By the time Michael McAdoo is well again, it will be three years since he’s played football.
But the Ravens are perfectly willing to wait to give him another chance.
The pass-rushing outside linebacker sat out 2010 because of NCAA violations at North Carolina and last year on injured reserve with a knee injury. That’s where he’ll be again this year after tearing his Achilles in offseason workouts.
“I finally had a chance to get out there on the field to prove myself,” McAdoo told the Ravens’ official website. “I thought it was going well, getting the hang of the plays, getting in the system, and getting some extra eyes and extra looks. Then for me to go down, it just hurt.
“I realize that and all I can do is keep fighting. I can’t give up just because I have an injury. I can’t feel sorry for myself because nobody else is going to feel sorry for me.”
For their part, the Ravens have seen enough potential that they’re willing to wait.
“He’s not a guy we’ll give up on,” coach John Harbaugh said. “He’s just going to be a project for us. He’s going to get another year in the weight room and in the meetings and try to see if he can be a player next year.”
McAdoo just turned 22 years old, and showed flashes at UNC that he could be a pass-rusher. That’s a rare enough commodity that teams are willing to wait.