The Ravens held their opening mandatory minicamp of the offseason this weekend, and even though it is early, some insight can be drawn from the session.
Here is a list of the latest revelations:
1)
Sidelined Players Due To Injury
The Ravens held several players out of the five practices.
Cornerbacks Fabian Washington (knee) and Lardarius Webb (knee) didn’t play at all, while wideout Mark Clayton (shoulder) also remained on the sideline. Linebackers Jarret Johnson (shoulder) and Brendon Ayanbadejo (knee); defensive tackles Haloti Ngata (chest), Kelly Gregg (shoulder), Brandon McKinney (undisclosed) and Lamar Divens (hip); and defensive backs Ed Reed (hip) and Marcus Paschal (undisclosed) rounded out the Did Not Practice list.
Rookie Ramon Harewood was the lone casualty, as he said he expects to miss three to four weeks with a knee injury suffered on Saturday.
2)
Flacco On Same Page With Wideouts
Having about two months of football school sessions was a great idea by the Ravens’ coaches, as quarterback Joe Flacco seemed to link up immediately with new wideouts Anquan Boldin and Donte’ Stallworth.
There were a few miscues, but overall, the third-year signal caller was at ease with his talented targets. For their part, Boldin and Stallworth ran crisp routes and rarely let a ball hit the turf.
3)
Fourth Receiver Battle Far From Over
Barring any unforeseen snafus, the Ravens have essentially pegged Boldin, Stallworth and Derrick Mason as their top three receivers. The question is… Who will fill in behind them?
Mark Clayton did not practice all camp because of a recent shoulder procedure, while Marcus Smith was held out as he recovers from a knee injury.
Demetrius Williams showed he is the healthiest he’s been in a while, and Justin Harper had a solid set of practices. And even though fifth-round draft pick David Reed didn’t get a ton of reps, there were flashes of his reliable hands and quick-twitch agility.
With a limited amount of roster spots in the future, expect this battle to go on for a while.
4)
Kindle, Cody Stepping Up
Playing with the starters wasn’t too big for second-rounders Sergio Kindle and Terrence Cody. Each player stepped up to the first-string defense and acquitted themselves rightly.
On the first run play of Friday’s morning practice, Cody stuffed Ray Rice behind the line of scrimmage. And by the end of the weekend, Kindle showed great speed and hands getting around the edge.
5)
Zorn Fits In With QBs
Whether it is his off-beat drills – some involving dodging large balance balls – or his on-field attention to detail, Jim Zorn jumped into his tenure as the Ravens’ new quarterbacks coach.
Zorn was constantly taking the ear of Flacco, Troy Smith or John Beck, offering instruction or cracking a joke. The longtime NFL starting quarterback could be key in Flacco’s third-year development.
“He’s very conscientious of technique – got a lot of drills to account for a lot of specific situations, situational situations that the quarterbacks can get into,” Head Coach John Harbaugh said. “I feel like they’re covering a lot of ground, and I feel like personality-wise they really hit it off well.”
6)
Oher and Gaither Swapped Positions
We knew last year that Michael Oher could play left tackle when he started in place of an injured Jared Gaither. He confirmed those beliefs by taking over the position full-time in minicamp.
While Oher said that nothing is permanent yet, it’s unlikely he will relinquish his new spot any time in the near future.
As for Gaither, trade rumors surfaces once again, and the fact that he didn’t practice after participating Friday morning only stoked the fires. Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome told reporters that there weren’t worthy offers on the table for any of his players.
7)
Tight Ends Playing Like Wideouts
The Ravens’ newest tight ends, Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta, look like sturdy receivers, rather than the blockers some teams covet.
They could be a boon to the Ravens’ passing attack, and displayed an ability to get good separation from linebackers, while using their size as an advantage over corners. Dickson ran with the starters at times.
McLaughlin Lost At Times
He hasn’t played fullback since high school, so it’s natural for Mike McLaughlin to feel a little odd when converting from a productive college linebacker.
Still, we saw that McLaughlin has the size and desire to work himself into the position behind Le’Ron McClain. Throughout the camp, McLaughlin was enthusiastic and as physical as he could be, considering it was non-hitting. When the pads come on, McLaughlin will be tested.
9)
Ray Ray Looking Young, Sizzle Looking for Redemption
Ray Lewis romped around the practice field like a twentysomething, displaying a youthful vigor that belies his 14 seasons in the league. Lewis said he was comfortable at his current weight of 252 pounds and was fast flying to the ball.
Regarding Terrell Suggs, he was also fast to the ball and with his mouth, constantly chatting up the offense. “Sizzle” said he was disappointed with last season’s showing and wants to drop weight to get back to his pass-rushing roots. Defensive Coordinator Greg Mattison said he’d make sure to facilitate that, as well.
10)
Reed’s Coming Back
Speculation of Ed Reed’s status ran rampant throughout the offseason, but a recent hip “procedure” points to his return.
Why else would he get a medical procedure if he wasn’t planning on a return to the gridiron? Many of his teammates and coaches expressed their belief that No. 20 would be back in purple and black for 2010.
This was an article on BaltimoreRavens.com, not my own opinion, but this is from the guys who watched minicamp.
On another note, Haloti Ngata will be out from camps for another 1.5 to 2 months because of his torn pectorial that he injured at the Pro Bowl.
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