Sep 21, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Baltimore Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta (88) winces in pain after getting injured during the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta is hoping to resume his career in Baltimore very soon. Ken Blaze Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
The Baltimore Ravens and tight end Dennis Pitta must decide by 4 p.m. Wednesday if he is going to resume his career this season.
Pitta, coming off a second surgery for a dislocated hip, returned to practice on Oct. 21, opening up a 21-day window for him to be activated to the 53-man roster or head to season-ending injured reserve. If Pitta isn't activated, he has said it might be time to walk away from the game altogether.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh says Pitta has performed well in practice, but the decision to return will be up to Pitta and his doctors.
"Dennis is going to play if he can," Harbaugh said per the team's official website. "There's no doubt in my mind, based on what I've talked to him [about]. If it's safe and he feels like he can get out there and the hip is responding well, he's going to play. And if it's not safe, then he's not going to play."
Pitta has worn a non-contact jersey in practice and has gone full speed in recent pregame workouts. Of course, there was no contact involved when he suffered the injury in Cleveland at the beginning of last season. If he is able to get back on the field, the Ravens' offense could certainly use another weapon.
"He did look good in practice," Harbaugh said. "We had a tough time covering him. He was doing stuff from the look team and made a bunch of plays out there and just kind of looked like his old self out there."
In his last full season in 2012, Pitta recorded 61 catches for 669 yards and seven touchdowns.
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