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OWINGS MILLS, Md. – Defensive tackle Michael Pierce has accepted responsibility for being removed from practice at the Baltimore Ravens' mandatory minicamp last week due to a mistake in his training schedule.
"Throughout the off season, I tend to raise more points," Pierce told WNSP-FM radio in Alabama on Friday. "Being a nose guard, I want to be strong or something else … Honestly, I just mismanaged my race."
Pierce reported to the Ravens last week that his 340-pound play weight was significantly higher. As a restricted free agent, Pierce did not follow the low season fitness program of the team and missed all volunteer practices in the spring.
On Tuesday, Pierce left the field after his practice session after talking with his coach John Harbaugh, who later told reporters that the fourth-year lineman was not ready to go out. train for "reasons of safety and for one's own health".
"Out of respect for the Harbaugh coach, he was only an honest guy, he just wanted me to get involved with the fitness and fitness staff and I'm doing more racing at foot before the camp starts, "said Pierce.
Baltimore's defense coordinator, Don "Wink" Martindale, expressed his disappointment that Pierce was not fit to train, but warned anyone to impinge on him.
"Let's not forget how good he is at being an excellent footballer," said Martindale last week. "He will come back there, I can not tell you when, but he will come back there."
Pierce, 26, was ranked fifth best domestic line-up by Pro Football Focus defense last season. Considered one of the best defensemen in the NFL, Pierce has received a second call for bids this season and will win $ 3.095 million.
He signed as Samford's unwritten rookie in 2016 and his weight had never been a major problem. This is an important year for Pierce, who can become an unrestricted free agent after the season. But his season has not started well.
"At the end of the day, you expect a team leader to come back in better shape than me," said Pierce. "It's an error on my part that I have to correct, I do not want to say more than that."
The Ravens go to training camp in about 5 and a half weeks.
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