Tag: Baltimore Ravens training camp

Ravens 3rd QB spot still up for grabs as training camp closes

Who will win the Baltimore Ravens’ third quarterback spot on the 53-man roster? It’s too close to tell with roster cuts coming down.

Final cuts are coming, but that doesn’t necessarily mean all the major roster decisions have been made already. With teams having until 4:00 p.m. ET on Saturday to get their rosters down to 53 players, the next few hours will see front offices and coaches making their final cases to keep some players and to cast others aside.

One of the bigger issues affecting the Ravens would seem to be the identity of their third quarterback. The team has spoken quite openly about retaining three signal-callers this season after historically only going with two. That means the team faces a choice between second-year player Trace McSorley and undrafted rookie Tyler Huntley to sit behind Lamar Jackson and Robert Griffin III.

McSorley and Huntley are similar athletes, effectively running the same 40-yard dash times (4.56 at Huntley’s pro day and 4.57 for McSorley at the 2019 NFL Scouting Combine). Though McSorley made the 53-man roster last year, he was hardly featured during his first season, playing in a single game in 2019. In that game, he had a single rushing attempt for one yard. McSorley stuck on the roster behind Lamar Jackson and Robert Griffin because, as Harbaugh alluded to earlier this offseason, they didn’t think he would stick on the practice squad and would be poached by another team.

Huntley has seriously turned some heads with his play during Ravens training camp. His senior season with Utah in 2019 was the best year of his college career, completing 73.1% of his passes for 3,092 yards while tossing 19 touchdowns to just four interceptions. He also scored 16 rushing touchdowns in his four seasons with the Utes. Huntley was named to the first-team All-Pac-12 over former Oregon quarterback and first-round pick Justin Herbert last season.

Huntley has taken advantage of an increased workload with Lamar Jackson missing time over the last few days and seems to have impressed onlookers with his play. Jamison Hensley of ESPN suggested the final call could be as close as a coin flip.

With both players eligible for the practice squad, it is likely that they will both be around in the future. But if the Ravens have pre-existing doubts that they’d be able to keep McSorley on the practice squad, then they may feel justified in keeping him on the 53-man roster. We’ve given Huntley a 50% shot of making the team in our look at all of the Ravens UDFAs ahead of cut day but have him on the final 53-man roster prediction.

Either way, both young players will be anxious to avoid a call from The Turk on Saturday afternoon.

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Ravens’ scrimmage at stadium a reminder of the odd 2020 season to come

At an empty M&T Bank Stadium with fake crowd noise pumped in, the Baltimore Ravens’ scrimmage was a taste of normalcy in an unusual year.

On Saturday night, there was real football at M&T Bank Stadium for the first time in eight months. The team running out of the tunnel to the roar of the fans was a refreshing taste of normalcy. Though with reporters filling only a few of the more than 71,000 seats and the fan cheers being played through the speaker system, it was also a stark reminder of just how unusual this year has been and what fans should expect this season.

Though Baltimore has technically been holding training camp since the beginning of August, a long ramp-up period due to the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols has effectively meant the Ravens have only really practiced for less than two weeks. With Saturday’s practice at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore held what will be its last team scrimmage of training camp in the same spot it’ll host the rival Cleveland Browns in two more weeks. And just like Saturday’s scrimmage, Week 1 will have a sea of empty purple seats welcoming the teams into the regular season.

Though the Ravens have worked hard with local government officials to keep M&T Bank Stadium open to at least some fans this season, the team recently relented. Baltimore acknowledged that in spite of a recent proposal to limit attendance to just 7,500 people, no fans will be in the stands for “at least the initial part” of the regular season. With training camp not having the usual hustle and bustle from fans this offseason either, it’ll be a fitting start to the regular season.

To prepare for that reality, the Ravens did their best to simulate a “normal” gameday experience for the players. The stadium’s video boards and lights were turned on with crowd noise piped through the speaker system. The team went to the locker room after initial warmups before running back out onto the field through the tunnel to raucous applause and screams from imaginary fans.

However, all the pomp and circumstance couldn’t hide a still-rusty team. The offense struggled to get into a rhythm and several pre-snap penalties caused frustrations. While there were flashes from all sides of the ball, coach John Harbaugh acknowledged the team still has “plenty of work to do.” Running back Mark Ingram echoed Harbaugh’s sentiments, viewing the errors as a chance to learn where they need to improve before Week 1.

“Honestly, I think today was very needed for us – just to be able to see that we’re not all the way ready,” Ingram said after Saturday’s practice. “We still have strides to go to be the team that we want to be.”

The Ravens likely aren’t alone in being rusty this close to the regular season. All 32 NFL teams have been under the same league-wide protocols, limiting team interaction with the players and condensing an offseason of workouts into a handful of weeks. The start of the regular season is often a sloppy affair as players get used to yet another step up in intensity, but this year could be especially bad. The teams we see on the field for Week 1 will be shadows of the versions we’ll eventually see by midseason.

By now, most people have gotten tired of the term “the new normal.” But with the 2020 NFL season right around the corner, there’s yet another instance of things changing due to COVID-19. Though football is finally back, this will be anything but a normal season and we don’t even know how odd it’s going to get yet.

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Ravens cancel morning practices, will have ‘team unifying session surrounding social justice reform’

The Baltimore Ravens continue to back their players in their demand for social justice reform, canceling morning practice to further unify.

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The Baltimore Ravens continue to walk the walk when it comes to social justice. The Ravens have canceled their morning practices and will instead have a “team unifying session surrounding social justice reform.”

This comes just a day after Baltimore canceled their afternoon meetings and used the time to have a serious discussion about social justice reform. The Ravens released an impactful statement in the evening with specific calls to action, including demanding prison and police reform as well as calling for justice for Breonna Taylor and Jacob Blake.

The Ravens have been committed to this cause, especially this offseason. Earlier this offseason, Baltimore released a video of several players and team officials calling for social justice reform and backing “Black Lives Matter.” Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti donated $1 million to select Baltimore organizations fighting for social justice reform, picked by the players.

In such a condensed offseason due to the coronavirus pandemic, every practice is even more important than usual. The decision to cut one of those valuable practices in an effort to continue talking about social justice reform shows a continued commitment to the cause, something the players have been very passionate about.

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Ravens cancel afternoon meetings to discuss social justice issues

With many other sports teams striking, the Baltimore Ravens will cancel their afternoon meetings at training camp to discuss social justice.

In the wake of several professional sports teams striking in favor of social justice reform, the Baltimore Ravens are following suit. According to the team, the Ravens will hold their morning practice but have canceled afternoon meetings. Instead, they will come together to discuss social justice and how they want to move forward as a team.

The outcry comes just days after a Kenosha, Wisconsin police officer shot Jacob Blake multiple times. The shooting saw protesters come out in force and the movement has resonated with many professional athletes who have taken to social media to share their frustrations and disappointment. The Milwaukee Bucks refused to take to the basketball court for their playoff game on Wednesday, helping push the matter firmly into the sports world.

Before Thursday’s practice, coach John Harbaugh called a team meeting on the practice field at the Under Armour Performance Center, according to The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec. It’s unclear what the team’s next move will be but it’s a public show of support toward continued social justice reform and the backing of their most vocal players on the matter.

This isn’t the first time Baltimore has supported this cause. With this spring and summer seeing public outrage toward police for how they treat minorities, the Ravens have been very outspoken around the Black Lives Matter movement. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti said that sticking to sports would make him “the worst kind of hypocrite” while also donating $1 million to support social justice reform in Baltimore through his Stephen and Renee Bisciotti Foundation.

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CB Tavon Young is back healthy and playing better than ever before

Baltimore Ravens cornerback Tavon Young has been turning heads at training camp after missing all of last season with a neck injury.

The Baltimore Ravens might have the most dangerous secondary in the entire NFL right now. Even though the team just cut Pro Bowl safety Earl Thomas following a fight with fellow safety Chuck Clark, it’s hard to ignore just how deep and impressive the roster is on the backend. What makes the group even more exciting is getting cornerback Tavon Young back healthy and playing at a high level again.

Young missed the entire 2019 season with a neck injury, but he has done nothing but turn heads with his performances in camp so far. Baltimore pass defense coordinator Chris Hewitt said earlier this week that having Young back on the field was like “having another first-round draft pick coming back.”

Speaking to the media on a Zoom call on Tuesday, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh remarked that Young “looked great,” noting that he looked “like he picked up right where he left off before.” Harbaugh also added that he “can’t wait to see him play this year” and believes Young is a “special kind of guy.”

It wasn’t only the coaching staff that had words of praise for Young. Outside linebacker Tyus Bowser also had nothing but good things to say about his returning teammate.

“He has a strong mindset. He has great pride in himself and he’s definitely confident in himself to go out there and come back and be who he is. I feel like he’s even better than what he was before. You can see it out there. He’s playing fast, he’s moving fast, and it’s great to see that. It’s great to see him back on the field. I missed him from these last couple of years. I’m definitely looking forward to this year to see what he can do.”

Defensive end Derek Wolfe is a newer member of the Ravens after coming over from the Denver Broncos this offseason via free agency. But just because Wolfe is a newcomer to the team, he wasn’t shy about what he has seen so far, noting that Young’s ability “is unbelievable” and that “the sky is the limit” for him.

Young certainly seems to be enjoying himself and performing like a top cornerback throughout training camp. He’s stuck to his assigned receivers like glue, according to BaltimoreRavens.com writer Ryan Mink, despite seemingly being outmatched at times physically. Young has beaten bigger guys like tight end Mark Andrews, and faster guys like Marquise Brown, according to Press Box’s Bo Smolka.

If Young can pick up right where he left off, both he and the Ravens will be in good shape. Though Young has missed two of the four years he’s been in the league, he’s been productive when he’s been on the field. In 31 games, Young has come down with three interceptions, four fumble recoveries (including two returned for touchdowns), two sacks, and 90 combined tackles.

Young has also taken a bit of a leadership role as well. After the unfortunate situation with Thomas, Young was quick to point out that the secondary would move on after the unfortunate events of the weekend.

“We all have a tight camaraderie and we’re a tight group. The main thing is communication, and we all have that. Everybody knows the playbook. It’s been cool.”

The Ravens defensive backfield will certainly look a little different in 2020 than it did a year ago. But if Tavon Young can continue in his current vein, that may not be such a bad thing.

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Ravens S Earl Thomas sent home after fight with Chuck Clark

After a fight with fellow safety Chuck Clark, the Baltimore Ravens sent Earl Thomas home from training camp to cool down.

Fights happen at training camp. Between the heat of summer in Baltimore and the fire that comes from competing on every play, sometimes tempers flare. But it appears as though the Baltimore Ravens wanted to give safety Earl Thomas a little more time to cool down.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Ravens sent Thomas home following a fight with fellow safety Chuck Clark on Friday. Sure enough, come Saturday morning’s practice, Thomas was among those absent from the field, according to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.

While fights are nothing new, the idea of a fight between two players on the same side of the ball and at the same position is a bit of an oddity. According to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, the fight stemmed from Thomas taking exception to being called out for a bad play by Clark with Thomas throwing a punch at his teammate before other players could separate them.

This isn’t the first time Thomas has gotten into it with a defensive teammate. Thomas and defensive tackle Brandon Williams got into a “heated discussion” following a loss to the Cleveland Browns last season. Luckily players and staff got between the pair so it didn’t get physical.

With a pattern emerging and Thomas drawing headlines this offseason as well, it’s a situation worth monitoring.

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Ravens QBs staying interception free at training camp

Through four training camp practices in pads, the Baltimore Ravens QBs haven’t thrown an interception in any team drills.

Training camp is the time when players try out new things. Quarterbacks will be a little more careless with their throws in an effort to find out what they can get away with while defensive backs will be a little more aggressive as they too need to know what will get them burned. With training camp practices being the time to press a little further, turnovers tend to come early and often. But not for the Baltimore Ravens, who have been perfect thus far in team drills.

Through four practices in front of the media, Baltimore’s quarterbacks have been interception free. That’s not for a lack of effort by the defense, however. In Friday’s practice, defenders got their hands on several passes and nearly came down with some big interceptions, according to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. Cornerback Terrell Bonds nearly had a pick-six and outside linebacker Pernell McPhee tipped a pass of his own. But at least so far, Lamar Jackson and company have remained perfect in the 7-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills, according to Penn Live’s Aaron Kasinitz.

With Baltimore having one of the best offenses and defenses in the NFL last season, this battle between the two sides of the ball should remain fierce. Where in previous seasons, one unit was obviously better than the other, this year the team isn’t nearly as one-sided. Those close battles should make everyone better as it sets a higher baseline of play than what the Ravens will typically see on a weekly basis in the regular season.

It’s far too early in training camp to make any definitive statements about the team. But the offense’s lack of turnovers, while the defense is tipping passes, is a positive thing. Hopefully, that translates to the regular season and we see cleaner drives from the offense and more splash plays from the defense.

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Earl Thomas, Chuck Clark get into heated argument at practice

Baltimore Ravens safeties Chuck Clark and Earl Thomas needed to be separated after a heated argument went on too long at training camp

As training camp continues for the Baltimore Ravens, frustrations continue to rise for the players. For yet another day, tensions boiled over to the point of players needing to be separated.

Safeties Chuck Clark and Earl Thomas got into a heated exchange on the practice field at Under Armour Performance Center on Friday. Though neither reporters nor coach John Harbaugh knew what the argument was about, it did require people to get between the two defenders, according to Aaron Kasinitz of Penn Live,

Before people get too alarmed, this is a pretty normal thing at training camp. Seemingly every year guys get into it at practice. With the heat and humidity, as well as the nature of trying to improve and either win a roster spot or more playing time; things can sometimes get a little fiery. It happened earlier in the week as well, with rookie running back J.K. Dobbins getting into it with safety DeShon Elliott. As both Harbaugh and linebacker L.J. Fort noted following practice, these things happen. And I’m sure the coaching staff likes seeing a little fire from the players at this time of the year.

What makes this particular fight more interesting is it being between the starting safeties. It’s usual for players going up against each other rep after rep to get heated but for two guys on the same side of the ball who should be working together to get into that intense of an argument is an oddity. In my time covering the team, I can’t remember a previous instance of it happening between two players at the same position before.

While Harbaugh didn’t seem too alarmed over the argument itself, he did have a problem with how long it took. As Harbaugh continued to press after practice, the team needs to keep their eyes on the prize and prepare for the regular season and not let these moments affect the next reps.

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Ravens get OLB Jaylon Ferguson back at training camp, WR Kenjon Barner hurt

The Baltimore Ravens saw second-year outside linebacker Jaylon Ferguson return to training camp after dealing with an injury this week.

The Baltimore Ravens have had a few bumps and bruises throughout training camp. Luckily (knock on wood), the Ravens have been fortunate to not have too many major injuries or too many injuries to key players. In fact, Baltimore actually returned outside linebacker Jaylon Ferguson to practice on Friday, according to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.

Ferguson missed the first three padded practices of training camp with an undisclosed injury. While coach John Harbaugh said Monday the injury was “just normal training camp-type stuff,” Baltimore is expecting big things from Ferguson this year and needs him to get as many reps in practice as possible to live up to it. With a shortened offseason due to the coronavirus pandemic, every single practice carries a lot of importance.

The Ravens are Ferguson develops into a fearsome pass rusher this season. By not addressing outside linebacker through free agency or the 2020 NFL Draft, Baltimore effectively indicated they felt their young guys will develop into their roles and have more of an impact this season. While Tyus Bowser has impressed early at training camp, Ferguson’s absence has been noticed after such an impressive ramp-up period.

Defensive coordinator Don Martindale heaped heavy praise on Ferguson in the early stages of training camp. Martindale specifically called out Ferguson’s development in the second half of last season and said the full offseason of training has him starting off strong this year. With Ferguson getting back on the practice field in pads, the hope is he’ll continue to make strides in his development and become the impact player Baltimore saw when they selected him in the 2019 NFL Draft.

The Ravens only saw Ferguson return to practice, still having wide receivers Chris Moore and Antoine Wesley, and tight end Eli Wolf out with their respective injuries. Late in practice, return specialist Kenjon Barner limped off the field after a big hit and didn’t return, according to Aaron Kasinitz of Penn Live. No update was given about his condition, however, so we’ll see if Barner returns to practice this weekend.

WATCH: Rookies dominate top plays of Ravens’ training camp 8/19

The young pass catchers for the Baltimore Ravens came up with some big plays but it was rookie James Proche’s catch that topped them all.

Baltimore’s passing attack was already deadly, as evidenced by last season’s dominance. But with an influx of offensive talent through the 2020 NFL Draft, the Ravens’ passing attack seems to be soaring to new heights.

Though it’s just the third day of padded practice at training camp for Baltimore, the rookie pass catchers were on fire. Wide receiver Devin Duvernay and running back J.K. Dobbins had some terrific catches and are looking more than capable of contributing this season. But it was James Proche laying out for a highlight-reel worthy reception from quarterback Robert Griffin III that might be the play of training camp thus far.

Don’t take my word for it, check out the plays and see for yourself.

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