OWINGS MILLS – The Baltimore Ravens are in an evaluation mode with offensive tackle Mark LeVoir, force-feeding him the playbook by having him learn on the job.
The 6-foot-7, 310-pound former New England Patriots lineman was the first-string right tackle for the entire practice Monday.
However, LeVoir is going to face competition from rookie third-round draft pick Jah Reid for the starting job.
Reid is still considered the frontrunner to win the job after improving his play significantly against the Kansas City Chiefs following a rough debut against the Philadelphia Eagles.
“I don’t know if it’s narrowed down to any point,” Cameron said. “We’re still evaluating everybody. This is a big game. Ultimately, we will go with our best five. We’ve got to let this thing play out, at least for a couple weeks.”
LeVoir acknowledged that he has a lot to absorb heading into the third preseason game Thursday night against the Washington Redskins.
“I’ve got a lot to learn,” he said. “I’m trying to pick up these plays as fast as I can so I know what I’m doing out there.”
LeVoir, 29, appeared to be a quick study Monday, holding his own and not busting assignments.
“He asks veteran questions,” Cameron said.“ He knows NFL defenses. He’s just got to get accustomed to how we go about doing things. He’s a veteran football player and we’ll find out a lot about him Thursday night. .. Jah did a nice job. He has improved this week. There is competition, there always will be.”
For the second time, Cameron referenced shifting offensive guard Marshal Yanda back to right tackle as an option the team will consider.
The Ravens also got Ramon Harewood some playing time at left tackle.
Drafted in the sixth round out of Morehouse last year, Harewood missed his entire rookie season after undergoing surgeries on both knees.
“We took a huge step the other night, the young tackles did,” Cameron said. “Even Ramon Harewood had a nice night. He has potential, there is no doubt. I like his approach. He has had a long way to go, but his approach lends itself to getting better and I like that.”
SECONDARY SHUFFLE: Tom Zbikowski was back working with the first-team defense after Bernard Pollard started last week at strong safety.
“I think it’s all going to shake itself out,” defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano said.
Pollard recorded 112 tackles last season for the Houston Texans and intercepted a pass against the Philadelphia Eagles in his first game for Baltimore after signing a two-year contract.
“He’s done a great job,” Pagano said. “He’s been in here night and day spending time with the coaches. They’ve done a good job of getting him up to speed.
“He’s made very few mistakes. He’s got some special abilities, especially when he’s down around the box and blitzing.”
Cary Williams worked with the first-team defense at cornerback.
Rookie first-round draft pick Jimmy Smith and veteran Domonique Foxworth split time at the other cornerback spot.
“We’ve got great competition going on,” Pagano said. “We feel like they’re all doing what they’re supposed to do. We got guys in position to make some plays out there. We’ve got some guys making some, we’ve got some guys not finishing some plays. They’re right there.”
Smith was in position against Pro Bowl wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, but didn’t make a play on the ball.
“Jimmy was in great position early in that ballgame,” Pagano said. “It was good for him to get some live action like that. The speed of the game is one thing that a guy like that comes from college and he’s not used to that and all of a sudden the ball’s on him, where they wouldn’t even dare throw it in college. That’s good to see.”
INJURY UPDATES: Outside linebacker Jarret Johnson didn’t practice for the second day in a row due to a back injury.
Johnson aggravated his back against the Chiefs. He said he should be able to practice in a few days.
Also not practicing: safety Marcus Paschal (quadriceps), center Matt Birk (knee surgery), wide receivers James Hardy (hamstring), Justin Harper and Terrell Zachery.
Free safety Ed Reed and rookie cornerback Chykie Brown returned to practice.
Cornerback Chris Carr (hamstring) and offensive guard Marshal Yanda (back spasms) took part in practice on a limited basis.
Running back Matt Lawrence (knee) was limited, too.
BECK TRADE REVISITED: The Ravens made a one-sided trade a year ago, exchanging quarterback John Beck for cornerback Doug Dutch in a rare player-for-player transaction.
Dutch didn’t make the Ravens and isn’t in the NFL this year.
Beck is regarded as having the edge for the Redskins’ starting quarterback job ahead of Rex Grossman.
When the Raven made this move last year, they had injuries at cornerback that made it difficult to practice. They also had Marc Bulger, who has since retired, as their backup quarterback.
Hindsight makes the trade look worse than it really was.
“Last year’s circumstances when we went out there to get Marc Bulger and go with two quarterbacks was a unique opportunity,” Cameron said. “I think that was the thing that really just factored into it. It was nothing that he didn’t do here that facilitated that. We had positive feelings about that, and obviously they did as well.”
Cameron drafted Beck in the second round out of Brigham Young when he was the Miami Dolphins’ head coach.
“He was a really good college player, and he got thrown in probably way before anybody anticipated,” Cameron said. “He is one of the harder workers I have been around. I am hearing good things about what he is doing. I think everybody around here has a lot of respect for him. Nothing John can do in a positive way would surprise me.”
QUICK HIT: Special-teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg is working with outside linebacker Sergio Kindle to refine his technique after he narrowly missed blocking two punts against the Chiefs.
“He’s a pass rusher, so I think those skills match up well to what we’re asking him to do on our punt return team,” Rosburg said.“When we got him out there, we called his number each time to find out if that’s something he can do for us. He certainly showed his ability to get off the ball, and his power showed up, because in both of them he was blocked and he powered his way through the block.”
