Tight end Dennis Pitta avoided a spot on the physically unable to perform list this week, leaving him eligible to take part in practices with the Ravens as they opened training camp.
Pitta didn’t practice at all last year as his twice-broken and dislocated hip was never well enough for him to get on the field. Pitta contemplated retirement in the offseason, but restructured his contract with the team in order to give it another go.
After the first two practices, Pitta told reporters that he’s not thinking about his hip unless he’s being asked about it and that he feels his chemistry with quarterback Joe Flacco hasn’t suffered as a result of his long layoff.
“I don’t feel like I’ve lost a step,” Pitta said, via ESPN.com. “I don’t feel like I’m any slower or do anything different than I did a couple of years ago, in my opinion. That’s my goal. I want to be the lead guy.”
Whether he’s the lead guy at tight end or part of a group with Benjamin Watson and Maxx Williams, getting Pitta back in a form close to where he was in the past would be a big win for the Ravens offense. So far, it looks like there’s good reason for optimism about his chances of doing that.