Matt Elam Injury: Updates on Ravens Safety's Biceps and Return

The Baltimore Ravens have been dealt a major blow, as safety Matt Elam had to leave the practice field on Saturday with a biceps injury. The injury will require surgery and will end his season. 

"Elam was injured while covering a wide receiver during the first day of full-contact drills. His biceps doesn't have its normal shape, strength or range of motion, according to a source," Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun revealed.

Continue for updates.

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Elam Reportedly Has Complete Biceps Tear, Will Miss Season

Monday, Aug. 3

Ed Werder of ESPN reported Elam's diagnosis, ending his 2015 campaign before it every truly started. Previously, Wilson noted the safety will go under the knife this week to repair the damage. He also discussed the extent of Elam's injury and its implications in his report on Sunday:

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Elam either fully or partially tore his biceps on Saturday, according to an NFL source. The injury is expected to end the 2013 first-round draft pick's season. Although the results of a magnetic resonance imaging exam weren't known Sunday night, sources said the Ravens are not counting on Elam to play this season, as he'll likely require surgery and four to six months of rehabilitation.

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Wilson also provided comments from Ravens head coach John Harbaugh discussing the MRI and injury:

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I haven't heard on the MRI yet, but I'm not real optimistic right now. I haven't heard a final word, but it wasn't very optimistic [Saturday] talking to the doctors. He was reaching, the receiver ran by him and kind of reached for him and caught him. ...

I'm sure it's very disappointing for him, and he told me that. Here's a guy who came back with a renewed attitude. He had a better approach than he'd had the first two years. He just had grown up a lot. He's very serious and he was in tremendous shape, and then he gets a fluke injury. That's disappointing.

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Elam came into camp competing with Will Hill for the starting strong safety position, though he was sure to be a contributor for the team regardless. And indeed, he came into camp in shape and slimmer than he'd ever been in his career, keen on nabbing the starting job. 

"I've been working hard and eating right," Elam said Friday, prior to being hurt. "I'm doing everything the right way and getting myself right. I feel really good."

Elam was the 32nd overall pick by the Ravens in the 2013 draft out of Florida, registering 127 tackles, two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and an interception in his first two seasons. He and the team were hopeful this year would be his true breakout campaign.

While losing Elam would hurt the team's depth in the secondary, Hill's presence at safety mitigates some of the damage. In Hill, the Ravens have a veteran presence at the position who may have won the job outright, though losing Elam would thin out the position.