The Ravens are dealing with a handful of injuries right now, and a number of the injured players talked with the media after Saturday's practice at M&T Bank Stadium.
Here is an update on some of the recent injuries:
Upshaw Expects To Return Monday
Top draft pick Courtney Upshaw did not practice all week after suffering a bruised shoulder, but the outside linebacker hopes to get back on the field Monday.
"That's what I'm thinking and that's what I'm hearing, but it depends on how my shoulder feels on Monday," Upshaw said.
Upshaw is hoping to get back on the field soon so that he's able to play in the preseason opener Thursday night in Atlanta.
"I really want to play in this first game and they're really trying to get me out there," he said.
In the time off, Upshaw said that he has been taking mental notes in meetings and working on his cardio to stay in shape. Head Coach John Harbaugh has said that the injury is nothing serious, and Upshaw said the training staff is simply taking the time to make sure he is completely healthy when he returns.
"They're saying not to rush back, but anybody will tell you that I want to be out there," Upshaw said. "The trainers just want to take their time and make sure that I'm 100 percent and make sure that I'm able to do what I do out there."
Birk Still Optimistic About Preseason Opener
Head Coach John Harbaugh said on Friday that veteran center Matt Birk may be held out of action throughout next week because of bask spasms, which could include him missing the preseason opener next Thursday in Atlanta.
Birk, who sat out Saturday's practice, said he is still optimistic about playing in the game.
"I hope I don't [miss the game]," Birk said. "You certainly can't predict the future but I hope I don't. My goal is to be out there."
The 15-year veteran has not dealt with back issues previously, but said the injury is nothing too serious.
"It's just some muscular spasms," Birk said. "Nothing big, but just working to get in calmed down."
Hip Not A Problem For Williams
Cornerback Cary Williams sat out practice Friday and Saturday, but said the time off is not related to his hip that he had surgically repaired this offseason.
"It's nothing to do with my right hip that I had surgery on, that's perfectly fine," Williams said. "I'm just taking a couple of days off."
Williams has been a full participant in training camp practice after being held out during minicamp in June, and he said that his hip has not given him any problems.
"It's been pretty good. It responded pretty well, so it's everything I wanted it to be. I'm just trying to shake the rust off right now."
Ngata Excited To Get Back
Pro Bowl defensive tackle Haloti Ngata was on the practice field for the first time during training camp on Friday after behind held out for tweaked hamstring that he suffered running the conditioning test at the start of camp.
"It sucked," Ngata said. "You're running and then you get a little hamstring pull and you have to sit out for a while. And you're watching your guys suffer through training camp – not suffer, but just go through training camp."
As part of the CBA rules, Ngata was held out of full team drills Friday and Saturday. He will get back to full action on Monday.
Ngata, who added weight during the offseason, said that he currently weighs about 345 pounds. He played last season at about 340 pounds, but wanted to bulk up and add some more power.
"I feel great," Ngata said. "Right now I can feel the power, so we'll just see how it goes as the season goes on. If we feel like I need to lose the weight, then I'll probably try to lose the weight during the season."
McKinnie Not Worried About Long-Term Injury
Ravens left tackle Bryant McKinnie has struggled with keeping his weight down, and he told reporters that he weighs about 360 pounds. He also said that he is planning to see a doctor this week because he is having so much trouble losing the weight.
"This never was an issue in my career until about three years ago, so I think there might be some kind of imbalance that's going on with my metabolism," he said.
In addition to the weight issue, McKinnie also missed the first week of training camp after suffering a back injury at his home in Florida. The injury occurred when McKinnie slipped on a loose brick while running out of his house.
McKinnie returned to practice on Friday and said that the back injury is not a lingering concern.
"If you check my track record, I don't stay injured," McKinnie said. "I don't miss games. The whole being injured thing wasn't a big deal to me, it's just a matter of how fast I could recover. I'll be back by next week or whatever."
"I have a better confidence within myself compared to last year."
Doss Expects To Return Monday
Wide receiver Tandon Doss was held out of practice throughout the week because of a tweaked hamstring, but he expects to get back on the field Monday.
He said that he didn't pull or strain his hamstring, but the trainers decided to hold him out of practice. "I felt it tighten up so I'm just trying to lay low," he said.
