As I wrote a few weeks ago, the Baltimore Ravens held out hope that tight end, Dennis Pitta, could return at some point in the 2013 campaign after Pitta suffered a fractured hip during preseason.  With the regular season just a first down away; the Ravens are still leaving the locker room door open.

Chris Wesseling of NFL.com reports that the Baltimore Ravens believe TE, Dennis Pitta, is a candidate for injured reserve designated to return.  Head coach John Harbaugh told reporters "He's working really hard.  He's had no setbacks, and there's optimism."

Putting a player on IR designated to return is risky business.  A team can only use the "designated to return" transaction one time.  Therefore, the health of other players must factor into a team’s decision when using the return designation.  The Ravens have to make the decision by next week.

Previously, any player put on IR was lost for the entire season. However, current rules allow one player to return to the active roster eight weeks after the IR designation.  The player must be on the IR list for at least six weeks and a player must be "designated for return" at the time the player is put on IR. 

I still believe that with the additions of TE Dallas Clark and wide receiver Brandon Stokley, the Ravens’ passing attack should be more than adequate and that Pitta should use all of the 2013 season to recover. 

In the end, the Ravens may listen to me and let Pitta recover for a season.  However, if Pitta is progressing as well as the Ravens say he is, roll the dice and use the designation.  If he comes back, I will eat crow and dance an Irish Jig. 

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