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The Ravens will be without Dennis Pitta for the 2013 season, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Schefter tweeted he received word that Pitta would be lost for the season after learning the fourth-year tight end out of BYU had undergone surgery.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Ravens TE Dennis Pitta is expected to be out for the year with a dislocated hip, per ESPN source.</p>— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/statuses/361277685697232896">July 28, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Pitta is an integral part to the Ravens' offense and was expected to see an even bigger role in 2013 with Anquan Boldin now in San Francisco. Losing Pitta will be a major blow to what Baltimore expected to do offensively.
If Pitta is indeed out for the remainder of the season, Ed Dickson will step into the role of Baltimore's top tight end. Shortly after practice, radio station AM 1570 WNST spoke to Dickson in a telephone interview. Dickson told the radio station that he sent Pitta a text after he was carted off the field.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Ryan: Dickson dropped Pitta a text after practice: "Keep your head up..the injury's not going to hold you down. We need you."</p>— WNST (@WNST) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNST/statuses/361249096775901184">July 27, 2013</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Ryan: Dickson's text: "Praying for you...until the day you come back, I'm holding down the fort for you."</p>— WNST (@WNST) <a href="https://twitter.com/WNST/statuses/361249349470138368">July 27, 2013</a></blockquote>
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Shortly after practice, Pitta was taken to a local hospital for surgery on his dislocated hip. A variety of factors could be at play, including secondary injuries associated with the dislocated hip.
For the Ravens, they have a big decision to make if Pitta's recovery time is expected to be the length of the regular season. They can place him on season-ending injured reserve or put him on injured reserve-designated to return. However, if they choose the latter, then the Ravens can't use that designation for anyone else the remainder of the 2013 season. Pitta is ineligible to be placed on the physically unable to perform list since he's already practiced in training camp.
A year ago, Ray Lewis tore his triceps in a Week 6 game against Dallas and was expected to be out for the remainder of the season. However, he was placed on IR-designated to return and came back for the playoffs.
Needless to say, the Ravens will need to be calculated in their approach on what to designate Pitta with.
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