BALTIMORE -- Rookie tight end Trent Smith, a seventh-round draft pick of the Baltimore Ravens, suffered a broken left tibia in the team's preseason opener Saturday night and will likely miss the entire season.

The former University of Oklahoma standout, who had impressed coaches with his early training camp performance, was scheduled to undergo surgery late Saturday night. Smith likely will be placed on injured reserve which, by definition, means he would not be able to play again in 2003.

Smith, 23, suffered the injury after catching a 39-yard pass from rookie quarterback Kyle Boller early in the third quarter of a 20-19 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

He split the Buffalo safeties deep up the middle, gathered in Boller's pass and rumbled for about 10 more yards before being dragged down. As he was tackled, Smith's shoe fell off and his leg twisted underneath him. Team trainers applied an air-pressure cast and he was taken to the field on a cart.

As he was carted past some teammates, Smith made a snapping gesture with his hands, to signify that the leg was broken.

The injury was originally announced in the press box as a sprained foot, but the diagnosis was quickly amended.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.