Defensive Backfield Under Pressure
On a play in which cornerback Kyle Arrington was able to force a fumble by punching the football free from Darren Waller’s grasp, safety Kendrick Lewis caught some friendly fire from Waller as the receiver tried to grab the loose ball. Lewis ended up missing the rest of practice with a right leg injury.
Arrington subsequently went down himself a few plays later, but was able to keep playing the rest of the afternoon.
And before I forget, cornerback Asa Jackson also hobbled off the field after giving up a completion to WR Jeremy Butler. Jackson also played through the pain.
It was that type of day for a secondary that has already dealt with injuries to Rashaan Melvin, Tray Walker, and Matt Elam.
All of the tweaks that happened today look to be minor. But given the injury history the team has dealt with on the back end, you hate to see the secondary continue to deal with the physical setbacks.
Competing for the Final Roster Spots
The top four corners on the depth chart are clear: Jimmy Smith, Lardarius Webb, Arrington, and Melvin.
It’s the fifth and possibly sixth spot (if the Ravens decide to keep more than five corners) that’s up for grabs. Jackson, Quinton Pointer, and Cassius Vaughn are the prime contenders.
Here’s a look at how each of the cornerbacks fared in different practice situations today:
Asa Jackson
As I mentioned before, Jackson wasn’t 100% after giving up a pass to Butler. On the play, Jackson used his hands to jam up the receiver, but he ended up losing Butler as the receiver broke off his route on a scramble drill. On the play before, Jackson was able to deflect a pass intended for Michael Campanaro.
Later on during another set of 11-on-11 drills, Jackson used his jam effectively again on a pass play, hitting receiver Tom Nelson hard enough to knock him off of his route. Although the fourth-year CB has been victimized several times during training camp, Jackson held up well in coverage today, mostly manning the right side of the field.
Jackson is already the leading kick returner on the depth chart. Given his special teams value, he has a major edge in the competition. But he’ll have to keep stacking days like today and play with better coverage consistency to keep his spot.
Cassius Vaughn
The veteran corner had an inconsistent set of plays. He was aggressive breaking up a long sideline pass to Aldrick Robinson during an 11-on-11 session. However, Robinson also had a decent shot at the ball but couldn’t control it. Later on, Robinson got his revenge on another deep pattern and ran right by Vaughn to score a TD in the back corner of the end zone.
Quinton Pointer
The diminutive defensive back is listed ahead of Vaughn on the depth chart, and he logged more snaps on Saturday. Pointer was used all over the field, lining up at both outside corner positions and in the slot.
When Pointer got the chance to play physical man-to-man coverage, he looked good. He was able to break sharply on a square-in route and knock down a pass intended for DeAndre Carter. Pointer also used his hands to disrupt Butler and Robinson when he worked from the slot position.
But when the defensive back didn’t use his hands, he struggled to keep up with tight end Allen Reisner on a crossing route. Pointer also got beat when he gave up a cushion, giving up three out completions when the offense operated from a spread formation.
Other Notes:
- Pre-snap movement from the safeties has been prevalent throughout camp. Specifically, they have hovered near the line of scrimmage, only to turn and run to their landmarks just as the ball is snapped.
- Carl Davis was a wrecking ball during running drills. He drove fellow rookie center Nick Easton right into the running back on one play. Two plays later, he used a club move (a la the great Reggie White) to shed his man and get into the backfield. The DT has been playing mostly on the nose, but with his quick first step, don’t be surprised if he gets more opportunities as a five-technique.
- Conversely, during the same drill, DT Christo Bilukidi struggled when he had to move laterally to defend the run. He was rooted off the ball with ease.
- Second-year linebacker Zach Orr has already established himself on special teams, but he is also trying to work his way up the ILB depth chart. Right now he is splitting snaps with Arthur Brown and Albert McClellan. Orr looks his best when he is crashing into the line to play the run. He is physical and willing to take on blocks. As a pass defender, Orr looks stiff when he turns his hips. Still, he had a couple of timely pass deflections, even if one of those deflections was awfully close to being a pass-interference penalty.
- Speaking of the ILBs, starters C.J. Mosley and Daryl Smith swooped in for interceptions to put the punctuation mark on a fine coverage day for their unit.
