Harbaugh: Kindle has fractured skull

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Baltimore Ravens rookie linebacker Sergio Kindle suffered a fractured skull when he fell down two flights of stairs last week and will miss all of training camp, coach John Harbaugh said Monday.

"You're talking about a head injury playing football, that's not something we're not going to be in a hurry to mess with. From a football standpoint, we'll move on with the guys we've got, and we'll get ready to play the season," Harbaugh told reporters.

Harbaugh wouldn't rule out Kindle playing for the Ravens this season.

"We will be preparing without Sergio. You're putting your team together as if he's not out there. ... If at some point in time, if he can come back and play, that will be a great bonus for us. He'll have a lot of catching up to do at that point," Harbaugh said.

Kindle is currently listed in stable condition at an Austin, Texas, hospital.

Kindle fell down two flights of stairs at a house in Austin, Texas, on Thursday night. Harbaugh said that Kindle took a wrong turn after waking up in the middle of the night, resulting in his fall.

Kindle is unsigned, but Harbaugh said the linebacker's injury wouldn't prevent a contract being agreed upon.

"I'm sure he'll be signed at some point in time," Harbaugh said. "He's a part of our football team, he's a Raven. He'll be here. But the timing of all that, we'll just have to work all that stuff out."

Rookies and selected veterans reported to camp Monday and will begin to practice Tuesday. The Ravens open the season against the New York Jets on Sept. 13.

"The overall mission for the team in training camp is to thicken our skin, get physical," running back Ray Rice said. "Obviously we want to smart, stay healthy and prevent as many injuries as we can. The thing we know about our team is, when we're healthy we're a force to be reckoned with."

Harbaugh said cornerbacks Lardarius Webb and Fabian Washington, who underwent knee surgery last season, and safety Ed Reed, who had offseason hip surgery, will start camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list (PUP).

This is Harbaugh's third season as Baltimore's head coach. In each of his first two years, the Ravens advanced to the playoffs but fell short of reaching the Super Bowl. He will resume his quest to get on Tuesday.

"My expectations are really, really high -- for tomorrow's practice," Harbaugh said. "We expect it to be the best practice in the National Football League. That's how you go about taking care of business. That's how you get yourself in position to talk about playing in the Super Bowl. ... We have a lot of work to do between now and then."

Baltimore's full squad will practice for the first time Friday. At that point, there will be 80 players competing for 53 jobs.

"Only 53 can make the team and only 45 can play. That's the tough part," Rice said. "You build relationships with guys and they become your friends, and it's sad to see them go. But I know all 53 will be strong. That's one thing I'm looking forward to. The 53 we keep around will be special players."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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