Ravens coach John Harbaugh will be patient in trying to select a competitive group of receivers, but it can be tough.
Wednesday was the second day of the Ravens’ voluntary minicamp practice, which was open to the media. There isn’t much stock to put on Day 2, but there was a silent alarm of caution that went off due to several drops by receivers, including two by Rashod Bateman, the team’s 2021 first round from Minnesota.
After trading the Marquis Browne for the Arizona Cardinals, the Ravens are counting on young players such as Bateman, James Proche II, Devin DuVernay and Tylon Wallace to play a major role in the passing game this season. Wallace, a second-year player at Oklahoma State, was known for his strong hands in college, but he dropped two passes in the middle of Wednesday. Proche was also dropped on a quick out. Time was clearly off between receiver and backup quarterback Tyler Huntley, which can be expected at OTA practices soon.
“We’re excited that we get out there for our people,” Harbaugh said. “They are working really hard and they understand the situation. they’ve been here for months [working out],
The Ravens have probably taken a look at the list of free agents available and want to give all their young recipients a chance. Furthermore, it is difficult for the team to lure a top receiver to Baltimore because of its first run mentality on offense. But it will be interesting to see how it pans out as Wallace and Prosh share similar abilities and DuVernay is considered a fast-paced man, even though the Ravens underestimated him in his first three seasons. Bateman may be the most complete of them all.
But the clock is ticking. If this group of receivers doesn’t isolate themselves over the next two to three weeks, Harbaugh will have to look elsewhere, preferably a veteran.
No Jackson? No problem.
Starting quarterback, Lamar Jackson missed his second day of the minicamp.
yawn.
Jackson is entering the final year of his rookie contract and has so far not been able to reach an agreement on an extension in talks that have lasted more than a year. At this point in time, who cares?
The play is getting old, especially for a quarterback who has only won one playoff game in four years. It was great that he won the NFL MVP in 2019, but he has to show he can elevate his game and the Ravens over the next two years, or it’s time for the team to move on.
The Ravens opted for the fifth year of his $23 million contract for 2022, and they have publicly stated that they are allowing Jackson to set the pace of negotiations. There may be some sort of rift between Jackson and the organization, but it’s not like he’s in the same class as Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes.
He is the centerpiece of an ongoing offense that lacks a sophisticated passing game. The Ravens must be getting annoyed by all the questions surrounding Jackson.
“I’ll let Lamar speak for himself on this subject,” Harbaugh said Wednesday.
Tight end Mark Andrews was not worried.
“I know Lamar. I’ve talked to him. I know how hard he’s working,” Andrews said. “I know he’s extremely motivated, extremely hungry. So, there’s nothing to worry about.
“I know what he is doing and we are all working here to do our bit and be ready for him. We will be ready to go and I believe he will be ready and show everyone what he has and the kind of hunger he has right now,” Andrews said.
take attendance
There were quite a few no-shows for the Ravens, but many of them were injury-related as JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards, outside linebackers David Ozabo and Tyce Bowser, and cornerback Marcus Peters worked their way up.
But there were some notable veterans who performed, such as running back guard Kevin Zeitler, cornerback Marlon Humphrey, Justice Hill and safety Chuck Clark.
With Marcus Williams joining free agency and Kyle Hamilton selected in the first round of the draft, Clarke is in a fight for time or a possible roster spot. But he has always been a great professional. Humphrey, who missed the last five games last season with a torn pectoral, did too many repetitions on Wednesday.
Harbaugh said he was excited about the return of Humphrey and the progress of Peters, who missed last season with a torn ACL.
hamilton’s form is
Unless you’re in a huddle or a meeting room, it’s hard to tell what the Ravens are doing to the rescue. But Hamilton’s body language showed how comfortable he was at learning the system.
Many of the scoundrels have that puzzled look on their faces, but this kid knew where he was going most of the time. It’s hard to believe he’s safe at 6ft 4 and 220 pounds.
Draft theft?
The first thing you notice about rookie cornerback Jalyn Armor-Davis, shot in the fourth round from Alabama, is her agility and how fast she can twist her hips.
He can play outside any receiver as well as over the slot. If the Ravens can keep him healthy and he doesn’t bother punishing Harbaugh, he could be a theft of the Baltimore draft.
running back fight
Hill, a fourth year running back, missed last season due to a torn Achilles tendon, but he looks fit and scored some good cutback runs on Wednesday. He can also play in special teams, which makes him valuable.
He will take on rookie Tyler Baddie, a sixth-round pick, to play time as a potential third-down back. Baddie has already shown that he can take catches outside the backfield. The former Missouri star and Friends School product was impressive Wednesday, despite limited repeats.
oh one-on-one
Odafe Oweh spent a lot of time working with outside linebackers coaches Rob Leonard and Ryan Osborne. Osborne gets a lot of credit for helping turn Ojabo into a star at Michigan last year, and some one-on-one time with Owe could spur the development of a 2020 first-round pick.
Despite Ravens’ projections for Ove as a rookie, he was and is still considered a project.
Rookie Offensive Lineman Review
Here are two quick comments on rookie offensive linemen Tyler Linderbaum (1st round) and Daniel Falley (4th round).
Linderbaum, a center, has excellent quickness, but is pulling better on film than in person. However, the child absorbs the information like a sponge.
As far as Faleley is concerned, he has good knee flexion and is quick, especially for 6-8,384-pound tackles, but the pass allows rushers to enter his body. Once he improves his technique, he can become a force to be reckoned with.
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