Recovering from ankle surgery is no walk in the park, but Ronnie Stanley feels good enough to walk on the beach.
Renowned surfer Laird Hamilton recently posted a video on Instagram of he and Stanley taking a two-mile stroll on the beach. The All-Pro left tackle, who played in just one game last season before undergoing his most recent ankle surgery, is smiling and walking backward without any trace of a limp.
It's an encouraging sight for Ravens fans, with Stanley's return to the lineup so crucial to the team's outlook for next season. Stanley was amused when a Twitter follower speculated on how fans would react to seeing the video.
Both Head Coach John Harbaugh and General Manager Eric DeCosta have said they are optimistic about updates they have received on Stanley's progress. However, walking on the beach is much different than taking on NFL defensive linemen. Harbaugh said at last month's league meetings that the team would take a cautious approach with Stanley's recovery, knowing there is plenty of time between now and Week 1.
"He is doing well by all accounts," Harbaugh said. "Our new trainer, Adrian Dixon, saw him, said he's doing really well. He told me he's doing great.
"I can't wait to see him back. He should be back for the offseason program. He'll be still rehabbing at that point in time. We won't be hurrying him back into practice by any stretch. We'll be looking to get him back for the season. It'll be very important for us."
