Tag: Devontez Walker

Ravens had three wide receivers miss practice on Tuesday

Sure, it’s only training camp, and thus it is obviously not time to panic.

Rashod Bateman missed his second straight practice on Tuesday. On Monday, coach John Harbaugh said the receiver was suffering from “soreness,” indicating that the injury was only minor.

In addition to Bateman, two more wide receivers missed Tuesday’s session- Deonte Harty (his second missed camp practice) and Devontez Walker.

Sure, it’s only training camp, and thus, it is obviously not time to panic. After all, Walker is having a monster camp and could probably use a day off anyway.

On the other hand, there is no actual wide receiver pecking order here behind the No. 1 Zay Flowers. Bateman received a contract that would pay him the kind of money that a no. 2 receiver earns, so the expectation is that he will earn that role.

Otherwise, the Ravens could go into the season with Nelson Agholor as the WR2. We mean no disrespect to Agholor, but that would be suboptimal. Again, it’s very early, but this group needs reps, and they need them together so we can see them realize their full potential in 2024.

Ravens rookie WR Devontez Walker is having a very impressive training camp

Devontez Walker is not your typical fourth round draft pick, experiencing his first week of NFL of training camp.

Devontez Walker is not your typical fourth-round draft pick, experiencing his first week of NFL training camp. But then again, Walker probably should not have fallen to the fourth round.

Controversially, Walker missed the first four games of his final college season when the NCAA ruled him ineligible. When he returned, he dominated for the North Carolina Tar Heels, and many projected him to be a second or third-rounder.

Walker himself was convinced that the division rival Cincinnati Bengals would take him a full round earlier than Baltimore actually did. He admitted that this perceived slight has motivated him to prove them wrong.

You can see his inspiration thus far, as he’s making plays in practice that are turning the heads of the coaching staff.

On Friday, he had a highlight reel grab that was considered the day’s best play.

“Tez is doing a great job stacking practices,” coach John Harbaugh said before describing the fade route and its execution by Walker, which inspired awe.

“I had a plan there. We were going to go three plays, we were going to go tackling with the young guys to start the camp off, and Todd [Monken] calls the fade, and, ‘Boop,’ put it up there, and ‘Tez’ makes the play, and [the] period is over.

“That can happen.”

Devontez Walker earns early praise in training camp

Tez Walker is already catching the attention of Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh.

Former North Carolina Tar Heels’ wide receiver Devontez Walker has a big opportunity early in his NFL career.

After being selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2024 NFL draft, Walker can be a big target for defending MVP Lamar Jackson. The Baltimore Ravens have a need for a playmaker on their offense and Walker could fit that mold. So far, he’s earning some praise from his new team.

“‘Tez’ is doing a great job stacking practices,” head coach John Harbaugh said. “I really had a plan there. We were going to go three plays, we were going to go tackling with the young guys to start the camp off, and Todd [Monken] calls the fade, and, ‘Boop,’ put it up there, and ‘Tez’ makes the play, and [the] period is over. That can happen.”

Walker does have work to do to earn the trust of Lamar in the offense but getting reps in and impressive at training camp is a good start. The Ravens have yet to release their depth chart for the preseason, we imagine Walker will be behind a few guys.

But playing well in the preseason is the fastest way to earn more playing time in the NFL.

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Ravens training camp: Top photos from Day 5 of practice

We’re looking at the top photos from Day 5 of Baltimore Ravens training camp practices

The Ravens had a day off from training camp on Thursday but returned to the Under Armour Performance Center on Friday and Saturday for their first two full-padded summer practices. Lamar Jackson returned to the lineup after a medical evaluation for flu-like symptoms. At the same time, the team honored the late Jacoby Jones on the day that family and friends traveled to New Orleans for his funeral services. With Sunday’s practice quickly approaching, here are takeaways and notes from Saturday’s session. ***

Tez Walker catching passes from another former ACC Football star in Ravens Training Camp

Devontez Walker isn’t the only former ACC football star on the Baltimore Ravens’ roster.

Even if the North Carolina Tar Heels’ overall football season didn’t pan out last year, the sports world became very familiar with the talent on UNC’s roster.

Cedric Gray continued to be one of top linebackers in college football, recording his third straight season with 100+ tackles. Drake Maye proved his 2022 ACC Player/Rookie of the Year campaign was no joke, throwing for 3,608 yards, 24 touchdowns, rushing for 449 more yards and scoring nine times on the ground. Devontez Walker, even though he missed North Carolina’s first four games while dealing with ineligibility, caught passes from Maye and led his teammates with seven receiving touchdowns.

With how well Gray, Maye and Walker performed last year, they all heard their names chosen in the 2024 NFL Draft. Maye went third overall to the New England Patriots, Gray went 106th overall (fourth round) to the Tennessee Titans, while Walker went seven picks later to the Baltimore Ravens.

NFL Training Camps started last week, with our former Tar Heels showing their cases for starting spots. Maye likely will begin the year behind Jacoby Brissett, while Gray may be used in a linebacker rotation.

It was Walker, however, who yesterday separated himself with a couple amazing catches in Ravens Training Camp. You might also recognize the guy he’s catching passes from.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C95kLV1SI49/

Leary – that’s Devin Leary, the former NC State quarterback who beat UNC in both the 2021 and 2022 seasons, including the crazy 2021 comeback in Carter-Finley Stadium. He’s currently listed as third on Baltimore’s depth chart, behind Josh Johnson and 2-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson, so Leary and Walker might not play a bunch together.

Walker was not stranger to big games in Chapel Hill. Can he deliver a couple highlight performance during his rookie NFL season?

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2 Ravens rookies should crack starting lineup on offense

We take a look at the Ravens rookies to see who has a chance to start this season.

When you have quarterback Lamar Jackson, you have some margin for error when it comes to playing rookies on offense. The Baltimore Ravens have a great problem to have and they know Jackson’s skills elevate the play of those around him just based on all the attention he draws.

So as we look at the Ravens roster and their current class of 2024 rookies, we see a ton of potential for players to come in and contribute right away. First up we have offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten.

Overshadowed by Troy Fautanu, Rosengarten was an exceptional blocker in his own right at Washington. Baltimore has one of the best left tackles in the NFL in Ronnie Stanley and Rosengarten should be a great bookend with Stanley on the right side.

We also love the idea of wide receiver Devontez Walker starting alongside Nelson Agholor and Zay Flowers. Right now Rashod Bateman is penciled in as the starter but this could be a training camp battle that comes down to the wire.

Also, while we don’t predict any rookies on defense, special mention has to go to cornerbacks T.J. Tampa and Nate Wiggins. They should see their share of reps in this defense and Wiggins in particular has rookie starter potential.

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Ravens initial 90-man roster arranged by uniform number ahead of training camp

Baltimore Ravens’ 90-man roster at the start of 2024 training camp

The Baltimore Ravens have officially reported to the Under Armour Performance Center for the start of training camp with the first practice scheduled for Sunday morning.

There will be starting jobs and roster spots up for grabs, which should make for some intriguing position battles throughout camp and the preseason.

Currently, the Ravens have 90 players on their roster, and that will be trimmed down to 53 ahead of the start of the regular season, and by August 27.

With training camp underway, here’s an updated look at the Ravenss’ initial 90-man roster at the start of training camp, organized by jersey number.

Ravens OC Todd Monken is just getting his NFL legacy started

Baltimore Ravens OC Todd Monken helped the Ravens finish No. 4 in the NFL in points per game last season. What can we expect in year two?

Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken helped the Ravens finish No. 4 in the NFL in points per game last season, and he’ll return in 2024 with an offense full of proven star talent and youth. 

Monken reciprocal respect for head coach John Harbaugh has been precious. Monken’s mastermind has already been emphatic for the team. Historically known for its defensive prestige, the Ravens franchise may soon be transitioning into an offensive juggernaut under Monken. 

It seems like a pure no-brainer, right? Monken should focus on optimizing running back Derrick Henry and quarterback Lamar Jackson in the ground game this upcoming season. However, Monken knows the team must be more balanced than predictable.

Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers will need his touches, and tight-end Mark Andrews will also be expecting his targets in the passing game. Therefore, the art of play sequencing will be most important for Monken and the Ravens’ offense this upcoming season. Will Monken opt for the no-huddle, and will his youthful personnel be ready for an uptempo play style that may entail a vast and dynamic playbook?

Certainly, these are all questions Monken will be looking to answer when the full roster reports for Training Camp on Jul. 20. For now, he’ll enjoy getting reps in with the rookies, including Devontez Walker, whom he has already spoken highly of.

Fantasy football: Baltimore Ravens wide receiver outlook

Is there any value to be found after Zay Flowers in this underwhelming receiving corps?

Last year, the switch from offensive coordinator Greg Roman to Todd Monken generated some hope for the Baltimore Ravens’ passing game. The team then signed free-agent (and current Miami Dolphins) Odell Beckham Jr. and drafted Zay Flowers in the first round to give them their most formidable wide receiver corps in living memory, at least on paper. While it’s hard to call a season that ended in an MVP award for quarterback Lamar Jackson disappointing, the Ravens’ overall passing numbers were middling as they finished 21st in yards (3,635) and tied for 12th in TDs (27).

Entering Year 2 in Monken’s system, it’ll be interesting to see if things trend upward for the aerial game, or if Jackson and a retooled ground attack once again take center stage. While Beckham is gone, the other three top wideouts from a year ago return to give the offense some stability. Let’s take a quick look at what we can expect from Baltimore’s receivers in 2024.

Why rookie WR Devontez Walker could be the biggest sleeper for the Ravens

Baltimore Ravens rookie wide receiver Devontez Walker has the ideal frame to compete at the NFL level. 

At six-foot-two-inches and 200 pounds, Baltimore Ravens rookie wide receiver Devontez Walker has the ideal frame to compete at the NFL level. 

In a recent sit down with team media, Walker revealed that he had been running reps with the first-string at OTA’s. Is offensive coordinator Todd Monken sold on Walker’s upside?

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Walker’s physicality can mesh well with teammate wide receivers Rashod Bateman and Zay Flowers, who are more of the speed guys.

Walker’s highlight reels from the University of North Carolina are filled with high-point catches and touchdown receptions from rookie Drake Maye.

Perhaps Walker can be a red zone threat in Monken’s scheme, a serviceable run blocker, or a decoy deep threat for Flowers on underneath routes. 

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Although the Ravens seemed to take a step back by losing key players on their roster, they’ve done diligence to add youthful talent to a franchise full of locker-room camaraderie.