Today all players reported to the Ravens first day of training camp. Aside from Dixon’s injury yesterday, all seemed fine at the Under Armor Performance Center. However, around 7:00 PM on the east coast, reports started circulating that quarterback Joe Flacco was experiencing back soreness. No one knew the underlying reason for the pain, but it was startling. The injury was first reported on by Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun, in a tweet.

This was troubling news, as the Ravens can’t afford any more injuries this offseason, especially to their starting quarterback. Just since June, the Ravens have lost tight end Dennis Pitta, cornerback Tavon Young, and running back Kenneth Dixon. All three of those injuries are detrimental to the Ravens, but a major injury to Flacco would be the worst thing possible for the team. Somewhat luckily, if I can call it that, is that Flacco won’t miss too much time. Reports by NFL insider Ian Rappaport suggest Flacco will miss 3-6 weeks. Despite his reports, both Jeff Zrebiec and NFL insider Adam Schefter seem to suggest that Flacco it will be much shorter.

As I began writing this very article, not much was known about Flacco’s back injury. All we knew was that it had to do with a disc in his back. Since then, Adam Schefter reported that Flacco injured his back lifting, and received an MRI. The doctors found nothing major, and Flacco is going to sit as a precautionary measurement.

If this report holds up, then Ravens fans have not much to worry about. Quarterback Joe Flacco will hopefully be back on the field next week, rested and healthy. Despite the fact that this appears to be a minor injury, the Ravens need to monitor the situation closely. The team can absolutely not afford to lose Flacco at any point in this season. Back injuries are not to be taken lightly, as they have ruined the careers of some in the NFL.