Dennis Pitta Injury: Updates on Ravens TE's Hip and Recovery

Baltimore Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta has played in just seven regular-season games over the past two seasons because of injury, and his status for the upcoming 2015 campaign is very much in question as well. He will miss at least the first six games of the regular season as he continues to rehab a hip injury. 

"Pitta has not been cleared by doctors to practice after undergoing his second hip surgery in as many seasons. There are no guarantees that Pitta will play this season or ever again," stated ESPN's Jamison Hensley.

Continue for updates.  

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Flacco Comments on Pitta's Potential Return

Wednesday, Aug. 26

"I really can't answer that question because I just don't know," quarterback Joe Flacco said, per Hensley. Flacco continued: 

"

Dennis is a very good friend of mine, and I think he's a good football player. You'd better believe that I hope to see him out there at some point.

I'm going to push him to get out there, that's for sure. And I'm not going to feel bad about it either.

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Pitta was a great safety valve for Flacco, and his importance has increased since last season, as fellow tight end Owen Daniels left Baltimore in favor of the Denver Broncos.

The Ravens will have to turn to rookie Maxx Williams and incumbent Crockett Gillmore, which is a less-than-ideal situation for an offense that likes to utilize its tight ends.

The Ravens are playing with house money to some degree when it comes to Pitta since there aren't necessarily high expectations for his return, but if he is ultimately able to come back in 2015, then he will provide a huge boost to a team that nearly knocked off the eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots in last season's playoffs.

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Pitta to Begin Season on PUP List

Tuesday, Aug. 18

Ravens coach John Harbaugh announced the news, meaning the earliest Pitta will be able to join the team will be Week 7 of the regular season, according to Dan Hanzus of NFL.com. 

ESPN's Adam Caplan reported Pitta had originally been placed on the active/PUP list back on July 24 when training camp kicked off.

There are no guarantees that Pitta will be able to return at all in 2015, which is underscored by the combination of hopefulness and uncertainty he expressed in May, per Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com: "I’m optimistic. I feel good. But obviously it's a process. I have an idea in mind of where I'd like to be in a couple months, but at the same time you don't know. I know what it felt like to do this one time. I've never known what it felt like to do it twice."

In June, Harbaugh explained the process of Pitta returning to action when asked about it by Garrett Downing of BaltimoreRavens.com:

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In minicamp, unless you're cleared, you can't come out to practice. Until he gets cleared by the doctors, he won't be able to practice. ... A couple of things are going to have to happen for him to play, ultimately. No. 1, he is going to have to be cleared by the doctors. No. 2 is he's going to have decide he wants to play because obviously there is going to be some risk involved.

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There is no question that the Ravens are a better team when Pitta is in the fold. His last full season came in 2012, and it was a breakout campaign for him as he set career highs with 61 catches for 669 yards and seven touchdowns.

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