Terrell Suggs Injury: Courtney Upshaw and 5 Players Who Must Step Up for Ravens

The tried and true defense of the Baltimore Ravens may have been dealt a massive blow Thursday. 

According to several published reports, linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs could miss the entire 2012 season after suffering an Achilles tendon injury while working out this offseason. 

If the tendon is completely torn, like what originally was reported, Suggs will have to undergo season-ending surgery. ESPN's Adam Schefter has also reported that Suggs thinks he could be back by October.

Either way, the most likely realistic scenario is that Suggs misses a big chunk of the 2012 season.

While no single player will be replace the NFL's reigning defensive player of the year, Baltimore does have several options to plug in during Suggs' absence. 

The following five are the players who need to step up while Suggs recovers.

Courtney Upshaw

How smart does picking Upshaw at the start of the second round look now for Baltimore? While it initially appeared as if the Ravens could take their time with the Alabama pass-rusher, Suggs' injury ensures that Upshaw will be expected to be a big contributor in year one.

His versatility to play standing up and with his hand in the dirt will help Baltimore mask the loss, but Upshaw is closer as a player to departed free-agent Jarret Johnson than he is to Suggs. Regardless, Upshaw needs to be a pass-rushing threat while also replacing Suggs as the team's edge setter against the run. 

Paul Kruger

A second-round pick in 2009, Kruger finally emerged as a pass-rusher last season with 5.5 sacks. The high-motor defensive end also registered 18 quarterback pressures and four hits, according to Pro Football Focus.

He could be the front-runner to take most of Suggs' snaps at defensive end, so the Ravens will be expecting a jump in production next season.

Sergio Kindle

Suggs' injury wouldn't be the same organizational shock if Kindle had developed into the player Baltimore thought he'd be when they took him with their first pick in the 2010 draft. However, Kindle has only played in two NFL games after suffering a skull fracture before his rookie season.

He should now be fully recovered from the injury, which gives him the chance for a breakout year if given the opportunity. The potential end of Suggs' season could be the vehicle for Kindle to prove he's everything the Ravens envisioned back in '10. 

Pernell McPhee

McPhee was one of the more underrated rookies from the 2011 class. Despite being taken in the fifth round, McPhee played on almost 400 snaps as a first-year player and was highly productive.

He registered six sacks, six quarterback hits and 21 pressures, which ranked him second on the team in pressure plays to Suggs. The Ravens will expect him to be as good or better as a second-year player in 2012.

Mike McAdoo

The Ravens scooped up McAdoo after he went undrafted during last year's supplemental draft. While the rawest of developmental projects, McAdoo is an interesting size (6'7", 245 lbs.) and speed combination off the edge.

If the Ravens could get some more weight on his frame and accelerate the development phase, McAdoo could be an interesting situational pass-rusher for the Ravens to call on at 3-4 outside linebacker.