark estimate, via a transcript from the team, was “next couple of weeks.” Look, I get it. You want to be careful with a neck injury and a guy who missed a ton of time. But “next couple of weeks” from mid-August doesn’t leave much runway for a full return.
Week 1 Preparation Is On The Line
An extended ramp-up for a player who missed as much time as Madubuike makes total sense, absolutely. But if the Ravens are hoping to have him in the lineup for Week 1, this timeline is getting dangerously tight. He needs those final stages of preparation. You can’t just throw a defensive tackle who’s been limited for months straight into a regular season game, especially after a serious neck issue. The clock is ticking big time for Madubuike and the Ravens to get him ready to roll.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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