Jaguars' Ramsey calls knee injury 'best-case scenario'

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jalen Ramsey believes he ended up with the ''best-case scenario'' regarding his knee injury.

Ramsey, the fifth overall pick in the NFL draft, had surgery last month to repair torn meniscus in his right knee. He's already back on the field and running, and should be completely cleared by the time training camp begins in late July.

''I did not want any time out, but it was best-case scenario,'' Ramsey said Wednesday, his first public comments since the injury. ''So that's all I was hoping for and praying for. I was very happy.''

Ramsey said he has no pain or swelling. Still, the Jaguars plan to bring him along slowly even though the former Florida State standout already is itching to practice. Ramsey mentioned getting on the field for some snaps to defensive coordinator Todd Wash following morning meetings Wednesday.

''You can tell he's got a little burr underneath the saddle,'' Wash said. ''He's ready to get going. It'll be nice to get him back. He's already moving around with our trainers and stuff over on the side, doing some stretching and that kind of running stuff. So he's ready to come back and start competing.''

Ramsey hurt his knee during drills in May, becoming the team's second rookie to go down in voluntary, offseason workouts. Seventh-round draft pick Jonathan Woodard tore his right Achilles tendon and had season-ending surgery.

Ramsey finished practice that day without any problems, and neither he nor the Jaguars have been able to figure out what exactly caused the small meniscus tear. Ramsey said it could have been a ''progressive'' injury, but he bristled when asked whether it had anything to do with a cartilage repair procedure he had done on the same knee in high school.

''I don't really know what that has to do with this,'' he said. ''Like totally different. Like 100 percent that has nothing to do with anything.''

Ramsey elected to have surgery after getting a second opinion from renowned specialist Dr. James Andrews in Pensacola. Ramsey started running a little more than two weeks later. Now, he's got his sights set on camp.

''I don't really put expectations on myself, to be honest,'' he said. ''I just do what I can when I can do it. I know I'll be 100 percent at that time. I feel 100 percent now. So when training camp comes, I will definitely be ready.''

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