On Tuesday the Ravens will host their 2015 mandatory minicamp, the final dress rehearsal for training camp which kicks off in full speed on July 30, just 45 days away.
Several of the positional battles will be fierce. Some might provide a preview of potential changes particularly if some players underperform. Online gambling sites might have fun setting odds for some of these battles.
Here’s a look at five Ravens players who will be watched closely not only during camp but throughout the 2015 season. Depending upon how they respond they could soon find themselves on the outside looking in.
Matt Elam
It isn’t often that Ozzie Newsome puts a player on notice, particularly one who was a first round pick in 2013. Elam is entering his third season with the Ravens and the same concerns draft analysts had about Elam while at the University of Florida continue to rear their ugly heads. Elam is a poor tackler in space and he struggles in coverage. If those problems continue the Ravens could give up on the former Gator in 2016 and generate cap savings of $1.33M.
Arthur Brown
Elam’s 2013 NFL Draft classmate Arthur Brown has also fallen way short of expectations. Despite being compared favorably to San Francisco’s Navarro Bowman, Brown has yet to start a game and didn’t even dress during 12 of 2014’s 16 regular season games. The former Kansas State Wildcat hopes to push veteran Daryl Smith and has added weight to help absorb and shed blocks in order to improve at the point of attack. If his remodeled physique doesn’t help the Ravens might view the $890,000 in 2016 cap savings as an attractive bonus for giving up on yet another failed second round pick. (See Dan Cody, Sergio Kindle and Terrence Cody)
Marlon Brown
There are times when watching Marlon Brown that you take pause and think, “This guy could be a stud.” Other times you wonder why someone so tall with above average hands disappears during games and fails to attract the attention of his coaches and of course Joe Flacco. Brown’s height is an asset yet he doesn’t seem to dominate smaller corners the way his physique suggests. The arrival of Darren Waller (6’6″) threatens Brown’s role as the team’s big target.
Jeremy Zuttah
The former Tampa Buc proved to be a major upgrade at the position of center for the Ravens in 2014 but that is at least in part the byproduct of the horrific play of his predecessor (Gino Gradkowski) and not necessarily Zuttah’s productivity. Zuttah was the NFL’s 17th highest graded center according to Pro Football Focus and struggled often as a pass blocker. It’s possible that John Urschel could be viewed as a better option in 2016 if Zuttah doesn’t progress as a protector of Joe Flacco. A pink slip for Zuttah would represent a cap savings of $2.1M in 2016.
Michael Campanaro
There are growing concerns within the team’s inner circle that the second-year former Demon Deacon could be a regular on the injury report. “Potentially chronic” is a term that has been used when discussing the shifty wide receiver’s injuries. Should DeAndre Carter show ability as a kick/punt returner it could persuade the team’s brass to place Campanaro on IR should the nagging injuries continue. That would essentially give Campanaro another reprieve — his last as 2016 would undoubtedly be a make-or-break camp/preseason for the promising but too often unavailable Julian Edelman-type player. You can’t help the club in the tub.
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