Baltimore Ravens starting running back Willis McGahee had arthroscopic knee surgery Tuesday and the team says he will be back in time for the season opener, but there is cause for concern here: It’s the same knee on which he suffered a catastrophic injury as a Miami Hurricane.
McGahee also reported to training camp out of shape, leaving some to question his overall motivation. His surgery could force the Ravens to look for a veteran back to not only take practice reps in practice but possibly be ready to go against the Bengals on opening day. Those available include Shawn Alexander, Travis Henry, Samkon Gado, Najeh Davenport, Mike Bell and Ron Dayne.
“We were confident without the scope that he would have been ready," new Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said. "We just feel like this is a cautionary procedure and [we want to] make sure we're right."
McGahee, 26, rushed for 1,207 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games last season, his first in Baltimore. He also caught 43 passes for 231 yards and one TD.
Traditionally, it takes two to four weeks to recover from a standard arthroscopic knee surgery. In the case of McGahee, who didn't report to camp in optimum condition, it's likely going to come down to how much swelling there is and how diligently he works at his rehabilitation.Harbaugh acknowledged that there are potential scenarios where McGahee may be unavailable for the opener against Cincinnati, which would open the door for rookie Ray Rice to start. That game is currently listed as a pick’em on WagerWeb.com.
"There's always a possibility," Harbaugh said. "You never say never on those things.”
Cory Ross, Allen Patrick and Alex Haynes are working behind Rice on the depth chart. Rice has been impressive in camp, but didn't produce big numbers against the Patriots in the preseason opener with six carries for a dozen yards and four receptions for 17 yards.
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