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Ravens' Jimmy Smith ahead of schedule in recovery from foot surgery

Tommy Gilligan / USA TODAY Sports

Plagued by injuries, the Baltimore Ravens were forced to string together a makeshift cornerback group throughout the 2014 campaign.

Luckily for the Ravens, Jimmy Smith is progressing ahead of schedule in his recovery from foot surgery. Smith was placed on season-ending IR after a Week 8 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Arguably the team's best cornerback, Smith is participating in OTAs but is supposed to be wearing a red jersey to indicate he's not available for full contact.

"I saw a little competitive streak today," Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said to ESPN's Jamison Hensley. "I tried to remind him that he's got the red jersey. He won't put it on."

Smith was selected in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft and is most famous for defending Michael Crabtree perfectly during a goal-line stand in Super Bowl XLVII. Baltimore went on to defeat the San Francisco 49ers 34-31.

For his excellent play, Smith was rewarded with a four-year, $48-million extension.

"He's not full speed but he's out there working hard," Harbaugh said. "He is probably ahead of schedule."

Even with replacement-level cornerbacks, Baltimore was narrowly defeated by the eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots 35-31 during the Divisional Playoffs. With Smith slated to return to action, Baltimore is poised to make another run towards the Super Bowl.

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