Terrell Suggs

The most famous student of Ball So Hard University strutted in front of a throng of reporters Wednesday. And naturally, he wore a black Ball So Hard University T-shirt as he explained where his school spirit came from. "A lot of guys on this team attended Ball So Hard University, including myself," Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs said. "The dean of students and president of the school is actually Shawn Carter," better known as Jay-Z. Suggs created an internet sensation before Sunday night's 23-20 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers when he said his alma mater was “Ball So Hard University” as the Ravens defense was introduced in a NBC graphic.

I never put a lot of stock in OTAs because the season is still a few months away and there could be some significant changes to the roster before the regular season opener. But here are a few casual observations from watching the first workout open to the media Wednesday.... It's impressive watching those big bodies on the Ravens defensive line. There is so much depth there with the additions of Marcus Spears and Chris Canty (who was present for some of Tuesday's workout). A team can never have enough of them, and the Ravens are stout in this area.

In his first season after tearing his right Achilles tendon in 1993, Dan Marino threw for 4,453 yards and 30 touchdowns en route to his eighth Pro Bowl invitation and the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award. But even the Hall of Fame former Miami Dolphins quarterback was stunned when he saw Terrell Suggs play Sunday against the Houston Texans - just five months after the Ravens outside linebacker underwent surgery on his right Achilles tendon. "Yeah, I am [surprised] considering that he practiced - for what - three days?"

Who is there, or more appropriately, who isn't? That undoubtedly will be the most popular question this week as the Ravens start the first of three sessions of organized team activities. The sessions will run from May 21 to 23, May 29 to 31 and June 4 to 6, leading into the mandatory veteran minicamp, which starts on June 11. During the OTAs, players don their helmets and jerseys, but they don't wear all their pads. There is blocking, but no full-on tackling. And above all, the sessions are voluntary.

Ravens outside linebacker injured his Achilles tendon during a workout last week and is expected to miss most - if not all - of the 2012 season. Suggs, the 2011 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, is scheduled to see a foot specialist in North Carolina next week to determine the extent of the injury. Dr. Lew Schon, the chief of foot and ankle surgery at Union Memorial Hospital, discussed, in general terms, what the surgery and recovery from such an injury entails. How serious is a torn Achilles tendon for an NFL player?

Ravens coach John Harbaugh made his first public comments this afternoon about Terrell Suggs' injury. Harbaugh was among those who gathered today at the Fallen Heroes Memorial at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens. Harbaugh's quotes are courtesy of WJZ-TV: INITIAL THOUGHTS ON THE INJURY Harbaugh: "He will be okay, Terrell Suggs will be fine. He will be back. He will go to work on that rehab like no other. He will continue to be a huge part of what we are doing, continue to be a leader and then the young guys will step up. They will step forward, and you are a football team first, you are a team, team is not one guy. " HIS REACTION WHEN TERRELL CALLED HIM Harbaugh: "My heart went out to Terrell because he was so down about it,  it was so hard for him to actually spit out what had happened.

Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs spoke about the injury to his Achilles tendon and his expectations as to when he'll be able to return. On the nature of the injury: "I've already been to see two different doctors. One says it is a partial tear, one says it is a full tear. I don't know what the hell is going on. I've been in contact with the Ravens, and there will be a procedure done Tuesday to correct the problem. " On how he suffered the injury: "The injury did not occur while I was playing basketball.

Several Ravens players like quarterback Joe Flacco, right guard Marshal Yanda and strong safety Bernard Pollard spoke glowingly Wednesday of re-acquainting themselves with San Diego Chargers outside linebacker Jarret Johnson, who spent his first nine seasons in Baltimore before signing with San Diego on March 17 as a free agent. But no player arguably misses Johnson more than outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, who, like Johnson, was drafted by the Ravens in 2003. Suggs, the rambunctious pass rusher, and Johnson, the cerebral run stopper, made an odd couple, but they were the closest of friends in the locker room.

We all wrote the guy off. Me, the rest of the Baltimore media and a ton of Ravens fans, judging by the talk shows and message boards. No way would Terrell Suggs play against the Houston Texans, we all said. He's coming back too soon from that partially-torn Achilles tendon. He's only had three days of practice. There's a bye week coming up. What's the point of him rushing back? We all said that, in one way or the other, all week long. Shows what we know. I still don't know why he was out there, but Suggs had himself some day in that debacle against the Texans.

Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs proved again on Sunday that it's a risky business betting against a special player when he sets his mind to something. He said months ago that he would return earlier than prescribed from Achilles tendon surgery, and he did just that against the Houston Texans. It's still fair to debate whether returning before the bye week was the smartest thing to do on the heel (see what I did there) of such a serious injury, but Suggs did it and played surprisingly well under the circumstances.

The 2013 NFL draft is over, and looking back at what the Ravens have accomplished this weekend, it is fairly obvious that they wanted to focus on defense after slowly rebuilding the offense over the past few offseasons. As I wrote in this space earlier this weekend, I like the selection of Florida strong safety Matt Elam and Kansas State inside linebacker Arthur Brown . Both are capable of starting as rookies. I still don't know much about big Southern Missouri State nose tackle Brandon Williams , but he figures to have a meaningful role this year, too. On Saturday, the third and final day of the draft, the Ravens used three of their seven draft picks on defense, making it six of 10 picks overall, including their first four.

Each weekday through Wednesday, the day before the first round of the NFL draft, The Sun will look at where the Ravens stand at each position, the likelihood that they will address that spot early in the draft and some of the prospects that they may consider. Today we'll examine outside linebacker: Current outside linebackers under contract : Terrell Suggs, Elvis Dumervil, Courtney Upshaw, Adrian Hamilton, Michael McAdoo, Spencer Atkins, D.J. Bryant Chances that the Ravens draft an outside linebacker in first three rounds : Low. Last month's signing of Dumervil gives the Ravens what they had long been seeking: a dominant pass rusher to pair with Suggs.

The Ravens replaced pass rusher Paul Kruger with a three-time Pro Bowler in Elvis Dumervil. They are open to trying out defensive end Pernell McPhee at rush linebacker. Courtney Upshaw could improve his pass-rushing prowess before his second NFL season. And Terrell Suggs should have four fully-functioning limbs this fall. Will that keep the Ravens from drafting another pass rusher next week, possibly even with an early pick? This draft class boasts a mysterious but talented group of edge rushers, led by LSU's Barkevious Mingo, Oregon's Dion Jordan, Florida State's Bjoern Werner, Georgia's Jarvis Jones, and BYU's Ezekiel Ansah.

The acquisition of outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil creates questions about how the snaps will be divvied up amongst him, Terrell Suggs and Courtney Upshaw, but the Ravens' coaches will tell you that it's a good problem to have. Especially when defending in obvious pass situations. The presence of those three players, along with the addition of defensive linemen Chris Canty and Marcus Spears, will give Ravens defensive coordinator Dean Pees options when it comes to attacking quarterbacks in third-and-long situations this upcoming season.

Would you march out of a movie theater seven minutes into the feature presentation because there weren't enough explosions for your liking? Would you take a couple nibbles out of a grilled cheese sandwich, only to send it back to the kitchen because, for whatever reason, you were hoping it would taste more like lobster? Would you sell the big, brand-new house you just moved into because you found a leak in your basement? How about this one: Would you throw your hands up in disgust if your favorite team -- one that happened to win the Super Bowl just a few weeks ago -- didn't make any major moves in the first 11 days of free agency?

The new general of the Ravens defense had been quiet ever since the team won the Super Bowl in early February. Terrell Suggs was silent as top young linebackers Dannell Ellerbe and Paul Kruger signed lucrative contracts elsewhere, and the older players like Anquan Boldin, Ed Reed and Bernard Pollard were shown the door. With those departures, Suggs had become the team's defensive leader by deed and default. But on Sunday night, minutes before he agreed to an interview, the Ravens Pro Bowl outside linebacker/defensive end learned that the Ravens had agreed in principle with another Pro Bowl player, former Denver Broncos defensive end Elvis Dumervil.

Outside linebacker Terrell Suggs majorly impacted the Ravens defense after his improbably quick recovery from a torn right Achilles tendon. Now he is vowing to play through a torn right biceps at some point this season. The reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year tore a muscle late in the team's 23-20 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. The Ravens feared the injury could be season-ending, but Suggs said Wednesday that he will be back at some point -- maybe as soon as this weekend -- and that shutting it down was not an option.

The Ravens tied a franchise high with nine sacks in the Thanksgiving night win over the San Francisco 49ers. Terrell Suggs had three of them, inspiring Sizzle to tell CSN Baltimore, "I eat these QBs, Anthony Hopkins. "

An offseason of losses gave way to a big Ravens gain Sunday night as they announced that they have agreed in principle on a five-year deal with former Denver Broncos defensive end Elvis Dumervil. Dumervil, a three-time Pro Bowl selection who had 63 ½ sacks and 16 forced fumbles in six seasons with the Broncos, will be at the Ravens' facility Tuesday to take a physical and - if all goes well - to sign a contract. “I think this move is awesome,” Ravens outside linebacker Terrell Suggs told The Baltimore Sun. “It shows we're still in the business of winning and we have the best [general manager]

Maybe now some of the Ravens fans will stop whining. Oh, they let Ed Reed go, they let Dannell Ellerbe go, they let Paul Kruger go, they cut Bernard Pollard ... Whine, whine, whine ... The entire time I kept saying the Ravens were making the right moves and they still could make a big, major acquisition. Forget the salary cap baloney -- when a team wants to make a deal, when they feel a player is a priority, then they can make the deal regardless of cap status. It might cost them a veteran or two, and it might hurt in the future, but it can happen.