Even at the highest level, football is often not about subtlety.
Earlier this month, Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase was a guest on “The Sitdown w/ Malik Wright” podcast, and when the conversation turned to the toughest cornerbacks he has faced, the All-Pro rattled off a handful of names. None of them play in Baltimore.
Even a neophyte would not confuse the 2024 Ravens defense with the 2000 edition.
“I know when I first got here, obviously the Ravens defense, I felt like teams feared what we did,” Ravens veteran cornerback Marlon Humphrey said. “Now, we are trying to get that back. But I mean, I don’t think the Bengals fear our defense. I don’t think the Steelers fear our defense.
“So those expectations, when it’s in your own division, people kind of like, ‘Sweet, we play the Ravens.’”
That was especially true for Chase, who broke an NFL record that had stood since 1963 with a staggering 21 catches for 457 yards and five touchdowns in a pair of shootouts against Baltimore last season. The Ravens won both, but the performances were emblematic of a deep and concerning problem that had lingered from the summer through much of last season.
Though Baltimore’s defense featured a dramatic turnaround down the stretch, it still ranked 31st in passing yards allowed per game (275.7). Many of those yards also came in chunks, especially early, with Baltimore allowing 58 passing plays of at least 20 yards, which was 18th-most in the league.
Whether that trend continues this season remains to be seen, but the early returns after the first week of training camp point toward a paradigm shift, if not a potential about-face.
First, the Ravens made significant personnel changes. They waived obstreperous safety Eddie Jackson in November and released malcontent safety Marcus Williams after the season. They also added veteran cornerbacks Jaire Alexander, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, and Chidobe Awuzie in free agency to a group that already includes Humphrey, an All-Pro in the slot last season, and rising second-year corner Nate Wiggins.
And though they lost defensive back Ar’Darius Washington for most if not all of the season because of a torn Achilles he suffered during offseason workouts, rookie first-round safety Malaki Starks has already drawn high praise from teammates and coaches for his ability, football IQ and maturity.
“He’s miles ahead of where I was at that point in his NFL career,” Hamilton said. “He’s just so instinctual, and he has that little bit holding him back, just because he hasn’t been in [the NFL for] a long time. So, once that clicks, then he’ll be a great player.
“I think he knows the playbook more than I did. He’s confident out there. He’s talking, and he’s just so willing to learn and be a sponge, and it’s very admirable for somebody his age.”
Alexander, meanwhile, in addition to talent when healthy, has brought a “swag,” Humphrey said, to a defensive backfield that has largely been devoid of it since the days of Marcus Peters.
“I think confidence is the biggest key you can have at cornerback,” Humphrey said. “So, I think he’s a perfect fit for our secondary.”
Coach John Harbaugh also made changes to his staff, notably firing assistant head coach/pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt as well as inside linebackers coach Mark DeLone, who lasted just one season. Harbaugh also did not bring back Dean Pees in a full-time role after he hired the former Ravens defensive coordinator as a senior adviser five games into last season.
Though they were part of the defensive turnaround later in the year, it was not difficult to read between the lines that the system was not being taught effectively, a point that crystallized in the form of communication issues that multiple players spoke about over the course of 2024. Defensive coordinator Zach Orr, in his first year calling plays at any level, also initially entrusted his assistants perhaps a little too much, further exacerbating the issues.
Replacing them are senior secondary coach Chuck Pagano and inside linebackers coach Tyler Santucci.
Pagano, a longtime NFL assistant who was part of Harbaugh’s first staff in Baltimore and later the coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2012 to 2017, brings familiarity and experience. In 2011, his lone season as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator, Baltimore ranked third in yards allowed per game (288.9) and points per game (16.6).
Santucci, 37, is making his NFL coaching debut this season, but was considered one of college football’s top defensive coordinators. He helped turn around a struggling Georgia Tech defense last year, and before that led Duke and Texas A&M to top 25 defenses in scoring.
In the weight room and on the field, the Ravens have also been intentional about their goals.
Reviving the breakfast club workouts that took root with former Ravens safety Eric Weddle, Humphrey and a handful of others on offense and defense gather each morning for workouts at the team’s facility at 6 a.m., even though practice doesn’t begin until the afternoon. If a player shows up at 6:01, he has to wait until later.
In a tweak to the team’s grading system of every player on each play of every practice, coaches have honed in on a handful or so of specifics on both sides of the ball and especially on defense, including pursuit to the ball, blowing up blocks and forcing turnovers.
After ranking 13th in turnover margin, which included forcing the seventh-fewest turnovers in the NFL last season with 17 — and none in two playoff games — the latter has been a particular point of emphasis and has borne fruit with a few interceptions and several impressive pass breakups so far this summer.
“We’re getting better at teaching it, teaching in the classroom, showing opportunities on film, showing how to get the football out and understanding how important it is,” Orr said. “When we take the ball away, we’ll win. When we don’t, we’ve got a good chance of winning, but why put ourselves in that position?”
The new faces, in addition to the returning ones, should help.
Alexander has 12 career interceptions over seven injury-interrupted seasons, which included a career-high five for the Green Bay Packers in 2022. Awuzie, meanwhile, has seven in eight seasons. Humphrey is coming off a career-high six to lead the Ravens last year. And Starks had six in three seasons for Georgia.
All of which has the Ravens positioned to be one of the best defenses in the league again after just two years ago becoming the first team to lead the NFL in takeaways, sacks and fewest points allowed per game in the same season.
“Based off what we’re seeing defensively, guys are really running to the ball like it means something,” Humphrey said. “I think if we can get nine guys doing that, I think we’ll be a good defense. But if we can get 11 guys doing that to where it could be a cliff behind you, you just turn around, and we all go into the cliff together. … I think that’s something that I’ve seen early on that I think if we can keep building on, that we’ll be a great defense.”
Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1.
]]>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.
]]>Through the first week of training camp, not much has changed.
On Saturday, the offense was flagged for five false starts in the 11-on-11 and 7-on-7 periods, including once from its own 1-yard line. A timeout also needed to be called at one point over apparent confusion on the play call.
Of course, now is the time of year to work out such kinks.
Still, it doesn’t make it any less annoying, especially when it’s a consistent problem.
“It’s real easy to get frustrated, which I do,” offensive coordinator Todd Monken said. “I’m the king of overreacting. But if you do that, then you’ll just go on one [with the snap] all the time and that doesn’t help you either.
“So where is that sweet spot? Now is the time to do that. We’re practicing some other things in the throw game and the run game to try like heck to be on point when we play the first game. But obviously we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Last season, left tackle Ronnie Stanley led the team with 13 penalties, per nflpenalties.com, with left guard Patrick Mekari with 11. Of those 24 flags, nearly half (11) came before the ball was snapped.
With Mekari now with the Jacksonville Jaguars, one would expect those numbers to be down this season, but that hasn’t been the trend through the first handful of practices.
Monken also said that there hasn’t been more variance in the cadences of snap counts this week, either.
“There really isn’t anything different other than were starting back up again and it’s hot and we have a number of guys going in the game,” he said. “Sometimes it’s the quarterback that takes a little bit of time at the line of scrimmage, more than he should, then all off a sudden you’re making calls at the line and you forget a different cadence. All those things are a part of it.”
He added that there’s no reason that Baltimore can’t be “elite” with its cadence.
1-on-1 highlights
Training camp isn’t just about conditioning and running plays. The roughly two-hour long practices are broken down into different periods, focusing on specific areas of the game.
Perhaps the most glamorous and entertaining of them is when players go one-on-one, with receivers and tight ends matching up against cornerbacks and safeties mano a mano.
Saturday was no exception, as the session delivered a few fun plays.
Unsurprisingly, two-time Pro Bowl safety Kyle Hamilton shut down a pair of throws from backup Cooper Rush, first to Isaiah Likely, whom he was running stride-for-stride with, then Mark Andrews, whom he undercut to break up the pass after the tight end tried to juke him to the outside.
Second-year wide receiver Devontez Walker, meanwhile, made a nice catch against cornerback Jaire Alexander on a comeback route, while receiver Rashod Bateman plucked one off the turf on a similar route with Marlon Humphrey on him in tight coverage. The referee called the play incomplete, though, and Bateman flung the ball away in disgust after an obvious catch, while Humphrey sarcastically dapped up the official for the call.
Kicking update
The kicking job is still to be determined between sixth-round draft pick Tyler Loop and undrafted free agent John Hoyland, but one thing that’s not debatable is that the ball comes off Loop’s foot with an authoritative thump. That was evident again Saturday.
A day after only Loop kicked during practice, both men were in action, and Loop had the better day.
Ravens special teams coordinator explains thinking behind kicker battle
Hoyland converted on kicks from 26, 34 and 36 yards but was wide right from 42. Loop, on the other hand, drilled all six attempts from 33, 33, 26, 34, 36 and 40 yards.
How long will it be until a winner is decided?
“You just let the guys go out and compete,” special teams coordinator Chris Horton Jr. said. “What [senior special teams coach] Randy [Brown] has these guys doing is gonna prepare for them. When the winner shows, it’s gonna show. How soon is that gonna be? I don’t know.”
One possible timeline would be sometime between the Ravens’ first preseason game against the Indianapolis Colts in just under two weeks and the second against the Washington Commanders nine days after that.
More praise for the new guy
Alexander has a reputation of being a bit brash. He described himself as a bit “weird” and knows that he brings a certain energy to the defense.
So far, that’s been a welcome addition in Baltimore.
“He’s everything we thought he would be and more,” defensive coordinator Zach Orr said.
Kyle Hamilton said that his energy was something the defense needed. Humphrey added that he’s been fun to practice with.
During Saturday’s practice, Alexander had a pass breakup on a throw to Tylan Wallace up the sideline. A bit of sticky defense (with help from a less-than-perfect throw) forced the ball incomplete and Alexander wagged his finger like Dikembe Mutombo. Teammates have started doing his patented seatbelt celebration too.
“He brings energy, confidence, hard work and playmaking ability,” Orr said. “We go against our offense every day and they challenge our corners, especially on the outside. He’s done a great job. So we’ve been happy, pleased with him. He’s a great student of the game. I’m pleased with how fast he’s picked up the system. … He can still play at a top level.”
Attendance and injuries
For the second consecutive day, the Ravens had perfect attendance outside of wide receiver Keith Kirkwood and the trio of expected absences: Safety Ar’Darius Washington (Achilles tendon), on the physically unable to perform list, as well as linebacker Jake Hummel and rookie offensive lineman Emery Jones Jr., both on the non-football injury list.
There were two notable cornerbacks on Saturday who did not fully participate.
Chide Awuzie, who has a long injury history, spent most of Friday on the sideline. Harbaugh said that the 30-year-old is “fine” and that “he’ll be OK.” Awuzie did not participate in live scrimmage situations. He was seen running on the far field by himself.
Ravens rookie Bilhal Kone also appeared to leave practice and did not return.
Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.
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If it were so simple, Tyler Loop would be leading in the polls. The first kicker drafted in Ravens history made all 23 of his field goal attempts during the first week of training camp in Owings Mills. His challenger, undrafted rookie John Hoyland, has converted 16 of 18 attempts, including a 42-yard miss on Saturday.
“When the winner shows,” Horton said, “it’s gonna show.”
Horton didn’t reveal any specific timeline for when he hopes that might happen. They’ll both get valuable work, he said, in practice and in preseason games — which implies that Baltimore might go into the preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts on Aug. 7 with two options.
What goes into one player emerging from the two-man pack?
“It’s all about consistency in everything that we do,” Horton said. “Especially at that position. We want to see kicks made, right? We want to see good foot-to-ball contact. There’s a process about how these guys are going about it and where they’re kicking from and where they’re kicking in practice and the things that [senior special teams coach] Randy [Brown] is talking to these guys about every day.
“One might look more powerful than the other,” Horton added, “but the kicks are there.”
Fans making the trip to the Under Armour Performance Center have been treated to something they haven’t seen since 2012. Even with Loop as the front-runner, it’s the first kicking competition since the now-embroiled Justin Tucker’s rookie year.
In May, the Ravens released Tucker for in what they called a “football decision,” a reference to the down year the NFL’s most accurate kicker endured in 2024. The release, and complementary decision to draft Loop in the sixth round in April, came on the heels of a monthslong league investigation into several sexual misconduct allegations brought against Tucker earlier this year.
In late June, the 35-year-old kicker was suspended by the NFL for the first 10 games of the regular season. He can serve the suspension despite not being on a roster. If a team chooses to sign him, he would be allowed to participate in training camp and preseason games. The suspension takes effect on Aug. 26, and Tucker can be reinstated on Nov. 11.
The Ravens are rightfully more concerned with the kicking competition brewing in Owings Mills. Through four days of practice, each kicker has taken one day off.
Loop entered training camp as the odds-on favorite. His workload reflects that. Despite an imperfect performance at rookie minicamp and organized team activities, he has been sharp the first week of full-team practice. Loop hasn’t missed a kick in three days of situational attempts. His best was a 63-yarder to end his practice on Friday and a 68-yarder without a defense that the team caught on camera.
“It was a good test day,” Harbaugh said after Friday’s practice. “He had kicks kind of situationally all week, and then to come out here and take it deep like that is a good day.”
Added Horton: “With Tyler, the thing we understand is when we brought him in and we looked at him, the dude has a strong leg. Technically, he’s sound. He kicks the ball the way we want to kick the ball. He’s been consistent. And that’s what we’re looking for.”
Hoyland, the kicker vying to knock off Loop, hasn’t been a slouch either. He’s just slightly off perfection, which can be troubling for a positional battle with razor-thin margins.
Hoyland made all nine attempts during his first full kicking day Thursday. Two of them were from 40 or more yards. Putting his cleats back on Saturday, he made three of four. His last attempt was a 42-yarder that sailed wide right. But Horton noted how consistent Hoyland was in college and how he has fit the mold of someone who can compete with Loop.
“It’s all about foot the ball, kicking a straight ball,” Horton said. “And the axis of the ball — the ball is turning. We want the ball to be straight every time. That’s what we’re working for. That’s been a big improvement since the spring, and I think both guys have gotten a lot better at doing that.”
The two kickers have been seen wearing a GoPro atop their helmets this week. Harbaugh said it’s “a little bit new.” The point-of-view camera offers additional insight with a direct angle to study foot placement, swing plane, hold patterns and other positional minutiae.
So each practice means tracking kicks and placement and body language. All of that has made for an interesting bit of training camp theater.
Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.
]]>“It’s not too big picture right now,” he said Friday. “It’s a lot of little things.”
But on a day when the temperature soared near triple digits in Owings Mills, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson’s accuracy was a tad cold on some of those little things. To borrow from A.I., the great philosopher and former NBA star Allen Iverson, it’s just practice.
If there’s a player coaches and teammates aren’t worried about, it’s the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player, who is coming off career highs in touchdown passes and passing yards.
Jackson also, of course, did make some nice throws, connecting with Rashod Bateman on a couple of passes over the middle in 11-on-11 play. New receiver DeAndre Hopkins also bailed him out twice, pulling in one crossing throw that was slightly behind him as he had a step on cornerback Jaire Alexander and then making a sliding grab on an off-the-mark throw during 7-on-7 work with cornerback T.J. Tampa trailing.
The only player to throw for at least 4,000 yards and rush for at least 900 in the same season, Jackson also had a nifty run in which he faked the toss one way then broke the other, leaving the edge defender in his wake.
Unlike earlier in the week, when Jackson was able to connect with Bateman on a 60-yard touchdown with the receiver getting behind Nate Wiggins, the two were unable to link up on a similar play this time. Bateman had a step on Wiggins again, but with the ball underthrown, the speedy corner was able to close the gap and swat it away.
As Bateman came to a jog, he extended his arms, a signal for Jackson to get the ball deeper as he had earlier in the week.
Where’s Mike Green?
A year ago, Mike Green led college football with 17 sacks. Through the first few days of camp, the controversial edge rusher out of Marshall who fell to the second round because of a pair of sexual assault allegations is still looking for his first.
It’s early, but he hasn’t been close to getting to the quarterback, no matter who has been in.
On one play Friday, Green raced into the backfield only to get gobbled up by undrafted rookie fullback Lucas Scott. On another, he got off the line quickly and sped by rookie fifth-round tackle Carson Vinson, but the former Alabama A&M standout still kept him away from the quarterback on what should have been a pressure, if not a sack.
Green’s speed and quickness are obvious, but so far he hasn’t registered more than maybe a single pressure.
On Monday, players will be in pads for the first time. Green, who is expected to be a significant contributor in Baltimore’s pass rush this season, will be worth watching to see if he’s able to dial it up.
Tyler Loop’s best day
Tyler Loop has kicked at two of three training camp practices, sandwiching a scheduled day off Thursday, and has been perfect both days. But Friday’s session featured the first real look at the rookie’s boot, as he connected from 60-plus yards out.
Loop first took four attempts in red zone situations. The offense would run a play, then trot out the field goal unit. Those were all inside 25-yard attempts. After that, Loop ripped one kick after another.
He nailed five tries between 30 and 45 yards, inching back with each effortless make. Then came the real test. Loop fired a kick from 63 yards away off the right hash. It split the uprights with a few extra yards to spare, much to the delight of his teammates, coaches and the onlooking fans suffering through the July heat.
The Ravens also said on their team website that Loop converted a 68-yard attempt on the opposite field on a non-team drill.
After a solid, but not overly impressive minicamp and OTAs, which included one 60-plus-yard miss, Friday was Loop’s best kicking day of the offseason’s open practice portion.
Strap in
Whether Jaire Alexander invented it is up for debate. But during the veteran cornerback’s time in Green Bay, he certainly popularized what is known colloquially as the seatbelt celebration. The hand-across-the-chest move that mimics strapping in a seatbelt — a reference to strapping down a receiver — is popping up in the early days of Ravens camp.
Alexander debuted it Wednesday after breaking up a pass from backup Cooper Rush. On Friday, Marlon Humphrey whacked the ball out of tight end Isaiah Likely’s hands, stood up and promptly clipped the imaginary seatbelt to his waist.
Then Wiggins, on his second pass breakup of a productive practice, did the signature celebration alongside Alexander.
Safety Kyle Hamilton was asked if he might get in on the big play fête. He thought about it for a second and decided maybe if it was a crazy play. Either way, the All-Pro safety has enjoyed the extra juice.
“We probably needed some of that,” Hamilton said. “Guys can be a little eccentric at times. I’m more even keeled so I need that brought out of me a little bit. Jaire does that for us. Everybody follows his lead when it comes to the energy. He’s only been here three practice days but everybody can feel the difference with him here.”
‘Miles ahead of where I was’
Hamilton was the 14th overall draft pick in 2022 and finished his rookie year with the highest Pro Football Focus grade by a first-year Ravens defender in the previous 16 years. He ascended to All-Pro status by his sophomore season and has been awarded two Pro Bowl bids in three seasons.
Hamilton believes that first-round pick Malaki Starks is “miles ahead of where I was at that point.”
“One, he’s just uber-talented,” Hamilton said of the former Georgia star. “He does amazing stuff without even trying and probably doesn’t even know that he’s doing it. He’s just so instinctual. And he’s that little holding him back but that’s just cause he hasn’t been in it a long time. Once that clicks, he’ll be a great player.”
Hamilton said that his rookie counterpart knows the playbook better than he did at that time, he’s confidently talking through plays and he’s a sponge in meeting rooms.
“He’s generous,” Starks said with a smile.
Starks hauled in his first interception of training camp Thursday, his first time picking off Jackson. Beyond the one highlight, he’s looked comfortable in live situations. Starks said that he often goes right to Hamilton trying to make sense of different scenarios.
“He’s so smart,” said Starks, who himself was lauded for his football IQ throughout the draft process. “You think you know football until you get around people who know football and you realize you don’t know that much about football.”
Wiggins stands out
If there was a player the day belonged to, it was Wiggins.
In the first 11-on-11 period, he broke in on a short pass to Anthony Miller and nearly intercepted Jackson. A moment later, he crashed in to blow up a sweep play.
Later, he tracked down Bateman on Jackson’s deep ball and easily poked it away.
Even with adding a few pounds, the listed 182-pound Wiggins is still rail thin, but he has been sticky in coverage and can fly.
“I think he’s gonna be one of the best in the league,” Hamilton said. “He’s one of those guys that’s not afraid to line up against whoever.
“Today especially, he’s competing at a high level. He’s done that the past three days. … I think he’s probably gonna have one of the bigger jumps from last year to this year than anybody on the team.”
Injuries and attendance
Last season, the Ravens were comfortably the healthiest team in the NFL with an adjusted games lost of just 16.3, per FTN Fantasy. That’s mostly been the case through the first week of training camp, too.
Hopkins, who missed Thursday’s session after landing awkwardly on his knee, was back on the field Friday and made a couple of nice grabs.
Meanwhile, cornerback Chidobe Awuzie spent most of the day on the sideline during team play, but Harbaugh said that the 30-year-old veteran, has a long injury history, is “fine” and that “he’ll be OK.”
The only new absence, meanwhile, was fellow receiver Keith Kirkwood.
Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.
]]>Interior defensive line
Nnamdi Madubuike
Madubuike’s pressures, sacks and run stops all regressed last season after the team awarded him a four-year, $98 million extension. But the Ravens’ most proven lineman faced a high rate of double teams and still finished top 10 among defensive tackles in sacks. He’s primed for a bounce-back season.
Travis Jones
The pass-rushing defensive tackle had his best season in Baltimore last year, tallying a career-high 35 pressures from the interior, according to Pro Football Focus. Over 65% of his snaps come in pass-rush opportunities, which is among the highest in the league for defensive tackles. He’s entering a contract year and could earn a pay raise in the offseason.
Aeneas Peebles
The Ravens wanted more pass-rushing juice from their interior linemen, which is why they selected Peebles in the sixth round of April’s draft. The Athletic’s draft expert Dane Brugler had Peebles graded as a third- or fourth-round prospect. At just 6 feet and 288 pounds, the former Virginia Tech standout’s low-center of gravity helps his pocket-pushing ability.
Broderick Washington
The Texas Tech product has been a reliable option for Baltimore since he debuted in 2020. As a rotational player, Washington is solid as a run stopper and should continue to play alongside Madubuike on early downs.
John Jenkins
After Michael Pierce’s retirement, the Ravens needed a nose tackle to replace the 355-pound veteran. Enter Jenkins. The 6-3, 327-pound lineman is entering his 13th NFL season and will be playing for his seventh team. He played a career-high 609 defensive snaps with the Las Vegas Raiders last season, but he likely won’t be asked to play that large of a role with Travis Jones in the mix.
Jayson Jones
Jones, who was rated as the No. 1 offensive tackle in Alabama as a high schooler before switching positions, committed to Oregon before transferring to Auburn. He totaled 84 total tackles including four for loss, 1 1/2 sacks and a fumble recovery over three seasons with the Tigers.
Adedayo Odeleye
From Nigeria, Odeleye played for the Houston Texans’ practice squad for two seasons. Before that, he played for the Berlin Thunder in the European League of Football.
C.J. Okoye
Another defensive lineman with Nigerian heritage, Okoye has one of the best stories on the team. He was a part of the NFL Africa camp in Ghana in 2022 and then was invited to the NFL International combine in England, where he was eventually selected to the NFL’s International Pathway Program, which allocated him to a team.
He played in the Los Angeles Chargers’ first preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams and recorded a sack in his first organized game of football. Okoye said afterwards that he didn’t know what a sack was until after the game.
Edge rushers
Odafe Oweh
Oweh added 20 pounds of muscle in the offseason to increase his power off the edge. He had a strong season last year, setting career highs in sacks and pressures as well as ranking 17th among edge rushers in pass rush win-rate, per ESPN analytics. But almost all of his pressures came with speed rushes. With plenty of young edge defenders in waiting, Oweh could price himself out of Baltimore with a strong season.
Kyle Van Noy
It’s not often that a player in his 11th season in the league has a breakout campaign, but Van Noy’s 56 pressures last season were the second most of his career. He’s reliable, can play on every down and is one of the vocal leaders on the team. The 34-year-old is a perfect fit in the edge room.
Mike Green
Green slid in the draft because of two accusations of sexual assault against him. He’s one of the most talented pass rushers in the rookie class and could make an immediate impact in Baltimore as a rotational edge rusher. Green racked up 17 sacks with Marshall in his final college season.
David Ojabo
The 2022 second-round pick hasn’t found his footing in Baltimore. He was a healthy scratch in four games last season and failed to play in more than 50% of the team’s defensive snaps in a game after Week 2. Entering a contract year, Ojabo has one more chance to make an impact with the Ravens.
Tavius Robinson
The 2023 fourth-round pick took a leap in his second season, registering 13 pressures. There is a firm belief within the Ravens’ pass rush room that Robinson is tracking toward a breakout year. Pass rush coach Chuck Smith called Robinson a “bona fide pass rusher” and John Harbaugh said that he’s established himself as a three-down player in December.
Adisa Isaac
Isaac was drafted in the third round of the 2024 draft but was limited during his first training camp and was eventually placed on the non-football injury list. He showed a lot of pass rushing juice at Penn State, which could help Baltimore.
Diwun Black
The former Florida and Temple player was unproductive in college but has some strong athletic traits. In 2021, he was the No. 1-rated junior college recruit according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.
Malik Hamm
A Baltimore native, Hamm has had some horrible injury luck. The City College graduate has suffered two season-ending knee injuries in consecutive seasons, which prevented him from potentially making the roster both years.
Kaimon Rucker
Rucker signed with the team as an undrafted free agent out of North Carolina. He has some bend and was named second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference in 2023.
Linebackers
Roquan Smith
The unquestioned stalwart of the Ravens’ defense, Smith led the team in tackles (154) and wore the green dot as the on-field communicator. But it was also a down season by his standards. PFF ranked Smith as just the 86th best linebacker in the NFL last season with a mark of 65.2. Through his first nine games, he had only one tackle for loss, no sacks or quarterback hits, and three pass breakups. Smith acknowledged that his play last year did not match his goals, and he said that health and covering for others’ mistakes were the main reasons. Expect a bounce-back year for the 2018 first-round pick.
Trenton Simpson
After Patrick Queen left last offseason, Simpson was expected to be a breakout candidate. Instead, his snaps completely dwindled after the midway point of the season and he was benched. But with Malik Harrison and Chris Board departing in free agency, Harbaugh said that Simpson is the first in line to fill the void. It’s a big season ahead for the former Clemson star.
Teddye Buchanan
The fourth-round rookie led California in tackles and stops for loss in his final college season. A former high school quarterback, the 6-2, 235-pound Buchanan can be a strong depth piece and also play on special teams in his first season.
Jay Higgins IV
Cut from the mold of old-school Iowa linebackers, Higgins was the Big Ten Linebacker of the Year in 2024. He racked up 341 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss and three forced fumbles with the Hawkeyes, but the 6-2, 232-pound Higgins does not have great lateral movement and struggled in zone coverage in college. He’s on the roster bubble and seems like a strong candidate for the practice squad.
Chandler Martin
Martin transferred from East Tennessee State to Memphis and was named first-team All-American Athletic Conference. He had eight tackles, 2 1/2 tackles for loss, a sack and a fumble recovery in the Tigers’ win over Florida State.
Jake Hummel
Hummel set the Rams’ record for preseason tackles in 2022 and played for the team for three seasons. The 6-1, 227-pound linebacker was a special teams standout, making eight tackles in 2024 and blocking a punt that led to a touchdown.
William Kwenkeu
Baltimore signed Kwenkeu to its practice squad in 2024, adding training camp depth at a thin position.
Cornerbacks
Nate Wiggins
There weren’t many rookie cornerbacks better than Wiggins last year. The 2024 first-round pick had 13 passes defensed and allowed a 47.8% completion rate when targeted, according to Next Gen Stats. If he becomes a true No. 1 boundary corner, the Ravens’ secondary has the potential to be the best in the NFL.
Jaire Alexander
After quarterback Lamar Jackson advocated for the team to sign his former college teammate, the Ravens added him just days later. The former Green Bay Packers star has been one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL since entering the league, and he’s got a chance to reestablish himself as a premier player. If Alexander is healthy, he’s a home run addition by general manager Eric DeCosta.
Marlon Humphrey
The longest tenured Ravens defender had one of the best seasons of his career last year. He’s thrived since moving to the nickel spot, which should continue this year with Alexander and Wiggins playing on the outside. Humphrey spoke this offseason about wanting Baltimore’s defense to return to the premiere defenses of the 2000s and how much time he’s spent in the facility.
Jalyn Armour-Davis
Armour-Davis has been impressive in offseason practices, often manning a starting outside cornerback position. Entering his fourth season in the league, the Alabama product could be the Ravens’ top cornerback reserve. He also has the ability to play safety.
Chidobe Awuzie
Awuzie had one of the worst seasons of his career last year, according to PFF. He played in only eight games for the Titans, who released him just one-year into his three-year, $36 million contract. As a backup with positional versatility, the 30-year-old Awuzie has a chance to be a versatile depth piece.
Bilhal Kone
The rookie’s story is filled with perseverance. He grew up in poverty, lost his younger brother to cancer and had to move away from his family. Kone led Western Michigan in passes defended each of the past two years and was ranked as the No. 14 cornerback in the 2024 class, according to The Athletic. He’ll be competing against fellow rookie Robert Longerbeam and 2024 fourth-round pick T.J. Tampa to make the 53-man roster.
T.J. Tampa
Tampa was viewed as a draft steal in the 2024 class, but he did not make an impact as a rookie. The former Iowa State star did make a plethora of excellent plays during OTAs, including an interception during a red zone drill. The 6-1, 199-pound defensive back needs his strong play to continue in training camp to beat out Armour-Davis or the pair of rookies.
Robert Longerbeam
The other sixth-round rookie cornerback, Longerbeam was a three-year starter at Rutgers who led the team in passes defended in three of the past four seasons. He ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine but is only 175 pounds.
Reuben Lowery
It will be tough for an undrafted rookie to make the team in a crowded secondary, but Lowery seems to have the best chance. The 5-foot-9, 204-pound corner from Chattanooga is small but extremely physical.
Keyon Martin
Another sub-6-foot cornerback, Martin is an undrafted rookie out of Louisiana. He ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash at his pro day.
Marquise Robinson
Robinson transferred from South Alabama to Arkansas and registered seven pass breakups with the Razorbacks. He started in eight games and will be battling for a spot on the practice squad.
Safety
Kyle Hamilton
One of the NFL’s top safeties since entering the league, Hamilton is a true wildcard. But after the Ravens’ secondary struggled mightily at the beginning of the 2024 season, he shifted to a different role. He played as the deep safety more than 50% of the time over the second half of the season, a 32% increase from the beginning of the year. But with Malaki Starks expected to fill the free safety slot, Hamilton can return to being the game-wrecking chess piece who plays all over the defense.
Malaki Starks
The prized first-round pick of the Ravens’ draft class, Starks has immediately assumed a starting spot during offseason practices. He’s mature, ball-savvy and communicative for a rookie. The Georgia product could be in the mix for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Beau Brade
Brade was one of the top stories during last year’s camp, making the roster as an undrafted free agent out of Maryland. The second-year player from River Hill is battling for the third safety position with Sanoussi Kane. Brade played in the box at Maryland and is a downhill, physical safety who typically defends the run well.
Sanoussi Kane
Kane has a strong athletic profile, running a 4.52-second 40-yard dash at 210 pounds. The Ravens picked him in the seventh round in 2024 and he will compete with Brade for the third safety role.
Desmond Igbinosun
A physical safety, the 6-2, 223-pound Igbinosun totaled 186 tackles at Rutgers. He set the team record for tackles for loss in a Big Ten game with four against Michigan State.
Keondre Jackson
An undrafted rookie from Illinois State, Jackson was named to the Senior Bowl after earning FCS All-American honors. He’s got a strong chance to make the practice squad.
Ar’Darius Washington
Washington’s Achilles tendon injury will likely hold him out for the entirety of the regular season.
Have a news tip? Contact Sam Jane at sjane@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/Sam_Jane230.
]]>But the one-on-one drill during Thursday afternoon’s practice came to an end too soon, leaving the juicy matchup to the imagination, if not another day.
“What I like most is his swag to the game,” cornerback Marlon Humphrey said of his new defensive backfield mate. “I think confidence is the biggest key you can have at corner.
“He’s a perfect fit for our secondary.”
So far, Alexander, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, has been getting acclimated to his new teammates, surroundings and the defense. It was just the second day of training camp, and Alexander, who was released by the Green Bay Packers earlier this offseason, didn’t sign with Baltimore until the final day of mandatory minicamp in June, when players broke until earlier this week.
Still, he’s made his presence known on the field.
On Wednesday, he had a couple of pass breakups and was on the receiving end of a dime from his former college teammate, quarterback Lamar Jackson, who didn’t waste any time connecting with new receiver DeAndre Hopkins on a back-shoulder fade up the sideline. Hopkins was ruled out of bounds, but Alexander, who was in tight coverage, bowed in appreciation.
“I’m in love, what can I say?” Alexander said Thursday of his early impressions of the Ravens in what was his first meeting with reporters since signing a one-year, $4 million contract that’s worth up to $6 million with incentives that are mostly centered around his ability to stay healthy.
Staying healthy has been a big if, though. Alexander, 28, has missed at least 10 games in three of the past four seasons. Last season, he appeared in just seven games because of quadriceps and knee injuries.
After Thursday’s 2-hour session he said, “physically, I’m great.”
Mentally, too, it seems.
“It’s definitely a different culture here,” he said.
While Alexander did not elaborate on what was an ugly exit from Green Bay, it’s hardly surprising that he is thrilled to be reunited with Jackson.
“That’s my boy,” he said. “We was always talking about this.”
He also acknowledged that he might not have signed with Baltimore if not for the quarterback.
“That’d be tough man,” he said, pondering the question. “I probably would’ve explored more options. But that’s my boy and I wanna win [a Super Bowl] with him.”
Even with Jackson pleading for general manager Eric DeCosta to sign Alexander the moment he came available and the signing taking place the following day, it at least took some thought.
Alexander drew interest from about a dozen teams. He also wanted to play for a contender and where the “vibes” fit his unique personality.
Check and check.
“Vibes never lie,” Alexander said. “I’m big on energy, energy exchange. I got good vibes here. They wanted me here. They cared. That played the biggest part in it.”
It didn’t take long, Alexander said, to notice that things are “different” compared with his first seven years in Green Bay.
Recently, some Ravens players have rekindled breakfast club workouts, a tradition started by former Ravens safety Eric Weddle. A group of about eight, including Humphrey and Alexander, gather at 6 a.m. in the team’s weight room. If a player gets there at 6:01, Humphrey said, it’s too late.
The idea is to create an environment where everything matters, with accountability being important.
“We work hard here,” Alexander said. “The workouts are intense.”
As for Alexander’s role, that’s still to be determined, but his addition gives the Ravens plenty of flexibility in the secondary, including using Humphrey more in the slot, where he was an All-Pro last season, and playing more match-ups depending on the game and opposing receivers.
It also provides depth with injuries inevitable.
“I’m embracing any role here,” Alexander said. “My goal, and I know the team’s goal, is to win the Super Bowl, so however we can do that.
What does he provide in that goal?
“I’m gonna bring that energy and that juice,” he said. “Everything else will fall into place.”
He added that he “loves” the Ravens’ potential, and being around Humphrey, who Alexander said might be more weird than him. Alexander also spent time watching tape of old Ravens games, including one from two years ago when an agitated Humphrey mixed it up with a couple of Steelers defensive linemen during a game in Pittsburgh.
It’s no wonder then that Alexander and Humphrey have jelled.
Alexander also said he didn’t circle Week 17 on his calendar, which is when Baltimore travels to Green Bay to face his former team.
“I circle every week,” he said. “Everybody’s gonna get it.”
Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1.
]]>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.
]]>The 34-year-old Ravens outside linebacker won’t be playing as long as two of the NBA’s oldest superstars, ages 40 and 37, respectively. Van Noy’s career clock is ticking. But as far as he’s concerned, he can play as long as he wants to.
“That’s my mindset,” he said after Thursday’s training camp practice in Owings Mills. “I thought about it a lot this offseason. I’m just grateful to continue to play. My body’s still good and I can play at a high level.”
Van Noy is coming off the most productive season of his 11-year career. The one-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time Super Bowl champion led all Ravens pass rushers with 12 1/2 sacks — the first double-digit sack season of his career, worthy of a Chuck Smith-branded hoodie. Baltimore has emboldened him as a pass rusher, he has said before, more than any of his four previous stops.
Van Noy still believes that he’s one of the best at the position in the league. He logged the fourth-most sacks in the NFL and his pass rush win rate (16%) last year was top 20. He also finished top 20 in quarterback hits (9) and total pressures (52), per Pro Football Focus. Still, PFF ranked him as the 30th best EDGE rusher entering 2025.
Van Noy didn’t contemplate retirement this offseason, but there was some internal dialogue about the state of his career and current situation.
It’s been an “interesting offseason,” he said. Van Noy was asked to clarify that adjective.
“There’s just other situations where I feel I’m very valuable,” he said. “And some people think I’m more valuable than others.”
This season is the last on Van Noy’s two-year, $9 million deal. He’s set to make $3.75 million in 2025, carrying a $6.1 million cap hit — by all accounts a bargain for Baltimore considering his 21 1/2 combined sacks the past two seasons. Van Noy is also the oldest pass rusher in a group that includes 26-year-old Odafe Oweh, who logged double-digit sacks last season and is also entering a contract year; Tavius Robinson, who has gotten rave reviews from his coaches about his development; and now rookie second-round pick Mike Green.
But Van Noy said he’s grateful to be with his Ravens teammates. He wants to insert himself a bit more to help uplift the younger guys. And he would love to celebrate a win in February under confetti alongside his family.
Van Noy told The Sun back in February that he knows he can still play at a high level. “It’s something where they have to make a decision, too,” referring to Ravens decision makers. General manager Eric DeCosta said during his end-of-season news conference that Van Noy “comes to work every day with a great attitude, he’s a leader, and he’s a fun storyline this year for us.”
Ravens coach John Harbaugh sees no signs of slowing down from the veteran.
“Guys play until they can’t,” Harbaugh said. “He’s playing great. He’s still playing at a high level. So all these other narratives, the age narrative, it’s all nothing.”
In March, Van Noy completed a 72-hour water fast. In other words, he only drank water for three days — no meals, no snacks, no other drinks. Just H2O. He wrote on X that he “ate real good” on vacation and needed the reset. UFC CEO Dana White was the inspiration, and he saw a few others online try it.
Outside of some headaches, Van Noy said the water fast had him feeling brand new. He shed a handful of pounds. The chicken, Caesar salad and vegetables after the three days helped get him back on track.
Diet aside, the secret to playing at the level he has been able to the past two seasons, at his age, he said, is being “built different from a lot of kids these days” and “part of an old school cloth.”
Van Noy has always considered himself a valuable asset, albeit an underrated one. ESPN did not include him in its top-10 EDGE rushers, nor was he one of four honorable mentions or among the seven who also received votes. He scoffs at that stuff. But it’s certainly fair to question whether he can repeat such a productive year entering the twilight of a long career.
“The end is closer than the beginning, I know that. Everybody knows that,” Van Noy said. “But I can play as long as I want.”
Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.
]]>Here are the results from our online poll:
- Ravens — 62% (97 votes)
- Eagles — 21% (33 votes)
- Chiefs — 9% (14 votes)
- Bills — 3% (5 votes)
- Lions — 3% (4 votes)
- Other — 2% (3 votes)
- Rams — 0% (0 votes)
Here’s what some fans told us about the NFL’s best teams (answers have been edited for clarity and grammar):
Dallas will be better this year. America’s team! — Jeff
The Ravens have the best and deepest roster. But they need to be the best in the playoffs or it will be another disappointing finish. — Pat Kiernan
The Ravens always have the best team. Makes you wonder why they don’t win the Super Bowl. — Rob Fickes
Right now, it’s the Eagles. — Michael Andrews
The Baltimore Sun reader poll is an unscientific survey in which website users volunteer their opinions on the subject of the poll. To see results from previous sports polls, go to baltimoresun.com/sportspoll
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