Baltimore Ravens linebacker Teddye Buchanan has passed his physical and been removed from the physically unable to perform list, completing an important stage in his recovery from a torn ACL.
Buchanan suffered the injury Dec. 14 and was placed on injured reserve after starting 13 games as a rookie. The fourth-round pick finished second on the team with 93 tackles in 14 appearances, adding five tackles for loss, a half-sack, one forced fumble and one pass breakup. General manager Eric DeCosta praised Buchanan’s rehabilitation before training camp, describing it as one of the best processes he had witnessed. Buchanan’s clearance supports that assessment, although Baltimore will likely increase his practice workload gradually rather than immediately placing him into full-team periods.
The timing gives Buchanan nearly a month to prepare for the Sept. 13 regular-season opener. He may not be ready to play in Baltimore’s second preseason game, but returning to practice now creates a reasonable path toward being available early in the season. Buchanan’s activation also strengthens a linebacker room led by Roquan Smith and Trenton Simpson. Baltimore has spent training camp evaluating Simpson, Dominic DeLuca, Jay Higgins IV, and other options, while Buchanan has continued working with the rehabilitation staff.
The Ravens do not need Buchanan to immediately reclaim his full workload. They need him to rebuild confidence in his knee, regain his conditioning and become comfortable in head coach Jesse Minter’s defensive system. Clearing his physical represents progress, but the next several weeks will determine how quickly he can again become an important part of Baltimore’s defense.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Teddye Buchanan cleared to practice after recovering from a torn ACL