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AFC North News: ESPN source says Ravens Pitta out for the 2013 season after hip surgery

Along with the loss of WR Anquan Boldin, who was released this offseason, the Ravens will go into 2013 looking to account for 205 missing targets from 2012.

By Neal Coolong
US PRESSWIRE

Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta collided with a teammate in practice Saturday and dislocated his hip. After surgery Saturday evening, ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting Pitta will miss the entire 2013 season.

Pitta had 663 yards on 61 catches and 96 targets in 2012, scoring seven touchdowns. He added 14 catches and three touchdowns in the Ravens' postseason, including a touchdown in their win over San Francisco in Super Bowl XLVI.

Baltimore released Anquan Boldin this offseason, meaning the Ravens lost their two top receivers (running back Ray Rice also had 61 catches) from last year. Combined, Boldin and Pitta accounted for 205 targets - 36 percent - of targets from quarterback Joe Flacco.

That's a comparable amount of targets the Steelers could lose in 2013 without Mike Wallace and possibly Heath Miller, who was placed on the preseason PUP as he continues to recover from a torn ACL in December.

In 2012, Smith had .443 catches per target, the second-lowest total of any receiver in the NFL with 40 or more catches. The Ravens' other option, Rice, averaged 7.8 yards a catch working as an outlet receiver.

Baltimore expects contributions from TE Ed Dickson (21 catches) Jacoby Jones (30 catches and was placed on the Raven's preseason PUP list after failing his conditioning test Friday) and Tanden Doss (seven catches).

According to Baltimore Beatdown's Jason Butt, hip dislocations can take two to three months to heal if there aren't any fractures. Nerve damage can also be associated with them.

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