The day after suffering a shoulder contusion that knocked him out of his first NFL start, Tyrod Taylor already says he feels better.
The backup rookie quarterback expects he will be ready for the Steelers in nine days, which could mean Baltimore isn’t as urgent to sign another arm.
“I’m feeling better than I did last night,” Taylor said.
“I think I’ll be ready, especially with a couple of days off to get treatment. I’ll get healthy.”
Head Coach John Harbaugh indicated that tests showed the contusion, which is another word for bruise, is not cause for major concern, as the coach said after the game in Atlanta.
“It just looks the same,” Harbaugh said. “I would say it just confirmed that it doesn’t seem to be a real serious thing. I’m sure he has some soreness in there. I think he is going to be OK.”
Harbaugh said after the game that the deciding factor on whether the team signs another quarterback will be who is available after Saturday’s final round of cuts.
Taylor added Friday that he doesn’t think Baltimore needs to go out and sign a veteran.
“I don’t think it is [necessary],” he said. “It’s still the coaches’ decision. I think I’ve done everything I can this preseason to show them that I can be their backup guy. I’m a hard worker and I do whatever I can for my teammates.”
Taylor was forced to exit the game after taking a big hit by Falcons defensive end Kroy Biermann in the first quarter. The defensive end hit Taylor just after he released a pass and drove the rookie’s left shoulder hard into the turf.
The gritty Taylor stayed in the game, and even completed a nine-yard screen pass to running back Anthony Allen on the next play. He took one more snap after that, then scampered to the sideline with his non-throwing arm appearing limp.
Backup Hunter Cantwell rushed to grab his helmet and sprinted into the game before the play clock expired. Although Taylor’s official shoulder contusion left him as “questionable” to return, Cantwell finished the game.
Before he was forced out, Taylor was 2-for-3 for 16 yards and an interception. He tried to force a third-and-long pass over the middle while being pressured and was picked off by Pro Bowl cornerback Brent Grimes. Taylor also had two rushes for 11 yards.
After leaving the field with Ravens doctors, Taylor returned to the sidelines and had an ear piece in so he could listen to the play calls being made to Cantwell and further soak up as much knowledge as he could.
