The Baltimore Ravens received some encouraging news recently when linebacker Teddye Buchanan returned to practice after spending training camp on the physically unable to perform list. The second-year defender has been working his way back from the torn ACL that ended a promising rookie season last December. When Jesse Minter was asked by the media on Monday about Buchanan's return, the Ravens head coach could have highlighted the linebacker's athleticism, instincts, or production. Instead, he revisited the first impression Buchanan made on him after Minter arrived in Baltimore earlier this year. Minter's words weren't about what he saw on the practice field. They weren't about a team meeting. They were more about what he saw as he watched the young star power through his rehab.
"Honestly, since the first time I walked in this building, I think he was in here rehabbing. He might have been one of the first guys I saw. He's just been a constant presence here."
That answer revealed something important about how Buchanan has spent the past several months. While teammates participated in OTAs, minicamp, and training camp practices, Buchanan focused on recovery. The former Cal Golden Bears standout suffered his injury in Week 15 after starting 13 games as a rookie. He finished his first campaign with 93 tackles before being named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team. A recovery that caught Baltimore's attention Minter's comments echoed praise the organization has offered throughout the offseason. Buchanan described himself as ahead of schedule in May, while general manager Eric DeCosta later called his recovery one of the most impressive rehabs he had seen. On Monday, Minter focused less on timelines and more on the work that produced them. He describes a man who embodies everything it means to be a Raven.
"He's just been a constant presence here. He has put in the time and the work. For a late-season injury, to be where he is at now is a major credit to him and his mindset, his work ethic."
Those comments carry additional weight because Minter wasn't discussing a player who is merely trying to make the roster. Buchanan established himself as a key contributor before the injury and remains an important piece of Baltimore's linebacker room moving forward. The next step will be reacclimating to football after months spent attacking rehab, but when Minter reflected on Buchanan's journey, his answer suggested the linebacker has already accomplished something significant. Before Buchanan makes another tackle for the Ravens, he has already reinforced something his new head coach learned months ago: the work done behind the scenes rarely goes unnoticed in Baltimore. This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Jesse Minter reveals what stood out about Teddye Buchanan