AP

On his third carry of the Ravens’ preseason opener at Tampa Bay on Thursday night, Ravens running back Bernard Pierce showed why he could be a key part of an offense that already has a blue-chip runner in Ray Rice.

On the play, Pierce started inside, bounced outside, beat a Buccaneers defender around the corner with speed and a stiff-arm, then sprinted down the sideline for a 20-yard touchdown. However, Pierce landed awkwardly on his left leg at the end of the run, and he was seen with his left knee wrapped after the game, per Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun.

While Pierce indeed suffered a sprained knee, there is no “structural damage” to the knee, Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun reported Saturday. Per Wilson, Pierce could miss a “few days.”

The Ravens’ next preseason game is Thursday vs. Atlanta. If Pierce can’t play, reserves Anthony Allen, Damien Berry and Bobby Rainey could get a few more snaps. The most important takeaway, though, is that the Ravens look likely to have one of their core players back sooner than later.