With Terrell Suggs injured, high expectations were placed on outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw. The second-round draft pick was the Baltimore Ravens' first selection in the draft and most observers assumed he would start at outside linebacker opposite Paul Kruger.
It hasn't worked out that way at training camp.
Upshaw showed up to camp several pounds above his target weight of 270 pounds, according to the Baltimore Sun. He failed the team's conditioning test. He missed a week of practice with a shoulder injury and lost ground to second-year pro Albert McClellan, who was undrafted coming out of Marshall.
Upshaw still is listed as a starter on the Ravens' unofficial depth chart, but the Sun writes that McClellan would likely be the starter if the season began now. Ravens coach John Harbaugh supported the theory.
"You've got to earn your stripes. You've got to earn your position, no matter what," Harbaugh said. "I don't know why a lot of people would think that. It's pretty presumptuous. The best guys play."
Upshaw looked tentative in his return to the practice field Monday. McClellan, on the other hand, has "no real weakness" according to Harbaugh.
This type of position battle result is what training camp is all about.
Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.
