Lamar Jackson sat out one practice over the weekend to rest his arm, which didn’t raise much concern.
However, the situation became more troublesome when Jackson missed the following day for what the team deemed a “soft-tissue” problem.
The Ravens’ Super Bowl aspirations rest with Jackson and they can’t afford to lose him for a prolonged part of the season.
There was a sense of relief when Jackson returned to practice Monday. He didn’t appear to be limited in any way, although he wasn’t as sharp as the previous week.
“He was back. He looked good,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “He had a good practice. We’re moving forward.”
Still, Jackson has shown tremendous strides with his passes from last year when he won NFL MVP. He’s poised to have another big year and the Ravens are not going to take any risks in this odd training camp.
Jackson might get a few more days off to ensure he’s 100 percent for the opener against the Browns.
Proche = Gamer
Ravens rookie James Proche seems to turn a few heads almost every practice. He has solid hands and is fearless catching the ball in traffic, as noted by my RSR colleague Adam Bonaccorsi on several occasions. Proche, a sixth-round pick from SMU, has been essentially flawless fielding punts.
The Ravens are still treading carefully. Sometimes a stellar performance in training camp does not mean the player will perform the same way once the bright lights of the regular season shine on him.
Proche, though, has clearly shown solid potential. Many of the SMU fans are already in “I told you so” mode over his pass-catching abilities.
Proche is definitely a player to watch coming out of camp.
More Talent at Wideout
Hollywood Brown is fully healthy and is another player that puts on a show almost every practice. Brown has been good for at least one long touchdown reception each day. Jackson has figured out that he just needs to make sure there is enough air under the ball for Brown to get under and do the rest of the work.
Another rookie, Devin Duvernay, a third-round pick from Texas, has also flashed his skills. Duvernay has made all of the college analysts look smart — he has good hands and runs solid routes just as they wrote in their pre-draft scouting reports. Both Duvernay and Proche will make plays this season.
“They’re very good football players, [and] they’re very eager,” Ravens wide receivers coach Dave Culley said about Duvernay and Proche. “Obviously, they’re two different types [of] guys, but they both are what we call … They’re ‘Ravens.’ They have the great work ethic, they’re both tough, they both understand that winning is more important than numbers, and they’ve fit right in well with this group that we’ve had here – both of those guys. I like where they’re at also.”
With all of the young talent on the roster, Willie Snead has flown under the radar. But he’s another player that is having an exceptional camp. Snead has been solid in the intermediate passing game and is not afraid to do the hard work as a blocker.
Eliott Need to Stays Healthy
The Ravens players and coaches are confident DeShon Elliott can fill the void at safety with the departure of Earl Thomas. However, Elliott has been hampered by injuries over his first two seasons.
Elliott is having another solid camp and brings a vocal swagger to the secondary. While he lacks Thomas’ experience and pedigree, Elliott is a quicker player and can function better within the scheme of defensive coordinator Don Martindale.
“I think I’ve got myself together physically, mentally, and spiritually,” Elliott said. “I feel like God is going to bless me with the things I need to stay healthy this year. And I’m going to do the best I can to stay healthy for my teammates and play for them. I love this team. I love my defense. I’m just trying to stay healthy as much as I can, so I can be able to make the plays I need to make, to get us to where we’re trying to get to, and our end goal. So, I’m trying to play for my boys.”
The players love Elliott back … and that’s the biggest difference from Thomas.
