Baltimore Ravens: Breshad Perriman injury now huge concern

By Kevin Parvizi | Aug 27, 2015

Baltimore Ravens first-round pick Breshad Perriman is under as much pressure as any rookie wideout, and you could say that he holds more importance around the league than even No. 4 overall pick Amari Cooper. While Cooper was the higher draft pick and is the unquestioned top dog in the Oakland Raiders offense, Perriman’s drop and route-running concerns, combined with the fact that he’s the No. 2 receiver on a playoff contender, have put him under the microscope.

ALSO ON SPIN ZONE: Where Does Justin Forsett Rank Among Best RBs?

The pressure on Perriman has only increased with each and every practice he missed with a knee injury, which was diagnosed as a sprained PCL about a week ago. This came after Ravens head coach John Harbaugh informed reporters that there was nothing amiss with Perriman’s MRI, but, well, there was definitely something wrong.

More from Baltimore Ravens

Back in late July, I wasn’t overly concerned with Perriman’s injury, because it didn’t seem like a big deal at the time. Now, however, it’s a huge cloud hanging over the Ravens as we draw closer to the start of the regular season, because we can’t be sure that he’ll even suit up for Week 1.

According to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun, Harbaugh not only stated that the healing process has been “slower than anybody expected”, but he also declared that there is “no timetable” for the former UCF star’s return. This is of major concern for an organization that is counting so much on Perriman to make a rookie impact that their No. 2 receiver would be Kamar Aiken if the speedy 21-year-old is unable to play.

While Aiken has showed up well and put up some decent numbers last season with three touchdown receptions to his name, it isn’t ideal for the Ravens to go into the 2015 season with Steve Smith, Aiken, Michael Campanaro, and Marlon Brown, who would have been cut if Perriman didn’t have this knee injury, as their top four receivers.

The hope is that Perriman can return in time for the regular season, but even if he does, the injury could set him back so much that it could be difficult for him to make up for the lost time. He isn’t the rawest receiver to be drafted in the first round of the draft, but if he were more pro-ready, then he would have been selected higher than 26th overall with his 6’3″, 218-pound frame and 4.24 wheels.

Without time to work with Joe Flacco and learn Marc Trestman’s offense in preseason and training camp snaps, Breshad Perriman has clearly been put behind the curve. His lack of refined route-running will likely be overcome by his sheer speed, explosiveness, and strength, but his rookie success just might be predicated on his ability to immediately jump in and have a connection with Flacco.

Based on how well Flacco worked with a raw-but-explosive Torrey Smith earlier in his career, Perriman’s inability to get healthy might prove to be only a minor hitch rather than a significant setback for the Ravens. However, it is now time to be worried about his situation, thanks to the fact the coaching staff doesn’t even know when he’ll be ready to work with the rest of the offense on the field.

At this point in time, the Baltimore Ravens don’t even seem to be sure if Perriman will be ready to take on Chris Harris Jr., Aqib Talib, and the Denver Broncos in Week 1, which would be a huge blow to Smith, Flacco, and the rest of the Ravens offense. They are counting on his playmaking ability to shine through this year, so if this situation wasn’t already being monitored closely, any Perriman update is now major news.

Next: Which Ravens Are Among NFL's Most Important Players?

More from NFL Spin Zone

Home/Baltimore Ravens