The Return of the MVP – Jackson Back at Action-Packed OTA Session

For a while, it felt like Lamar Jackson’s mere return to practice would be the highlight of the Ravens’ OTAs on Wednesday, a pad- and helmet-less affair with minimal contact following a particularly intense practice last Thursday.

That is, until Brent Urban batted down a pass from the reigning MVP right into the hands of Ronnie Stanley, who hit a spin move and sprinted upfield to cheers and laughter from the crowd and his teammates. There’s nothing like a big man moving with the football; the play recalled memories of Tyre Phillips’ scoop-and-scramble back in 2020.

Jackson’s presence alone will probably be enough for football-hungry Ravens fans, and it should placate national media criticizing his lack of attendance, too. The enigmatic quarterback’s participation was a little bit surprising after recent reports that Jackson had already missed too many practices to earn the $750,000 workout bonus in the contract he negotiated himself.

Was Jackson aware of the financial consequences of his absences, or was he simply doing what he’s done so many times already in his career: whatever he wants?

Either way, Jackson finally showed up and the Ravens should have an extra $750,000 in cap space for Eric DeCosta to work with this summer. It may not be the ideal outcome for either side, but it’s certainly an acceptable one, something that echoes the themes of Jackson’s contract negotiations over the last few years.

Once he was back out on the field, Jackson looked like the same player NFL defenses are all too familiar with, consistently finding his favorite targets. Mark Andrews and Zay Flowers will be no surprises on that list, but Nelson Agholor has quietly become the reliable veteran wideout that Jackson has been missing for most of his career. The two have developed a strong connection on the field, as evidenced by their success on extended plays last season, which carried over to a completion early in yesterday’s scramble drills.

“People don’t realize how cerebral Lamar Jackson is,” said Agholor during his press conference, detailing how he and Lamar work together after incompletions, even in practice, to figure out why the two weren’t on the same page. “That’s what makes a special QB special,” he added.

Jackson’s chemistry with Flowers was on full display at Wednesday’s practice, as well, with the pair connecting on a number of passes including a trio of downfield shots: one down the left sideline to beat Marcus Williams, one threaded over the middle through zone coverage and one into a tight window in the right corner of the end zone.

Aerial Battles Dominate Practice

Jackson’s participation didn’t just spur a more efficient day from the Ravens’ first-team offense, which was only missing Derrick Henry and Rashod Bateman. It seemed to trickle down to the second and third units, with a generally improved day from quarterbacks and receivers compared to the team’s last practice. (Bateman’s absence on one of the few days Jackson is present was curious at best and frustrating at worst given the pair’s difficulties in connecting last season. As for Henry, after 2,030 career carries, 600 of which came in the last two years, saving his legs for the season might be the best strategy.)

Josh Johnson bounced back after a rough practice last Thursday, completing passes to all parts of the field and, crucially, avoiding defenders’ hands when doing so. He’ll be QB2 come September – rookie Devin Leary’s arm may have more upside, but his risk-to-accuracy ratio is much too high against NFL defensive backs. That does make him a fun watch in practice; he’ll attempt to thread needles few other QBs would (probably because they shouldn’t) with some beautiful spirals. Leary was more successful than last week, which featured just as many defenders getting their hands on the ball as his intended targets.

The secondary certainly got the better of the Ravens’ passing offense last week, with a diving interception by Damarion ‘Pepe’ Williams and three consecutive pass breakups by Tre Swilling among the highlights. Yesterday, though, the receiver corps struck back, led by rookie Devontez Walker. His matchups with fellow rookie T.J. Tampa Jr. were the most consistently exciting part of the 11-on-11 period, showcasing both players’ skillsets. Walker’s speed and late separation showed up on a deep ball from Emory Jones and a back shoulder fade from Josh Johnson, both of which went for touchdowns. He also kept his feet inbounds on a few tough sideline catches, one of the few major rule differences between college and the pros.

In Tampa’s defense, the limited contact nature of the practice limited the press technician’s ability to get physical at the line of scrimmage, allowing Walker to blow right by and accelerate to his top gear. In that situation, his 4.39-second 40 speed is going to beat Tampa’s 4.58 every time. The rookie cornerback did end practice on a literal high note, using his anticipation and length for a leaping deflection of another attempted red zone fade to Walker. Future matchups between the pair of fourth-rounders whose strengths attack each other’s weaknesses should continue to be entertaining back-and-forths in training camp.

Malik Cunningham seems to be right at home as a full-time wide receiver, reeling in a number of passes, including a few that were headed over his head. His best was a full-extension sideline grab on a slightly overthrown ball from Emory Jones, who did well to anticipate the blitz and make the right read on the play. Cunningham’s roster hopes no longer rest on his ability to throw a football – he’ll need to contribute on special teams instead – but his presence during training camp might inspire Todd Monken to dial up a few trick plays in practice.

None of this is to say coverage was lax on the defensive side of the ball; rookie safety Sanoussi Kane intercepted his second pass in as many practices and Malik Harrison shut down a wheel route by Rasheen Ali and tipped a pass from Josh Johnson a few series later. Pepe Williams stacked another good practice as well, this time in a first-team role with Marlon Humphrey and Brandon Stephens absent.

Notes from the Podium

No one seemed more excited to be at OTAs than second-year linebacker Trenton Simpson, who proclaimed he was “ready to roll” in response to four different questions and referred to his opportunities in the NFL as a “blessing” in seven different answers.

Another common theme? Simpson thrice called his rookie season a “year of growth,” optimistically emphasizing that his lack of a role on defense last year was the humbling moment he needed entering the NFL.

“It was exactly what I needed, because it was a year of growth, and it was a chance to come practice in the NFL. That’s a blessing, because I wasn’t rushed and thrown into any type of pressure” said Simpson. “Then when I got a chance to play in Week 18, I had 17 weeks of practice.” That’s certainly how it looked when Simpson took the field against the Pittsburgh Steelers in January, recording seven tackles, including two for loss and a sack.

“It was the best thing that could have happened to me,” said the Clemson product. “I had to be patient throughout the season for my moment to come, and when it came, I was prepared. It was just that boost of confidence that I needed headed into the offseason.”

Simpson’s new inside linebacker coach Mark DeLeone was full of praise for the young defender, particularly in his mental development as a linebacker: “You look back from when he got to college – he played a lot of safety, transitional linebacker, so you’re seeing the game at a different level from a third level player to a second-level player.”

New Ravens defensive line coach Dennis Johnson also spoke to the media in his first press conference since he was hired from Baylor during the offseason. He’s embracing a somewhat unusual role of a first-time NFL coach presiding over the Ravens’ returning core of five defensive linemen:

That’s a veteran group, right? So, you want to add to it, show them things that they may not know – new techniques, eye progressions, where I want to put my hands in certain alignments, just fine tuning them to make them better. I know some of the run stuff that we’ve kind of changed and improved, they’ve taken to it like a fish in water. They’re eager. That group wants to learn, they want to know, ‘How can I do it better? How can I do it faster?’ And that helps with that entire process.

The Ravens’ next practice open to the media will take place tomorrow, with head coach John Harbaugh expected to take questions afterwards. Mandatory minicamp kicks off next Tuesday, June 11, for three straight days until the team goes on hiatus until training camp begins in July.