As Ravens kick off OTAs, the next step arrives for Lamar Jackson, offensive line and so much more
Jonas Shaffer & Giana Han, The Baltimore Banner
Whom are you most interested in watching?
Outside linebacker David Ojabo needs a productive offseason. His first year in Baltimore, coming as quickly as it did after he tore his Achilles tendon, was always expected to be low impact. But there was real hype for Year 2 last summer. Ojabo looked explosive in offseason workouts and early in training camp. Then an injury seemed to sap his speed in the preseason, and he played just three games and 83 defensive snaps before tearing his ACL. Harbaugh has said Ojabo’s healthy again, but what will that look like?
OTAs also offer another glimpse at physical transformations. Harbaugh said in March that Charlie Kolar, who lined up primarily as an in-line tight end last season, weighed about 270 to 275 pounds, up from 252 two years ago. With the Ravens seemingly targeting more mobile linemen for Monken’s scheme, could Faalele (listed at 380 pounds) and Cleveland (370 pounds) be slimming down?
Among the other questions that could shape the Ravens’ depth chart: Will quarterback Malik Cunningham continue to get work at wide receiver, or perhaps move there full time? Will free-agent signing Josh Jones line up more at tackle or at guard? How much time, if any, will Marlon Humphrey, Stephens and rookie Nate Wiggins, all ostensibly outside corners, get in the slot? And, with the NFL’s new rule changes, are there any surprise candidates for the kickoff return job?
Ravens OTA storylines: Keeping an eye on the rookies, starting O-line spots
Jeff Zrebiec, The Athletic
What will the offensive line look like?
There could be as many as three starting offensive line spots up for grabs when training camp begins in roughly two months. Assuming he’s healthy, Ronnie Stanley will be at left tackle and Tyler Linderbaum, a Pro Bowl selection last season, will be at center. There’s at least some level of ambiguity with the other three spots.
Who gets the first-team reps this week may not tell the whole story about how things will play out over the summer, but it could provide some hints. Will second-round pick Roger Rosengarten line up as the starting right tackle or will a returning player, like Daniel Faalele or Patrick Mekari, get the nod? Will Andrew Vorhees and Ben Cleveland begin OTAs as the starting guards or will Josh Jones or Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu be first up? If the three spots are truly up for grabs, several players will probably get first-team reps during OTAs, mandatory minicamp and the early stages of training camp.
What will the vibe be with the new coaching staff?
Even by the Ravens’ standards, this offseason featured heavy turnover on Harbaugh’s staff. They had at least 10 assistants from last year’s 13-4 team and AFC finalists either get promotions elsewhere or not be asked to return. Harbaugh is seemingly content to go with a scaled-down coaching staff, but it will still feature many new faces.
Inside linebackers coach Mark DeLeone, defensive line coach Dennis Johnson, secondary coach Doug Mallory and assistant offensive line coach Travelle Wharton were all outside hires. A number of other returning assistants got title or role changes. There will be a ton of attention, in particular, on first-year defensive coordinator Zach Orr, who takes over for Mike Macdonald, now the head coach of the Seattle Seahawks.
Time is not on the Ravens’ side with strange 2024 schedule
Mike Preston, The Baltimore Sun
The Ravens have a bizarre schedule loaded with playoff teams early, then three games in 12 days from late October to early November and three games in 11 days in December after a Week 14 bye.
A year ago, coach John Harbaugh and new coordinator Todd Monken were calling the offense a work in progress. As of Wednesday, when the NFL announced the schedule, the Ravens are on the clock.
It’s a demanding season, and that was to be expected after the Ravens finished with a 13-4 record, the best of any club during the regular season.
But it’s also awkward because there are seven Sundays in which the Ravens don’t play, and that’s where the problems arise.
Coaches love routines. They like to plan everything from team meetings to weight training sessions to film study, and even an occasional movie night. You can believe that Harbaugh has already been busy plotting out everything from practice sessions to flight departure details.
Offensively, the Ravens don’t have a lot of time for growing pains. It will be interesting to see how fast they develop with Derrick Henry as the new star running back and three new starters on the offensive line.
Ranking The NFL’s 25 Fastest Players
Marcus Mosher, The 33rd Team
17. DERRICK HENRY, RB, BALTIMORE RAVENS
Derrick Henry is getting older and isn’t quite as fast as he used to be, but no one is catching him from behind in the open field. Henry had a run in the 2023 season where his max speed topped out at 21.68 mph, the eighth-fastest among all ball carriers.
Considering he’s running that speed at 250 pounds, it makes it even more impressive.
13. NATE WIGGINS, CB, BALTIMORE RAVENS
If it weren’t for Xavier Worthy, Nate Wiggins would have gotten much more attention at this year’s combine. The former Clemson cornerback ran a 4.28 40-yard dash, the second-best time in the class. He’ll instantly be one of the fastest cornerbacks in the league and landed in an ideal situation in Baltimore.
Ranking the top 25 players under 25 entering the 2024 NFL season: Sauce Gardner, C.J. Stroud and more
Zoltan Buday, PFF
5. S KYLE HAMILTON, BALTIMORE RAVENS
Hamilton had a true breakout second NFL season, as his 86.4 PFF overall grade ranked sixth among safeties. He established himself as one of the most versatile players in the league, logging 14 quarterback pressures to rank fourth among safeties.
Hamilton’s two-year 89.6 PFF overall grade ranks third among all safeties.
20. C TYLER LINDERBAUM, BALTIMORE RAVENS
Linderbaum was already good in his rookie season, but he showed some weaknesses in pass blocking. Now two seasons into his career, he is one of the best centers in the NFL. He was the only player at the position to earn pass-blocking and run-blocking grades both over 78.0 in 2023.