Samari Rolle will begin the season on the physically-unable-to-perform list, but there is hope that the veteran cornerback could return and play this season.
Rolle, who underwent surgery to repair a bulging disc in his neck in the offseason, has been on the PUP list since training camp started in late July and will not be able to play the first six weeks of the regular season.
After six weeks, the Ravens will have a three-week window to either add him to the 53-man roster or place him on injured reserve.
Still, coach John Harbaugh said the goal is to avoid injured reserve.
"If there's any risk at all, he won't play. But if there's no risk, then he'll have a chance to help this team down the stretch," Harbaugh said. "So he was real excited about it. I think he was feeling that it was going to go the other way, I think I was feeling that it was going to go the other way, and it's good news."
Harbaugh said Rolle, who signed a four-year contract with the Ravens in the offseason, spoke separately with both general manager Ozzie Newsome and Harbaugh about his intention to play. Harbaugh said Rolle will "have some more work done on the neck to try to shore it up a little bit in there."
Wide receiver Derrick Mason, a teammate of Rolle's with the Ravens and Tennessee Titans, said his friend is understandably cautious.
"Samari just wants to play, but he understands the injury he has is a serious one," Mason said, adding that paralysis is a potential consequence associated with Rolle's neck injury. "This is a game. It's not the end-all, be-all. There is a life after it. Samari understands it. ... I would love to have him out there, but I want him healthy."
Suggs sighting
Terrell Suggs returned to practice for the first time since straining his left Achilles tendon Aug. 2, and Harbaugh expressed optimism that the three-time Pro Bowl linebacker could appear in Thursday's preseason finale against the Atlanta Falcons.
"We're just going to have to see how it responds," Harbaugh said. "If we can get him out there during the game, we will. And if we can't and we need to be safe with it, we won't. The most important thing is Kansas City [in the season opener Sept. 13], but we want him to be the best player he can be against Kansas City."
Suggs was cautious about committing to playing Thursday, saying: "I don't know. I'll let you all know."
