On Wednesday, former Ravens inside linebacker Zachary Orr shocked the NFL when it was announced that he would be returning to the league after retiring after being diagnosed with a rare spinal condition. At the time, it was believed that Orr would never be able to play football again, without putting his life in danger. However, since that point, he has consulted with other doctors, who contradict his original diagnosis on his future in football. He now feels that with his current spinal condition, he will be able to play again in the NFL, without serious life threatening injury. Orr has stated that his best fit would be to return to the Baltimore Ravens, but it seems that the Ravens may not see eye to eye with him on this.
There have been several reports stating that the Ravens are uncertain on whether or not that they want to take the risk on bringing Zach Orr back to the team. Although Orr has been cleared by several doctors, his condition is still troubling. Part of his spine is only 80% formed, and it could lead to some injuries if hit the wrong way. Players are at risk while playing football, it’s a normal part of the game, however, it seems that Orr could be more susceptible than most. The most glaring example of the absent overjoyed feeling from the Ravens comes from Ozzie Newsome, who said that he spoke with Orr, and he “is now a free agent”. No public sign of pursuit on him has really come out of the Ravens organization yet. Maybe I’m reading into this too much, but it appears that Baltimore may not be interested in Orr anymore. He’s a risk, and with the clogged up cap space that Baltimore has, they may want to put their scarce money elsewhere.
Orr is scheduled to meet with several teams. He has already met with the Detriot Lions and will meet with the Indianapolis Colts and New York Jets in the near future. Noticeably absent from this list is the Baltimore Ravens. You would think that they would be the first stop for Orr, but apparently, they are not. It seems as if they are trying to distance themselves from him, and may not want him to return to the organization. The Ravens don’t dislike Orr, they are far from that. However, they are concerned about his health, and maybe the whole NFL should be. It seems a bit odd, and maybe too risky for him to return. The league needs to take a step back and really question his health, before making any major decisions on his future in football.
