It’s Super Bowl or bust. There can be no other outcome.
In the past two seasons, the Ravens have had one of the best rosters in the league but came up short both times, losing 17-10 to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game in Baltimore two years ago and getting upset by the host Buffalo Bills, 27-25, in the divisional round in January.
But this year’s version is the best since Baltimore’s return to the NFL in 1996. The franchise has won two Super Bowl titles, which is remarkable considering there are 12 teams that haven’t won any.
Yet those championship teams were composed of strong defenses that featured Hall of Fame players such as Ray Lewis, Rod Woodson, Ed Reed and a potential selection named Terrell Suggs. In retrospect, those offenses were basically required not to implode.
The 2025 Ravens are different, but not perfect. They still need to upgrade their special teams with a kicker and a punt returner, and it remains to be seen whether the secondary can improve after making significant offseason additions.
But this offense, oh my. It’s almost flawless.
The Ravens have a two-time Most Valuable Player in quarterback Lamar Jackson, who passed for 4,172 yards and 41 touchdowns last season and also rushed for another 915 yards and four more scores. They have one of the best big, multi-purpose backs in league history in Derrick Henry, who rushed for 1,921 yards last season, second in the NFL behind the Philadelphia Eagles’ Saquon Barkley.
Even the receivers are good despite the team’s previous failures to find one in the draft. The Ravens have “super vet” DeAndre Hopkins, Rashod Bateman and Zay Flowers as well as tight ends Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar.
Whom does Jackson throw to?
Anybody he wants. The only problem for offensive coordinator Todd Monken is finding enough touches for so many playmakers.
The offensive line isn’t great, but there aren’t many that are in the NFL. This group struggles with pass blocking, but that’s where Jackson provides the added dimension with his scrambling. This offense is loaded, pure and simple, equipped with a tempo-changing running back in Keaton Mitchell as well as a third-down specialist in Justice Hill.
The scenario on the other side of the ball is different, but the possibilities are endless.
The secondary should be improved from a year ago when the group was ranked 31st out of 32 teams. The Ravens made significant improvement in the second half of the season but also faced some bad quarterbacks such as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Russell Wilson (twice), the New York Giants’ Tommy DeVito and the Cleveland Browns’ Bailey Zappe.
To increase the talent level, the Ravens drafted Georgia safety Malaki Starks in the first round and signed free agent cornerback Jaire Alexander in June. Alexander was a Pro Bowl selection in 2020 and 2022 with the Green Bay Packers, but injuries have forced him to miss 20 games during the past two seasons.
If Alexander returns to form, defensive coordinator Zach Orr has a lot of combinations he can play on the backend with safety Kyle Hamilton near the line of scrimmage, rising cornerback Nate Wiggins on the outside opposite Chidobe Awuzie or Alexander and veteran Marlon Humphrey manning the slot.
With Chuck Pagano helping coach the secondary, this group should be better complementing a run defense that was ranked No. 1 in the league a year ago. Nose tackle Michael Pierce retired, but the team has an ample supply of bulk up front with linemen John Jenkins, Nnamdi Madubuike, Broderick Washington, Travis Jones and rookie Aeneas Peebles.
What’s missing?
They don’t have a proven kicker. Justin Tucker, perhaps the best in league history, was released in early May and later suspended for the first 10 games of the season for violating the league’s personal conduct policy after more than a dozen female massage therapists accused Tucker of inappropriate sexual behavior at several Baltimore-area spas and wellness centers. Sixth-round pick Tyler Loop and undrafted rookie John Hoyland are competing for the job now.
Tucker and Matt Stover made major contributions in both of the Ravens’ championship seasons. Tucker converted 30 of 33 field goal attempts in 2012, and Stover was 35 of 39 in 2000 when Baltimore went five games without scoring an offensive touchdown.
Another missing ingredient is the return game. In 2000, the Ravens had Jermaine Lewis, who averaged 16.1 yards per punt returns. Lewis also had an 84-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the second half of the Ravens’ 34-7 win against the Giants in the Super Bowl. In 2012, Jacoby Jones led the NFL with 1,167 kickoff return yards and scored two touchdowns.
There are other intangibles.
In 2000, quarterback Trent Dilfer was conservative but was a great game manager. In 2012, quarterback Joe Flacco had one of the greatest postseasons ever, tying Joe Montana’s record with 11 touchdown passes without an interception.
The Ravens need to get hot. In 2000, then-coach Brian Billick went with running back Jamal Lewis down the stretch as Lewis finished with 1,364 yards to complement the record-setting defense. Flacco was exceptional in 2012.
Jackson needs to get hot in the postseason, where he is 3-5 during his eight years in Baltimore. In those eight games, he’s passed for 1,753 yards and 10 touchdowns but has thrown seven interceptions and lost three fumbles.
There is also the Ray Lewis factor.
Not only was he the best player in the NFL in 2000, but his personality energized the Ravens, especially the younger players in 2012. Without Lewis, the Ravens don’t win either of their two titles.
The Hall of Fame linebacker’s absence has been hard to fill. After the 2012 season, Ravens coach John Harbaugh got rid of the alpha males such as Lewis, Reed, safety Bernard Pollard and receiver Anquan Boldin, which forced the team into mediocrity for the next five seasons.
Those years coincided with the early seasons in Baltimore when the Ravens didn’t have enough cash flow to compete on both sides of the ball until Steve Bisciotti became a minority owner in 2000.
But now they are back on pace again. Only one team has more overall talent than the Ravens, and that’s Philadelphia. The defending champion Eagles can dominate with both interior lines, but they play in the NFC, so the AFC is a wide-open race.
The expectations in Baltimore are justified, even though that might serve as both motivation and a distraction. But there are no more excuses for the Ravens to miss the Super Bowl, because this team is loaded. It’s easily the most balanced in franchise history.
It’s time for them to play in a third Super Bowl.
Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun.
]]>They have five tight ends on the roster and three of them — Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar — are really good. It was intriguing on Day 2 of training camp Thursday to watch how the Ravens would rotate them, but the team has different formations.
The catch of the day belonged to Likely, who made a one-handed grab on a pass across the middle from Lamar Jackson, easily turned the corner and took off for what would have been a 65-yard touchdown.
But throughout Thursday’s practice, all three quarterbacks used the tight ends on different formations, both inside and outside of the red zone, as well as in the 7-on-7 period.
One of my favorite plays was a toss to running back Derrick Henry with Kolar leading the way. That’s a sign of versatility while also using Henry’s great vision.
Rookie watch
Training camp is only two days old, but rookie safety Malaki Starks, the first-round pick out of Georgia, has been impressive. Not only does he play well on the back end of the secondary, but he breaks on the ball extremely well.
He knocked down one pass intended for Kolar and then intercepted what looked like an arm punt from Jackson late in the team period. There is talk that Starks is the best safety to come out of college since the Ravens took Kyle Hamilton in the first round out of Notre Dame in the 2022 draft.
First impressions
It wasn’t an exceptional day for newly acquired cornerback Jaire Alexander, who was beat for a long touchdown down the right sideline by Devontez Walker.
First of all, let’s give Walker credit. The second-year receiver out of North Carolina has played well though offseason workouts and so far in training camp.
As for Alexander, he has looked good so far in practice. He backpedals well, can sit down with receivers and recovers quickly. The 28-year-old veteran against the 24-year-old Walker is one of the better matchups in training camp.
Injury updates
While on the subject of receivers, veteran DeAndre Hopkins didn’t practice because of a knee injury he suffered on a hard landing in Wednesday’s opening practice. The injury is not believed to be serious.
Also, slot receiver Zay Flowers was at full-tilt in practice for the second straight day after suffering what appeared to be either a knee or ankle injury on Wednesday that forced him to miss about 10 minutes of practice. Flowers was at his artful best catching several short passes and easily juking defenders.
He is by far one of the best open-field runners after the catch in the NFL.
Secondary shaping up
Receiver Rashod Bateman ran an out-and-up against cornerback Nate Wiggins that resulted in a 55-yard touchdown pass from Jackson. The two-time NFL Most Valuable Player tried to make the same play versus Wiggins on the next snap, but the second-year player wasn’t fooled and knocked down Jackson’s pass intended for receiver Keith Kirkwood.
Wiggins might only be in his second season, but he’s no fool and could become one the best at his position in the NFL. Because of his ability, he might not get tested a lot this season with Chidobe Awuzie, Jalyn Armour-Davis and Alexander competing to play on the opposite side.
The Ravens had Armour-Davis playing over the slot at times during Thursday’s practice and even blitzed him a couple of times off the edge. This is a big season for Armour-Davis, as well as outside linebacker David Ojabo. Both are about to enter their fourth seasons before entering free agency.
Offensive line battle
Ben Cleveland and Andrew Vorhees both took snaps with the first-team offense at left guard Thursday, but Vorhees seems better suited for the position. Why? Neither are great pass blockers, but Vorhees is more versatile and durable.
Play of the day
The best overall play of the day was middle linebacker Roquan Smith running stride-for-stride with running back Justice Hill down the left sideline and knocking down a long pass.
The Kansas City Chiefs exposed Smith’s inability to cover in the season opener a year ago and several teams attacked him in similar fashion in the early part of the season. Smith, though, regrouped and appeared to get in better shape deeper into the year.
Pass rush intrigue
When watching the Ravens do sled work, no one rocks it harder than 6-foot-4, 341-pound Travis Jones, the fourth-year defensive lineman out of Connecticut. When he strikes it, the earth moves.
Outside linebacker and third-year player Tavius Robinson also showed good technique and explosion. Also of interest, fifth-year outside linebacker Odafe Oweh is thicker across the chest but appears to be not as quick as a year ago.
It will be interesting to see what weight he plays at during the season. He is listed at 6-5 and 265 pounds.
Kicker watch
With sixth-round kicker Tyler Loop sitting out, presumably for a scheduled day off, undrafted rookie John Hoyland went 9-for-9 on his field goal attempts. Three were from 40-plus, and one was from 50-plus.
Hoyland was wearing a GoPro camera on his helmet, which coach John Harbaugh said allows coaches to see what he’s looking at and different angles of his leg.
Draft gem?
If you want to see quickness, keep an eye on rookie defensive tackle Aeneas Peebles, a sixth-round pick out of Virginia Tech. He is getting better with the spin move and did a lot of work with pass-rush specialist Chuck Smith before the beginning of practice.
Still getting better
One of the best improvements from Jackson is his ability to drift to the left, even with a soft shuffle, keep his eyes down the field and complete the pass. The eighth-year veteran couldn’t do that earlier in his career.
In fact, he wasn’t very good rolling to his left at all. It’s all part of his development as a top-tier quarterback.
Baltimore Sun reporter Sam Cohn contributed to this article. Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun.
]]>As expected, coach John Harbaugh declared it a good practice and certain things were clearly noticeable. It appeared that most of the players reported in good shape and were ready to go, even 6-foot-8, 370-pound starting right guard Daniel Faalele. Linebacker Jake Hummel, who will be out a week with a cut on his hand, was the only unexpected absence.
It will be interesting to see how that plays out in the coming days as the temperatures get hotter, but that’s plus for the offensive line. Other starters who looked good were veteran left tackle Ronnie Stanley, who has rebuilt the lower half of his body recently, and second-year right tackle Roger Rosengarten, who looks bigger and thicker compared with his rookie campaign.
The full pads go on Monday. Here’s what else we saw from the opening day of camp:
Nice hands
There were several top catches on Day 1. Even though he was out of bounds, veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins hauled in a one-handed, quick 15-yard out after the ball rolled along his back.
Tight end Mark Andrews caught a long touchdown pass while streaking down the right hash mark. Andrews completed the play with a 20-yard run, something he couldn’t do last season.
That’s a good sign.
New-look secondary
The Ravens used various starting combinations in the secondary, which included cornerbacks Nate Wiggins, Marlon Humphrey, Chidobe Awuzie and Jaire Alexander. The Ravens are hoping the injury-prone Alexander can stay healthy for an entire season and return to the form that made him one of the best in the NFL in 2020 and 2022.
Alexander is cocky, and that’s desperately needed. He knocked down a pass intended for receiver Dayton Wade in the middle of practice and then did one of those signature celebrations.
You didn’t see much of that last season when the Ravens had the No. 31-ranked pass defense in the NFL. I will wait to see if that happens consistently throughout training camp, but it was nice to see some swag back on defense from another player besides Humphrey.
Ravens receivers didn’t get much separation Wednesday, but the defense is always ahead of the offense early in the season.
Injury scare
Fans were holding a collective breath when slot receiver Zay Flowers went down with either a knee or ankle injury after a catch along the left sideline during a 7-on-7 period. Flowers sat on a water cooler for about 10 minutes before returning to action.
Within minutes of returning, he caught a short pass over the middle, made a jump cut and then juked past a defender, so apparently he was OK. Of course, we’ll see if he is on the field Thursday because a lot of swelling might occur overnight.
Flowers, though, looked healthy.
Missed opportunities
The Ravens had two big misses in practice as second-year receiver Devontez Walker failed to hold onto a pass after diving over rookie cornerback Bilhal Kone and falling to the ground.
Third-year running back Keaton Mitchell simply dropped a pass from backup quarterback Cooper Rush in what should have been a 40- to 50-yard touchdown reception. Mitchell is in a battle to be the third-down back with Justice Hill, but Hill’s ability to block gives him the edge in passing situations.
Mitchell might have made the play if he didn’t stop running because he didn’t think that he was going to get the ball.
Where’s the syrup?
The pancake award goes to fullback Patrick Ricard, who easily knocked defensive end David Ojabo to the ground during a pass protection drill. I kept waiting for the late boxing announcer Howard Cosell to say “Down goes Frazier!”
Ojabo won’t want to look at the film on that hit.
Deal or no deal?
With Lamar Jackson in training camp, the Ravens might finally be able to negotiate a new deal with the star quarterback. Everyone knows that Jackson has to be pinpointed, and there is no better time than with him practicing every day.
This isn’t hard to figure out. Top-caliber quarterbacks rotate being the highest-paid player in the NFL, so Jackson will make more on his next deal than the Dallas Cowboys’ Dak Prescott, who averages $60 million per year on his $240 million extension.
Kicker watch
The rookie kickers performed well. Tyler Loop, drafted in the sixth round out of Arizona, was 6-for-6. John Hoyland, an undrafted free agent from Wyoming, was 4-for-5 with his lone miss from 40 yards.
“With the kickers, it’s a process, and nobody’s more processed than the kickers,” Harbaugh said. “It’s probably more like golf than any other sport in terms of process, swing, replicating that time and time again [and] making a good kick. Arnold Palmer used to talk about making a good putt. Did I make a good putt? If I made a good putt, whether it goes in or not is not the point. The point is, if I make a good putt, I’m going to give myself the best chance to be successful. We want our guys to learn how to make a good kick over and over again in every circumstance.
“So that process goes into when they’re over there on the side, and nobody’s paying attention to them. When they bring it over to the team period, when they bring it over to a team situation period like we did the second period today in practice where they had to run on the field and make a kick — as game-like as we can make it now — and then when we take it into the game, replicate the kick every single time. That’s what we’re chasing with those guys.”
Harbaugh on Henry
Running back Derrick Henry has already made a fan out of Harbaugh after only one season with the Ravens.
“The intangible thing is the work ethic and the attitude, the enthusiasm for the day,” Harbaugh said of the 31-year-old veteran, who rushed for 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns last year. “My dad talks about ‘attacking the day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind,’ and I see that every day, and it’s not necessarily in what he says — although, he’ll have fun — [but] it’s what he does and the way he works at it and how hard he works to get better, how intentional he is about being the best player he can be. That’s his biggest trait, I think.”
Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun.
]]>We’ve seen this act before with quarterback Deshaun Watson, who was suspended by the NFL for 11 games in 2022 and fined $5 million after more than 20 women alleged that he committed sexual misconduct during massage therapy sessions. But Watson eventually signed a five-year, $230 million fully guaranteed contract with the Cleveland Browns and has remained with the team since.
If another team is in search of a kicker, Tucker, 35, will get another chance. You can bank on it.
The NFL announced Tucker’s punishment for a violation of the league’s personal conduct policy, which requires a six-game minimum suspension. So it’s safe to assume that the NFL found more than enough evidence to suspend him, though it didn’t release its findings publicly.
The league conducted its investigation five months after more than a dozen female massage therapists accused Tucker of inappropriate sexual behavior at several Baltimore-area spas and wellness centers. Tucker has maintained his innocence and no known civil lawsuits have been filed.
Tucker, who was released by the Ravens in May, can sign with another team as a free agent and compete for a tryout and play in preseason games. His suspension goes into effect on Aug. 26, and he will be reinstated on Nov. 11.
So, as of now, no team will add Tucker and invite a public relations backlash. But if a team with championship aspirations suddenly finds itself with a struggling kicker, it will probably find Tucker’s cell phone number.
During the 2024 season, eight kickers had a lower field goal rate than Tucker’s career-low 73.3% mark. Five made less than 70% of their attempts. The San Francisco 49ers’ Jake Moody led the league with 10 missed field goal attempts, while the Buffalo Bills’ Tyler Bass missed five extra point tries.
You get the picture.
If you can’t, look closer here in Baltimore. The Ravens knew Tucker was going to be suspended, which is why they drafted Arizona’s Tyler Loop in the sixth round and later signed Wyoming’s John Hoyland to a rookie free agent contract.
Neither was extremely impressive in OTAs, and both struggled during the three days that owner Steve Bisciotti attended practices. If both are costing the Ravens games, it wouldn’t be surprising if they re-signed Tucker.
Heck, the Ravens drafted Marshall outside linebacker Mike Green in the second round despite him having two sexual assault allegations against him, one in high school and later at the University of Virginia. They also gambled and signed former Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander last week despite the 28-year old having played in just 16 games, including the playoffs, over the past two years because of a series of injuries.
If an owner or a general manager believes they are a player or two away from a possible Super Bowl run, they’ll sign someone like Tucker despite his troubled past. It’s been done many times before in NFL history.
Tucker can still kick. He struggled last season, but look at his overall body of work.
He has scored 1,775 points, a franchise record, and has converted 89.1% of his field goal attempts during his career to make him the most accurate kicker in NFL history.
Some team might be willing to take a chance with the most successful kicker of all time, who was “Mr. Automatic” during his tenure in Baltimore. If circumstances are right, he’ll be back in the NFL again.
In certain situations, kickers are almost as valuable as quarterbacks, especially when the game is in doubt. We might not have seen the last of Justin Tucker.
Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun.
]]>Winning two straight AFC North titles is OK, but I’m talking about major hardware here, like the Lamar Hunt Trophy as the AFC champion and Super Bowl 60. If the Ravens lose that one, that can be tolerated, but anything less is a failure.
Remember, this is Baltimore, not Cleveland.
Expectations are high here, but haven’t been met in the past two seasons when the Ravens had one of the top two or three rosters in the NFL. They had an NFL-best regular-season record of 13-4 in 2023, but lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, 17-10, in the AFC championship game in Baltimore.
In 2024, the Ravens finished 12-5 but lost to the Buffalo Bills, 27-25, in a divisional playoff game played in Orchard Park, New York, against a team they had beaten by 25 in late September. Those losses were ugly — embarrassing, in fact — because the Ravens committed three turnovers in each of those playoff losses. Granted, some credit needs to be given to both opponents. But this 2025 Ravens team is, to borrow a popular phrase from comedian Ron White, loaded.
Only the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles might have a better roster because of their superiority on the interior lines, but if the Eagles are No. 1, then the Ravens are 1A.
Winning a championship will be a point of emphasis and possibly distraction heading into training camp next month, but if the Ravens don’t win a title soon, the bigger question becomes, “when?”
The window of opportunity closes fast in the NFL because of salary cap restrictions, but the Ravens made some strong moves in the offseason. They signed veteran free agents such as receiver DeAndre Hopkins and cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Chidobe Awuzie. They even added a proven backup quarterback in Cooper Rush, even though he wasn’t impressive in OTAs.
They anchored the NFL’s top running game by re-signing left tackle Ronnie Stanley and fullback Patrick Ricard and extending star running back Derrick Henry. They also brought back former Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano as the new senior secondary coach to improve a secondary that was ranked No. 31 in the league last season.
This group has to get better because they can’t get much worse. The Ravens drafted Georgia safety Malaki Starks with their first pick in the draft in late April, a move that will allow them to play fellow safety Kyle Hamilton up near the line of scrimmage where he can be more impactful.
If the often-injured Alexander plays near his Pro Bowl potential in 2020 and 2022, that puts him on the outside with gifted second-year cornerback Nate Wiggins and allows nickel back Marlon Humphrey to play over the slot receiver. Despite injuries to several cornerbacks in recent years, the Ravens have adequate depth in Awuzie, Jayln Amour-Davis and T.J. Tampa Jr.
Overall, there isn’t much to dislike about this team, but the Ravens do have some holes.
Pass blocking is still questionable even though elusive quarterback Lamar Jackson made this offensive line look formidable at times. If the Ravens can’t run, they might be in trouble.
They have a surplus of receivers in Rashod Bateman, Hopkins, Zay Flowers and Tylan Wallace, and tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely, but Likely, Hopkins and Andrews are in contract years. What happens when they don’t catch enough passes, and which one becomes the disgruntled castoff?
Defensively, the Ravens have to mix and match on the back end with all those cornerbacks, and this is a pivotal year for both weakside linebacker Trenton Simpson as well as second-year coordinator Zach Orr. Pass rush is still a priority. The Ravens have two of their best returning from a year ago in outside linebackers Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh, but neither came through in big games. Mike Green might be the answer, but the second-round pick is only a rookie.
Special teams are a concern, too. Which one of those rookie kickers, Tyler Loop or John Hoyland, will replace icon Justin Tucker, who was waived by the team in May after 13 seasons with Baltimore? Neither was extremely consistent during OTAs. The Ravens need to find a punt returner among a group that includes receivers Wallace, Dayton Wade, rookie LaJohntay Wester and possibly running back Keaton Mitchell.
Every team, though, has a need, some more than others. For the Ravens, it comes down to eliminating the turnovers, and a lot of it starts with Jackson. There is the regular-season Jackson, the Most Valuable Player candidate; and then there is the postseason Jackson, who has a 3-5 record with seven interceptions and six lost fumbles. The Ravens need him to step up his game in the playoffs.
But it’s not just about Jackson. Andrews fumbled after a catch and dropped a would-be game-tying 2-point conversion pass late in the game against Buffalo. Flowers fumbled the ball just short of the goal line against the Chiefs in the 2024 AFC championship game, resulting in a Kansas City touchback instead of cutting the Chiefs’ lead to three on the first snap of the fourth quarter.
It’s always something.
Then there is the John Harbaugh factor. Instead of the coach trying to maintain his aggressive philosophy, he needs to rely more on gut instincts and what is happening on the field instead of analytics. This is the NFL, after all, not analytics-driven MLB.
There can be no more excuses.
This is a team primed for a big-time run in 2025, led by two eventual Pro Football Hall of Fame members in Jackson and Henry. They’ve been nearly injury-free in the past two postseasons, and it’s just a matter of them putting it all together. As former Ravens great and outside linebacker Terrell Suggs used to say, “I want me some of that Lombardi Trophy. It’s about time.”
It certainly is.
Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun.
]]>It was evident Wednesday when Baltimore signed former Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander to a one-year deal worth up to $6 million.
Before everyone starts buying tickets for Super Bowl 60 in Santa Clara, California, here is my rub: Alexander hasn’t been available lately.
The 28-year-old has played just 16 games, including the playoffs, over the past two seasons because of a series of ailments — quadriceps and knee injuries last year, back and shoulder injuries the year before that. He played in just five games in 2021, a season sandwiched between his past two fully healthy seasons, during which he made the Pro Bowl and was a second-team All-Pro each year.
If he plays well (and is available), he could be the next Marcus Peters, a disgruntled cornerback the Ravens acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams in 2019 before he wore out his welcome after the 2022 season. Or he could be the next Marcus Williams, the highly paid safety who played in only 32 games over three seasons because of injuries and poor play.
Which Marcus will show up?
No one knows, but Alexander is worth the gamble. It’s a textbook signing of a veteran to a salary cap-friendly deal. Top-tier cornerbacks are making about $25 million per year. The Ravens might be getting one who is still in his prime, despite his injury history.
Here is another reason for optimism: Since changing their strength and conditioning coaches in 2023, the Ravens have been one of the healthiest teams in the postseason.
So, the move to Alexander makes sense. If he returns to his 2020 and 2022 form when he was one of the best cornerbacks in the game, the Ravens have a luxury at the position. Baltimore had a glaring weakness a year ago on the back end and ranked 31st out of 32 teams by allowing an average of 244.1 passing yards per game, though the unit turned a corner in the second half of last season.
The addition of Alexander allows the Ravens to start 2024 first-round draft pick Nate Wiggins at one corner spot and keep Marlon Humphrey inside over the slot receiver.
The Ravens have another first-round pick in the secondary in rookie Malaki Starks at free safety, and they can move strong safety Kyle Hamilton closer to the line of scrimmage if necessary or keep him on the back end. If Starks performs as advertised, the Ravens might have the best safety tandem in the NFL.
Jalyn Armour-Davis, T.J Tampa and veteran Chidobe Awuzie had been shuffling in as the second outside corner during OTAs, but now they can provide solid depth. Secondary coach Chuck Pagano might be the missing ingredient.
Alexander will get tested because Wiggins can play. Opposing teams will challenge the two-time Pro Bowl selection to see if he is fully healthy or whether he has lost a step.
That’s always a concern.
Williams was a highly sought-after free agent, too, and after a successful first season in Baltimore, he tore his left pectoral in Week 1 the following season. He didn’t have surgery, missed six games, and his drop-off from there was noticeable.
Much has been said and written about star quarterback Lamar Jackson endorsing Alexander, his former college teammate at Louisville. Did it have an impact? Probably, because it’s all part of the pampering of Jackson.
But if Alexander couldn’t play, the Ravens wouldn’t have signed him. The question for Jackson and the Ravens is, where is the hardware? There is no Super Bowl ring, not even a Lamar Hunt Trophy for winning the AFC. Jackson wanted Odell Beckham Jr., he wanted DeAndre Hopkins, and he wanted Marquise “Hollywood” Brown out of Oklahoma in the 2019 NFL draft.
The Ravens have had the best roster in the NFL the past two years and have nothing to show for it. Now it’s time to win, and win big.
A lot of it might depend on Alexander. Which Marcus will he be? Regardless, it’s worth the gamble.
Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun.
]]>The Ravens have responded well.
They have enough girth, especially in first down or running situations, with possible starters in 6-foot-4, 338-pound Travis Jones, 6-3, 327-pound veteran John Jenkins and 6-2, 315-pound Broderick Washington Jr.
If that’s not enough meat, the Ravens can insert 6-6, 315-pound C.J. Okoye.
If it’s a pass-rushing situation, the Ravens can add or subtract with outside linebacker Tavius Robinson, who can also double as a defensive end. Robinson, 6-6 and 262 pounds, has enough versatility to be used in either a two- or four-point stance depending on the assignment.
Then there is Nnamdi Madubuike, who is the most complete linemen on the defense. He needs to be careful, though. Jones, in his fourth season out of the University of Connecticut, has played well during OTAs and rebuilt that body in the offseason.
There is very little baby fat on that frame.
Running back rotation
It’s very easy to see why team officials gave running back Derrick Henry a two-year contract extension in early May worth $30 million with $25 million guaranteed. He is a specimen, and it isn’t hard to figure out why he has basically stayed injury-free throughout his nine-year career.
He is 6-3 and weighs 247 pounds. When carrying the ball, it’s hard to tell the difference between the pigskin and his biceps. Plus, who wants to hit that big train running downhill with a time of 4.54 seconds in the 40-yard dash?
The biggest battle is who will be No. 2 behind Henry. Both Keaton Mitchell and Justice Hill have split repetitions with the second unit. Hill, though, might be more of a third-down player as a weapon out of the backfield as opposed to Mitchell, who is certainly more of a breakaway threat than Henry. Hill is a better pass blocker than Mitchell.
The Ravens have a surplus of runners, and that’s a good situation.
Here’s the catch
A year ago, receiver Zay Flowers seemed more focused in his second season compared with OTAs this offseason. That’s not to say that he is going to have a bad year, because few teams can cover Flowers with one defender, but he has dropped more balls in the past three weeks than usual.
It’s a focus issue.
Meanwhile, tight end Mark Andrews has been obsessed and looks like the Andrews of old instead of an old Andrews. He has shown breakaway speed several times in practices, and that was lacking a year ago.
The best catch of the day was hauled in by Anthony Miller on a 20-yard reception despite being triple covered. Also, second-year receiver Devontez Walker has shown good acceleration and hands on crossing routes. He can make a lot out of very little.
He’s still fast
During the first drill involving quarterbacks, it was so easy to see the difference in the foot speed of Lamar Jackson compared with backups Cooper Rush and Devin Leary.
In fact, it was no contest.
Jackson’s feet barely touched the ground while receiving snaps, and he made Rush and Leary look as if they were in slow motion.
Linebacker look
Early last season, several teams attacked middle linebacker Roquan Smith, who struggled in pass coverage with running backs out of the backfield. In the season opener, Kansas City ran a lot of crossing patterns over the middle.
It will be interesting to see how the Ravens have changed things up, especially with Trenton Simpson possibly performing better on the weak side.
The new guy
Newly signed cornerback Jaire Alexander was at practice on Wednesday, but in a sideline role. Alexander spent the two and a half hours watching the Ravens’ defense, chatting with team owner Steve Bisciotti and standing with his new defensive teammates.
“You can never have too many DBs,” safety Kyle Hamilton said. “It’s gonna be great to have [Alexander] in the room.”
Alexander seemed eager to get on the field, trying on a helmet and twirling a football in his hands for the majority of practice. He’s expected to immediately start as an outside cornerback alongside Nate Wiggins, with Marlon Humphrey manning the slot.
Secondary looks sharp
Alexander’s addition was the big news of the day, but Baltimore has other talented defensive backs. The defense recorded three interceptions Wednesday, including one off Jackson.
“I thought we had an excellent bunch of corners yesterday and we added one more excellent corner today,” coach John Harbaugh said.
Wiggins picked off Jackson when an errant throw sailed past Rashod Bateman. Bateman tried to run a stop route, but Jackson’s pass missed the receiver and Wiggins easily picked it off. Safety Beau Brade made an easy interception on an overthrown deep ball and cornerback T.J. Tampa recorded another interception, his second in as many days.
“You can see the trajectory that we think we’re on,” Hamilton said. “We’re off to a great start, it seems like we’re playing 12-on-11 out there sometimes.”
Defense demands
Humphrey knows that Jackson is the best and most popular player on the Ravens, but as the longest tenured defensive player, he remembers the elite defenses Baltimore routinely fielded since the record-setting group in 2000.
The Ravens weren’t exactly stellar on that side of the ball last season; they finished 31st in the league in passing defense, allowing an average of 244.1 yards per game.
But a lack of turnovers has been the biggest issue in Baltimore’s playoff woes, Humphrey said. In Jackson’s eight playoff games as a starter, the Ravens’ defense has forced just two total turnovers. Humphrey wants that to change.
“You got to get the football,” Humphrey said. “I think it will ultimately help us be the defense that I feel like Baltimore deserves.”
Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. Contact Sam Jane at sjane@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/Sam_Jane230.
]]>The Ravens had their first of two straight mandatory minicamp practices Tuesday, and the secondary has been nowhere near as bad as a year ago when it gave up the deep ball consistently and allowed 244.1 passing yards per game, second worst in the NFL. Those Ravens couldn’t find tight ends or running backs, much less receivers.
But the team has used several different combinations in practices thus far, mixing safeties Kyle Hamilton and Malaki Starks, the team’s first-round draft pick out of Georgia in April, along with cornerbacks Nate Wiggins, Marlon Humphrey, Jalyn Armour-Davis and Reuben Lowery.
Keep an eye on Lowery, a rookie free agent out of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He is only 5-9 and weighs 204 pounds, but the 22-year-old continues to make plays and is always near the ball.
It will be interesting to see what the Ravens do with Hamilton and Humphrey this season. Hamilton is an impact player near the line of scrimmage and Humphrey can play inside or outside but is better playing over a slot receiver. He still has decent speed, but isn’t as fast as he used to be.
Jackson watch
Quarterback Lamar Jackson threw the ball reasonably well in his first appearance in two weeks.
His short passes were tight and most were thrown to the outside, which is the perfect location. His long ball had some touch and he even threw some high and tight passes to the outside around 12 to 15 yards down the field, which hasn’t been a strength throughout his career.
But as general manager Eric DeCosta continues to negotiate with Jackson about a contract extension, I wonder what would happen if the Ravens changed directions and stopped pampering him. For instance, schedule practices in the morning instead of allowing Jackson to sleep in.
Maybe stop allowing him to miss practices in the middle of the week and practice like other players on the roster. After eight years, it’s worth trying something else, but maybe the Ravens believe this is their year to reach the Super Bowl despite Jackson’s 3-5 record in the postseason.
Well, it’s just a thought.
Intrigue on offense
It will be interesting to see what offensive coordinator Todd Monken dials up this season.
So far, we’ve seen waggles, throwback screens, rollouts, straight drop-backs, tosses to running back Derrick Henry and quick hitters to running back and speedster Keaton Mitchell as well as passes over the middle to Mark Andrews and even the long ball to fellow tight end Isaiah Likely.
So far, receivers Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Tylan Wallace have made plays, but the most improved might be second-year player Devontez Walker out of North Carolina. His route running has taken a step forward, so the potential is still high for the 2024 fourth-round pick.
D-line dealings
The more I watch rookie defensive lineman Aeneas Peebles play, I like his technique.
He is small at 6 feet and 289 pounds, but has good technical skills. If you aren’t overly big, it helps to have good technique, especially if you are fast. Peebles has a good explosion and gets off the ball well.
If he can get into the backfield early, the sixth-round pick out of Virginia Tech might cause some problems, especially for slower developing plays such as counters or traps.
While on the subject of defensive linemen, second-year player C.J. Ravenell works too high and veteran nose tackle John Jenkins appears to be a perfectionist. Jenkins can get sloppy at times, but always works hard to improve.
Just for kicks
The best moment of the day belonged to a Ravens security officer who stopped the media and fans from walking behind the goal posts when rookie John Hoyland was attempting a field goal.
Really?
Do you think Steelers fans in Pittsburgh won’t be screaming and yelling obscenities among other things if Hoyland or fellow rookie Tyler Loop are attempting a field goal in crunch time during the last game of the regular season?
Get low
Here’s a suggestion for outside linebacker David Ojabo, the fourth-year player and 2022 second-round pick out of Michigan: If he stayed low and wasn’t so stiff coming out of his stance, he would have more success.
When you watch outside linebackers Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh, they usually stay low, even though Oweh gets too high at times. Mike Green, the rookie second-round pick and outside linebacker out of Marshall, stays low and works the leverage game.
Pressure’s on
With the additions of Green and veteran receiver DeAndre Hopkins, it’s apparent that the Ravens are loading up for the season. Owner Steve Bisciotti also gave coach John Harbaugh a three-year contract extension in late March, but that’s all meaningless in the grand scheme of things.
Bisciotti gave former Ravens coach Brian Billick a four-year extension at the end of the 2006 season but fired him a year later after the Ravens went 5-11. Of course, Harbaugh is more polished and a better overall coach then Billick, but anything is possible in the NFL if there aren’t enough wins.
Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun.
]]>Bisciotti made his way to the festivities via his golf cart, then saddled up next to Harbaugh for much of the two hours, bending his coach’s ear at times during warmups and individual drills as well as team action.
It’s also not particularly unusual for Bisciotti to be on hand for practices in the spring and summer.
Bisciotti, who hasn’t spoken with reporters since 2022, has had a busy offseason, most notably including the team parting ways with kicker Justin Tucker after he was accused of sexually inappropriate behavior by several massage therapists from several Baltimore-area spas.
It won’t be his last appearance, either, with the 65-year-old usually a presence during training camp, which will kick off later this month.
Hamilton arrives
Ravens Pro Bowl safety Kyle Hamilton attended Wednesday’s voluntary practice, his first in since sessions opened to reporters two weeks ago.
His presence could be an indication that contract negotiations between the club and Hamilton are moving in the right direction. The Ravens have already exercised Hamilton’s fifth-year option worth $18.6 million, guaranteeing that he will be a member of the team in 2026.
As a rookie and No. 14 overall pick in the 2022 draft out of Notre Dame, Hamilton signed a four-year deal worth $16.25 million. He might be NFL’s top safety and last year finished second on the team in tackles with 107. He has also emerged as an impact player near the line of scrimmage as far as stopping the run and rushing the passer.
Combined with rookie Malaki Starks, the team’s first-round pick out of Georgia, the Ravens have one of the best safety tandems in the league, but it will cost them.
It will be an interesting month or two leading into training camp. Besides Hamilton, the Ravens are expected to extend the contracts of quarterback Lamar Jackson and center Tyler Linderbaum, as well as possibly tight end Isaiah Likely and defensive tackle Travis Jones.
Stanley in shape
The Ravens’ best running play still seems to be the quick toss around the left end to halfback Derrick Henry.
Opposing defensive backs don’t want to see the 6-foot-3, 247-pound Henry running behind left tackle and lead blocker Ronnie Stanley followed by 300-pound fullback Patrick Ricard. That will keep a lot of them up late at night.
As for Stanley, his lower body appears to be as thick as a year ago, and that’s another good sign heading into training camp.
Andrews’ intensity high
Tight end Mark Andrews was running 40-yard sprints at full tilt before practice started Wednesday. A year ago, Andrews appeared hobbled at times catching a pass in full stride, but that won’t be the case this season.
Andrews has always had that competitive fire, but it seems more intense after his fumble and dropped 2-point conversion attempt in the Ravens’ AFC divisional round loss to the Buffalo Bills last season.
In the Loop
Rookie kicker Tyler Loop is still the favorite to land the starting job to replace the jettisoned Tucker, but he’s had his ups and downs this spring.
Wednesday fell into the latter. During one session the sixth-round draft pick converted just five of nine field goal attempts between roughly 32 and 60 yards (the vantage point from where reporters were allowed to watch made it difficult to see the exact spot).
Almost all of the four misses were wide right, with one, from approximately 60, sailing wide left. His makes came from 32, 38, 43, 55 and 53 yards, while his other misses were from 50 and 55 (twice).
On the upside, distance was not a problem as he has shown to have plenty of leg.
Still, as the one kicker that senior special teams coach Randy Brown identified and stumped for ahead of the draft, there is pressure — on Loop and Brown — with it being the only kicker Baltimore has ever used a draft pick on.
Opportunities for young players
A lot of veterans and expected starters got a decent amount of rest during team play. That paved the way for some of the younger players hoping to make the roster or practice squad to try to show off their skills.
Tight end Sam Pitz was one player who made a couple of really nice catches, including one leaping and twisting grab on a deep ball to the sideline during 7-on-7 play and then another contested grab during full team action.
Veteran Anthony Miller, who was on the practice squad last season, also made a nice outstretched catch over the middle on a pass from Devin Leary that was too far out in front of him. He then made another one-handed snag, but was out of bounds in the back of the end zone on an overthrown ball.
Dayton Wade, who signed a reserve/futures contract earlier this year after spending his rookie season on Baltimore’s practice squad, also had several catches throughout the course of the day.
Kane angling for third safety role
Second-year safety Sanoussi Kane was “flying” around Wednesday, as Harbaugh put it.
He wasn’t wrong. Kane was a regular pest in the secondary during the two-hour session.
Though there’s still a long way to go between now and training camp and the start of the regular season, the seventh-round pick out Purdue has a shot at playing a meaningful role after logging just 22 defensive snaps last season and mostly being limited to special teams.
“I think he’s taken a big step this year,” Harbaugh said. “Starting to look like he could be that guy.”
Harbaugh added that Kane has a “shot” to be the third safety alongside Kyle Hamilton and rookie Malaki Starks. That would certainly help with Ar’Darius Washington expected to be out for most if not all of the season with a torn Achilles tendon.
A proclamation like that from Harbaugh at this point is also revealing.
Minor injuries
There were a few notable players who missed practice because of injuries.
Among them were safety Beau Brade, new veteran cornerback Chidobe Awuzie and rookie edge rusher Mike Green. None were due to anything “serious,” Harbaugh said.
He added that Brade and Awuzie were dealing with ankle injuries, while Green, who still hasn’t signed his rookie contract, is “fine.”
Meanwhile, backup guard Ben Cleveland participated in the first three quarters of practice but was seen walking softly on the sidelines in the last 30 minutes. The fifth-year player and 2021 third-round pick out of Georgia has struggled to stay healthy during his career.
The only other player who spends more time in the training room has been cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis, a 2022 fourth-round pick from Alabama. He has suffered several leg and ankle injuries, but got some extensive work along with second-year cornerback T.J. Tampa Jr. on Wednesday.
Final practice
Initially, the Ravens were scheduled to have another voluntary practice on Thursday. But on Wednesday, Harbaugh decided to cancel it.
The past few weeks, he said, were about “weeding” and preparing for training camp later this month after next week’s two-day mandatory minicamp. The full team is expected to be on hand, including quarterback Lamar Jackson, who has been absent since the first OTA open to reporters.
“I feel really great about it,” Harbaugh said of the past few weeks. “Intentionality has been a real big message in this offseason. We’re trying to be intentional about everything we do, understand what we do, we do it for a reason and understand what the reason is.
“I believe they’ve really taken it to heart and when you do that it makes for a better practice, so I feel really good about the practices.”
In the next breath, however, he said there are still “lots of things” to work on, something we’ll see in earnest beginning next week before players break for camp.
Extra points
• Let’s see how the Ravens use rookie Aeneas Peebles, a sixth-round pick and defensive linemen out of Virginia Tech. Peebles has exceptional quickness and could be a factor in passing situations, but his 289 pounds is on a 6-foot frame. He could form an effective pass rushing combination with end Nnamdi Madubuike, but he might get pushed around in the run game.
• It’s early, but two of the team’s top linebackers have been impressive. That includes veteran Roquan Smith, but third-year outside linebacker Trent Simpson has also played well. Simpson has been effective as a pass rusher, but his added 10 to 15 pounds of bulk is clearly noticeable.
• Neither of the backup quarterbacks, Cooper Rush or Leary, have been impressive. Rush has been more disappointing because he had success with Dallas, but he hasn’t shown much touch on the long ball. Leary appears to be a training camp casualty.
• Emery Jones Jr., the rookie right tackle and third-round pick from LSU, was expected to challenge for some playing time this season, but that will be difficult after he had recent shoulder surgery and has not lifted weights in several months.
Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun.
]]>Several veterans didn’t show up for the third week of OTAs, including quarterback Lamar Jackson, wide receivers Zay Flowers and DeAndre Hopkins, left tackle Ronnie Stanley, defensive end Nnamdi Madubuike, outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, fullback Patrick Ricard and defensive tackle Broderick Washington.
Guard Ben Cleveland, who missed the first couple of OTA practices but showed up last week, was at practice in street clothes and did not participate.
It’s not that big of a deal; these are, after all, voluntary. But, interestingly, the Ravens had nearly perfect attendance during the first few OTAs, and now they don’t. A lot of the veterans claimed that their divisional playoff loss to the Bills left a “bad taste” in their mouths.
I guess that “bad taste” has subsided.
Rookie edge rusher is flashing
Rookie Mike Green, a second-round draft pick out of Marshall, has outstanding quickness. His “get off” shows the athleticism he needs to become a good pass rusher. We don’t want to anoint him the next Lawrence Taylor, but he has explosiveness, something both outside linebackers of a year ago, Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo, don’t show nearly enough of.
In crunch time (aka the playoffs), when the Ravens are facing some of the top quarterbacks in the AFC, they will need a pass rusher who can win a one-on-one matchup or even beat a double-team to get a key sack.
Do the Ravens finally have their “go fetch” pass rusher? Or will they have another pass rusher who will disappear against the elite quarterbacks? That’s a key question that could determine their success next season.
Checking in on the O-line
Second-year right offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten weighed 316 pounds last season but seems to have bulked up in his first full offseason in an NFL weight room. The only offensive lineman who might have outworked him is 6-foot-6, 320-pound guard Andrew Vorhees.
Word has it that even the strength coaches got tired of seeing Vorhees in the weight room. As for starting right guard Daniel Faalele, he appears way too big and out of shape. That seems to be the case with the 6-8 and 380-pound Faalele because he always has to play his way into shape.
As for the rest of the offensive linemen, it will be hard for any of the rookies to make a major contribution this year outside of Emery Jones Jr, the third-round pick and offensive tackle from LSU. He hasn’t practiced and probably won’t be ready until late in training camp because of a shoulder injury.
Mr. ‘Tough guy’
There were a couple of radio guys recently who wanted to hand out the “tough guy” award to Stanley. But he isn’t just tough, he’s smart.
Stanley, a 10-year veteran, figured out recently that when a player reaches 30 years of age, he had better work harder in the offseason. He showed last offseason how that would translate to the field, as it finally led to Pro Bowl recognition again after battling knee and ankle injuries for years.
It’s no different than other older players who have come through Baltimore, such as tight end Shannon Sharpe, middle linebacker Ray Lewis and defensive back Rod Woodson.
One big dude
The “Big Body” award goes to C.J. Okoye, the 6-6, 315-pound first-year player and defensive lineman from Agbogugu, Nigeria. We watched him do some work recently, and he punished the two-man sled with straight-up power getting those long arms extended. Not sure how he moves yet, but his muscles and mass are evident.
Another player of outstanding girth is 6-3, 327-pound nose tackle John Jenkins. He doesn’t have Okoye’s power, but he could be difficult to move. He looks a lot like former Ravens nose tackle Michael Pierce, just two inches taller.
Young guys to watch
Some young players to keep an eye on are rookies — cornerback Bilhal Kone, linebacker Teddye Buchanan and second-year receiver Devontez Walker.
A perfect match
Malaki Starks woke up Monday morning to a text from Baltimore’s new defensive backs coach Chuck Pagano, who eagerly came out of retirement to get back into football. Pagano had sent the rookie safety film at 5 a.m. from Thursday’s practice.
“That’s how I want to be coached,” Starks said. “I received that very well. So just being able to have someone like that in my corner, it’s a blessing.”
Absences are notable
The practices are voluntary and plenty of guys have trainers elsewhere that they prefer to work out with in the ramp-up to mandatory minicamp later this month or training camp, which starts in late July. Still, there were plenty of notable absences at the first practice of the week.
Cornerback Chidobe Awuzie limped off the field after a play near the left sideline during a scrimmage near the end of practice. Awuzie took his shoe off and had a trainer tape his ankle. Coach John Harbaugh did not speak with reporters, and no update was given on his status.
CB Tampa making plays
Second-year cornerback T.J. Tampa undercut tight end Charlie Kolar on a pass from backup quarterback Cooper Rush up the seam. Tampa reached out, picked the ball out of the air and pirouetted down to the turf, then took off with an impressive interception. It was a fairly well-placed throw and a savvy read by Tampa.
He’s someone who has plenty to prove this summer. Tampa’s rookie year was hampered by an ankle injury, playing just 18 defensive snaps in seven games. He’s someone who will be in the mix as the team’s first replacement should a Ravens cornerback suffer an injury. Pagano name-dropped Tampa last week as one of the younger guys who sought feedback on what film he had.
DL coach speaks
The Ravens had one of the better defensive fronts last year. They allowed the fewest total rushing yards while bringing down the quarterback 54 times, which was the second most in the NFL last year. Much of that credit is owed to defensive line coach Dennis Johnson, who spoke Monday about two additions to the group.
Baltimore drafted Aeneas Peebles in the sixth round out of Virginia Tech. He’s an undersized tackle at 6 feet, 289 pounds. But Johnson said that “Peebles has elite get-off. Obviously he’s going to have to learn to play a little more technically sound, the way we play here as time goes. But he’s taking to it, he’s learning, he cares and he wants to be out here.”
The other addition, of course, is Jenkins. That signing became official post-June 1, when Pierce’s retirement was processed. Jenkins is in Year 13, playing for his seventh club.
“A very polished vet,” Johnson said of Jenkins. “Already in the meeting rooms, you can tell his wisdom from being in the league for so long. Talking with the younger guys, his ability to pick up a playbook and play the way that we play our techniques fairly quickly. Then he comes out today and is executing more of those things. Gotta get him familiar with the system, but very impressed with him so far.”
Staying in the Loop
Rookie kicker Tyler Loop lined up for six field goals opposite a defense during Monday’s practice. He split the uprights on all six, kicking from what appeared to be 37 yards, 32, 35, 37, 41 and 40. Harbaugh said on Friday that all of Loop’s kicks were “right down the middle,” including one from 60 yards that he made “easily.” Monday’s practice yielded similar results.
Have a news tip? Contact Mike Preston at epreston@baltsun.com, 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun. Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.
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