Ogden missed the entire training camp as he dealt with his father’s death.
Now, he’s trying to shed 15 to 20 pounds gained during his personal ordeal along
with the rust he accumulated in order to prepare for the Ravens' Sept. 10
season-opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and speed-rushing defensive end
Simeon Rice.
“We’ll push it as far as we can, but we have to keep it in mind that it is his
first preseason game,” said Ravens coach Brian Billick, whose football team
practiced in the indoor practice field for the first time this month. “With the
starters in the first preseason game, you’re looking for 12 to 15 plays.
“We need to get at least that, maybe a little more if we can. It’s a little bit
different than the rest of the guys that are now in their third game.”
Starters will play the entire first half again, as they did last week.
Meanwhile, this will mark the first action for wide receiver Clarence Moore, who
like Ogden, opened training camp on the physically unable to perform list. Moore
has been recovering from surgery in the offseason to repair a chronic sports
hernia.
He’s chasing impressive rookie Demetrius Williams and fellow third-year pro
Devard Darling for the third wide receiver job.
“He can go a little longer, I think,” Billick said. “Clarence needs to get back
in a rhythm. We expect a receiver to go a little bit longer.”
TRAINING ROOM: Safety B.J. Ward said he’s nearly over an extended bout with
migraines that has kept him out for the past few weeks.
He expects to return as soon as next week if his neurologist and trainers clear
him to play.
Ward said his migraines, which brought about dizziness, a lack of balance and a
sensitivity to sunlight, weren’t concussion-related. He emphasized that no major
medical issue was revealed by CAT scans.
“I feel like I’m ready to go,” Ward said. “I’m almost over the whole thing.”
Safety Gerome Sapp didn’t practice because of a stomach ailment. Linebacker
Terrell Suggs had the flu earlier this week and missed a practice.
“I don’t know if we’re passing a little something around,” Billick said.
Running back Jamal Lewis (hip), offensive guard Brian Rimpf (hamstring) and wide
receiver Matt Cherry (shoulder) didn’t practice.
QUICK HITS: Billick is expecting a better outing from rookie defensive tackle
Haloti Ngata. “He needs to get a little more disciplined in his play, where he
belongs, techniques, that type of thing,” Billick said. “Typical of a young
player.” … The Ravens have until Tuesday to shed their roster to 75 players
following an NFL rule change from previous years where teams had to be down to
65 players. It means nine players will likely be competing in their final game
for the Ravens. “They know,” Billick said. “All they have to do is turn on the
television, listen to the bubble this and bubble that with the other teams. They
look at the numbers. If you have to emphasize that to them, I think they’ve
already missed the point.”
Aaron Wilson writes for the Carroll County Times