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The Ravens welcomed three key players back to the practice field, as Haruki Nakamura, Troy Smith and Mark Clayton all joined the action on Tuesday.
While Smith looked fully recovered after having his tonsils removed last week and Clayton dealt with his offseason shoulder procedure, it was Nakamura’s return from a year-ending ankle injury that was extra sweet.
“It’s a good feeling to get back out there,” said Nakamura, who injured his ankle on Nov. 16, 2009 against his hometown Cleveland Browns, just as he was developing into a special teams leader. “I started with a couple plays here and there last week, and coaches thought I was doing well enough. But, I felt well enough physically to where I could take more steps.
“I’m just taking small steps, and this is just one of those steps to getting better.”
Taking snaps with the third-team secondary, the safety ran without any noticeable hitch in his step and was quick sideline-to-sideline.
After the session, Nakamura affirmed that he could make every cut on his injured ankle and was confident he would be 100 percent by training camp. The former sixth-round draft pick also estimated that he has taken a “total of two weeks off” since having his surgery.
“When I first started out, I couldn’t jog without limping, and now I can get out there with a full burst,” said Nakamura.
Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh expressed optimism for Nakamura’s progress.
“He’s way ahead of schedule,” Harbaugh said. “He’s a guy that is pushing himself every single day, and now he’s doing almost everything.”
Meanwhile, Clayton got several reps at receiver and shagged punts during an early special-teams session.
He also said he had full range of motion in his shoulder.
“It feels good just to be involved,” Clayton stated. “I’m trying to work on fundamentals, lining up right and doing what I need to do. Then when the ball comes, catch it and leave it at that.”
As for Smith, he reprised his role as the second-team quarterback, showing no ill effects under center.
And finally, wideout Demetrius Williams went to the training room during practice after falling on his face during a long pass play, but Harbaugh said it was simply a precautionary measure.
