Ravens reportedly expected to place tight end Dennis Pitta on PUP

Per Baltimore Sun's Aaron Wilson, the Baltimore Ravens are "likely" to start Dennis Pitta on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list for training camp and the regular season. According to me, Pitta is a goner.

Pitta is allowed to hop off the list at any time this offseason, during training camp if he wants. Presumably he also understands that he's required to miss the first six games of the season if he goes into the season on the PUP list.

Serving as the Ravens tight end for six years, the 11-game starter knows his body more than we do. He's flashed progress since rehabbing his hip injury during Organized Team Activities and minicamps. He teased onlookers while he ran routes and caught passes by himself while the team practiced (never joined the others in full-team drills).

"Pitta hasn't been medically cleared by doctors to practice and his career remains in doubt as he attempts to return from his second fracture and dislocated hip within the past two years," Wilson wrote. "He has rehabilitated the hip to the point where he's able to do some route running and individual drills, but wasn't allowed to participate fully during the Ravens' offseason practices."

For those who don't know how Pitta fractured and dislocated his hip for the second time in his career, the tight end went down untouched after pulling in a screen pass from Joe Flacco during the Week 3 game against the Cleveland Browns.

Currently rookie Maxx Williams, Crockett Gillmore and Nick Boyle will vie for a starting role. Safe to add that any of these three would make an immediate impact on the offense.

Most of us want him back on the field but hey -- football player or not -- we should know that our well-beings should be on the pedestal above all else. So the next time you're twiddling your thumbs and trying to decipher the garble that surrounds Pitta's return, remember this: Two dislocated hips in consecutive seasons. Would you come back?