Tavares Gooden hoping to return Sunday against Dolphins

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Sidelined since dislocating his left shoulder against the Cincinnati Bengals in the second week of the season, Baltimore Ravens inside linebacker Tavares Gooden returned to practice prior to the bye.

Now, Gooden is crossing his fingers that he could get back on the field Sunday against the Dolphins.

"It's all up to the coaching staff, coach Harbaugh," said Gooden, a Ft. Lauderdale native. "He kept asking me how I felt. He knows I'm a competitor, man. That's the toughest thing I think as a head coach, because he knows the type of people he drafted. And he's like, 'This dude's crazy. I know he'll go out there with a finger hanging off.'

"I've played with certain stuff since I've been in the league, with my groin and all that stuff. I'll leave it up to the staff. I think they'll make a great decision. I wouldn't mind playing against my hometown team."

Gooden has been strengthening his shoulder, concentrating on his rehabilitation regimen.

The former University of Miami player is hoping to prevent a setback.

"I was still doing my same exercises, because that's what you've got to do," Gooden said. "You've got to stay on top of the little injuries so that they don't grow and also get stronger so you don't get injured doing certain stuff coming back. I was just trying to get back in football shape."
Gooden practiced Monday. However, he has yet to test out his shoulder with a hit, though.

Until that happens, he won’t truly know if his shoulder is going to hold up.

"Contact is contact, that's just football," Gooden says. "My coaches can assess and see where I need to be as far as how I used to be. I can't tell.

"I gave it a shot.. I think all the general soreness is gone. I'm strapped up and there was no slipping and sliding, so [Monday] was productive."

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(profootballtalk.com)