Neck injury sidelines Ravens Rolle for at least six weeks

Baltimore Ravens cornerback Samari Rolle (C) takes off after making an interception as the Ravens' Corey Ivy (R) and the Tennessee Titans' Justin McCareins look on in the second quarter of their AFC Divisional Round NFL playoff football game in Nashville, Tennessee, January 10, 2009.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Baltimore Ravens Pro Bowl cornerback Samari Rolle will miss at least the first six weeks of the season because of a neck injury, the NFL team said on Monday.

The 12-year veteran was placed on the Unable to Perform list and is required to sit out a minimum of six games.

However, it is uncertain if Rolle, who signed a four-year contract with the Ravens in April, will be fit enough to return to the team this season.

"We just found out today," said head coach John Harbaugh on the Ravens website (www.baltimoreravens.com). "Samari has a chance to come back and play this year.

"If there's no risk or reasonable risk, he'll have a chance to help us down the stretch."

Rolle, 33, appeared in 10 games last season for the Ravens and made 23 tackles and three interceptions.

(Writing by Steve Keating in Toronto; Editing by John Mehaffey)