How does Suggs' Injury Affect the Ravens this Year?

Need some help up, Tony?

Reports have come out this morning that Terrell Suggs has torn his Achilles Tendon. It isn't clear, yet, the severity of the injury or how Suggs sustained the tear, whether he was playing basketball or participating in a conditioning test. Regardless, an Achilles injury is substantial and could potentially hold Suggs out for the 2012-2013 season. So how can the Ravens replace the productivity of last year's defensive player of the year?

The easy answer is that they can't.

Suggs finished the regular season last year with 14 sacks, 70 tackles, seven forced fumbles, six pass deflections and two interceptions. And he was at his best when it counted the most. In two games against the Steelers, Suggs had six solo tackles, three sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception.

Forget about his statistics for a second. Without Suggs on the field, the defensive depth chart is still a who's who of dominant NFL talent, but the "swagger" that he brings will be sorely missed. If Ray Lewis is the heart of the defense, Suggs is the adrenaline.

His injury is going to shake up the personnel groupings and limit the varying formations that the Ravens love to run. The Courtney Upshaw pick in this year's draft must have the Ravens coaching staff breathing a collective sigh of relief. Upshaw's progression, ability to pick up the playbook and health throughout OTAs and training camp could be the most important factor to the success of the defense.

The criticism of Upshaw has been his lack of experience in dropping back into coverage, having spent most of his college career pinning back his ears and getting after quarterbacks. If he's able to solidify his abilities in pass coverage, there may only be a slight drop-off by the unit as a whole.

Courtney Upshaw

With Upshaw likely taking Suggs' spot on the field, that means either Paul Kruger or (gulp) Sergio Kindle will have to fill the void left by Jarret Johnson, who left via free agency and signed with the San Diego Chargers. Johnson was quietly the most consistent, reliable player on our defense, setting the edge against the run and covering very well for a linebacker on passing downs.

Kruger certainly has the experience at this point to be able to fill that role, but still seems to be lacking as an instinctual, multiple-tool defender. Kindle is fighting for his NFL playing career, having missed his entire rookie season with a fractured skull and spending last season trying to pick up the speed of the game and the Ravens' complex playbook.

We don't need stellar play from any of these three linebackers. We need proficiency. If the coaching staff tries to pile too much responsibility on Upshaw, Kruger or Kindle, we're going to see a lot of rookie mistakes, over pursuit and missed assignments.

The pass rush will be aided by the return of Pernell McPhee, a 5th round pick in last year's draft who turned in an outstanding rookie campaign. According to Pro Football Focus, only 14 interior rushers registered more total quarterback pressures than Pernell McPhee did last year in limited snaps.

Pernell McPhee

The news about Suggs' injury is still developing. Multiple sources have said that he's likely done for the 2012 season, while others have quoted Suggs as saying he'll be back by October. We'll keep you updated on his status and the circumstances under which he sustained the injury.

UPDATE: This afternoon, Suggs has told multiple media outlets that he plans on playing this year. He projects he'll return by October (best case scenario) or early November (worst case scenario) and that he believes he'll recover in "3 to 4 months," as he already has a surgery scheduled next week.