Almost 20,000 fans braved the heat and humidity to get a glimpse of the new and improved Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium, but they were instead given yet another helping of tight ends and defense, because that’s what Baltimore does.
Odell Beckham Jr. was always going to draw the most attention – his personality, injury history and fan following demands it – but with Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman absent, all eyes were on Beckham as the de facto WR1. (John Harbaugh told reporters after practice that Zay Flowers was dealing with an illness, but should be back on Monday. Bateman remains on the PUP list, though he and J.K. Dobbins were both on the sidelines during practice.)
So the minute Beckham caught a pass, the stadium exploded, and as much as optimism for the 30-year-old wideout (and the rest of the offense) should be tempered early in the season, it’s hard to argue with that excitement.
Flowers has impressed coaches, players and observers alike in camp thus far, and Bateman has produced when healthy, but Beckham is a living, breathing All-Pro NFL wide receiver, the likes of whom the Ravens have lacked in Lamar Jackson’s career. Expectations are high.
To his credit, Beckham delivered. He didn’t have to do much – a two-yard drag route for his first catch drew a round of applause – but his chemistry with Jackson was noticeable and perhaps the most encouraging part of the offense today.
Two of Beckham’s catches illustrate the budding connection between him and Jackson – a touchdown that’s already making the rounds on social media and a simple speed out that will likely fly under the radar.
Jackson took the media through the touchdown, explaining that he saw Kyle Hamilton – who he called a “great safety” – underneath Beckham, so he had to put some touch on the ball and trust that Beckham would run under it. He did, beating Marlon Humphrey to the end zone and celebrating with the fans in the stands.
A few sequences later, Jackson went back to Beckham, targeting him on an out route with pressure coming at him. Jackson’s throw was perfectly timed – Beckham hadn’t even gone into his break when the ball came out of Jackson’s hand – but a little too far outside. No problem for Beckham, who accelerated out of his break and flashed his ultra-reliable mitts.
In his sixth NFL season, Jackson has a veteran’s feel for the game, and he finally has a receiver with the commensurate experience that can help bring the best out of his quarterback.
Jackson’s no. 1 target is still Mark Andrews, though. Every time it felt like Jackson needed a completion – for a first down, or just to get back into rhythm – he went to his All-Pro tight end, including a few improvised plays that reminded observers how deadly this duo can be.
Isaiah Likely also had another good day, catching a strike from Tyler Huntley for the longest gain of the day and another Huntley pass for a touchdown over the middle. Much has been made of the Ravens’ WR additions, but Todd Monken is known for maximizing his offense’s output with the best talent available, regardless of position. Likely is a matchup nightmare, and it will be tough to keep him off the field if he continues his ascent.
Speaking of Huntley, he had his best day of training camp yet, and arguably the best day of any Ravens quarterback, including Jackson. Huntley’s in-game heroics have earned him the love of the Baltimore fanbase – aside from that one play last year – but he’s more of an improviser than a pure pocket passer. That will have to change to succeed under Monken, and Huntley is showing improvement already. His timing and ability to operate in rhythm led to several of the biggest offensive plays today, including an excellent back shoulder throw to Tarik Black.
Two other receivers that merit mentioning are Tylan Wallace and Sean Ryan. Wallace has gone practically unmentioned this offseason, but the 2021 4th-rounder is doing the little things right. For a Ravens coaching staff that harps on the details, that’s a solid way to secure a roster spot – not to mention his special teams capabilities. It will be tough with so much talent around the offense, but Wallace is a prime candidate to step up during the season as the receivers ahead of him pick up the week-to-week knocks that are commonplace in the NFL.
Sean Ryan has also hit that vein of consistency, making the easy plays and minimizing drops and miscues. He may not be producing splashy plays, but players fighting for a roster spot need to prove they can be trusted in multiple situations, not just as occasional flashes. It’s still a significantly uphill battle for him, but his 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame would bring a decidedly lacking element of size to the Ravens WR room.
The defense still definitely won the day, though, getting pressure on the quarterbacks and breaking up passes downfield. Mike Macdonald talked on Friday about the amount of different looks that Monken’s offense was throwing at his defense, but that script was decidedly flipped today. Macdonald probably didn’t even empty out his entire bag of pressure packages and disguised coverages, but it was enough to cause plenty of headaches for Jackson and co.
Tight ends and defense. That’s what Baltimore does.
