The Ravens lost starting tight end Dennis Pitta for the season because of a fractured, dislocated hip injury that required surgery, a major blow to the Super Bowl champions.
“Dennis is out for the year,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “That’s the type of thing that he’s not going to be able to come back from this year. There’s enough damage in there to preclude that.”
The Ravens won’t place Pitta on injured reserve-designated to return because of the extent of the injury. He’s expected back for next season.
A magnetic resonance imaging exam determined that Pitta didn’t suffer ligament or cartilage damage when he fractured and dislocated his right hip, Harbaugh said.
Pitta will miss this season, but is expected to eventually make a healthy return for next year. Harbaugh said that Pitta can begin rehabilitating his hip in six to eight weeks.
Pitta had a bone fragment removed from his hip when he underwent surgery Saturday night. Earlier that day in practice, Pitta landed awkwardly on his side while leaping for a high pass and jostling for position against strong safety James Ihedigbo.
“It’s an injury that happens a lot of times in car accidents,” Harbaugh said. “It’s a very rare football injury. It’s a clean break. It’s good news. Nothing has changed as far as our plans as far as the season goes. We want him to be back in the future 100 percent.”
The Ravens will replace Pitta, who caught 61 passes for 669 yards and seven touchdowns last season, with Ed Dickson. Dickson is an athletic former third-round draft pick.
The Ravens also signed veteran tight end Visanthe Shiancoe to a one-year deal. Shiancoe has 243 career catches for 2,677 yards and 27 touchdowns.
“You hate to get an opportunity in this fashion, but you have to relish the opportunities because it doesn’t come by that often,” Dickson said. “The team needs me to step up. … And it’s not just me, it’s other guys on the team. It’s Ray Rice, it’s Joe Flacco, it’s everybody picking up for Dennis because he was a great receiver and I believe he’ll come back healthier than what he was.”