Practice Report: Rookies Take Center Stage at OTAs Practice
Ryan Mink, BaltimoreRavens.com
A second-year player to keep an eye on is outside linebacker Tavius Robinson. He put a nice jump/swipe move on right tackle Daniel Faalele early in practice to disrupt a pass from Johnson. Robinson is in fantastic shape after an offseason in the weight room.
Defensive tackle Travis Jones is another young player who could break out this season. With Michael Pierce watching from the sideline, Jones is feasting early in OTAs. He sniffed out a screen to Justice Hill to force an incompletion and later had a tipped pass (and broke out the Brent Urban celebration).
Veteran inside linebacker Malik Harrison had the play of the day Wednesday and turned in another strong practice Thursday. He would’ve had a sack, or at least a big quarterback hit, on a nice looping inside pass rush. Harrison also had nice downfield coverage on Isaiah Likely to force an incompletion.
Fourth-round rookie Devontez Walker had a false stat penalty in the situational drills but bounced back with a nice sliding catch on a comeback route on the very next play to help set up a field goal. Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken said Walker is a “quick learner” and that he’s been impressed with Walker’s ability to play multiple spots, execute technique, and pick up the nuances of route running to adjust with coverage.
2024 NFL Draft sleepers who could make an instant impact as rookies
Nick Baumgardner, The Athletic
Devontez Walker, WR, Baltimore Ravens
Round 4, Pick 113
The conversation surrounding Walker during the pre-draft period wasn’t much different than with Franklin. On traits alone, Walker was a first-round prospect, even with all of the studs at wide receiver in the 2024 class. He’s 6-1 with 33-inch arms, 4.36 speed and a 40 1/2-inch vertical. He is a big-play receiver who can adjust in the air and get to off-target throws that others can’t.
Baltimore’s offense has to graduate beyond relying so heavily on Lamar Jackson’s legs and its tight ends. Adding Zay Flowers in 2023 was a good start, and though I’m not saying Walker will have a similar impact, he’ll have every opportunity to try.
Lamar Jackson is shedding weight in his prime like past Super Bowl-winning QBs
Charles Robinson, Yahoo Sports
Over the length of his career, Drew Brees did it. As did Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger. Tom Brady? He turned his version of it into a branded nutritional and product lifestyle.
They bulked up physically, then fine-tuned down when their career arc or injuries called for it.
“I don’t really know how many pounds I lost,” Jackson said Wednesday. “I’m like two-[hundred] something right now. But I’ll say it was important enough to be able to move around a little bit extra, that’s all.”
He added that his target weight was to be under 230 pounds, adding that the trimmer physique was “just so I can be more agile and be able to move more.”
While the adjustment seems counterintuitive from the standpoint of being able to absorb punishment, it makes sense when pressed against the offensive changes made by coordinator Todd Monken last season. Monken’s offense moved away from the methodical pounding running game of previous coordinator Greg Roman, demanding a more up-tempo style that leaned heavily on Jackson leading the decisions in the rushing attack while also making adjustments at the line of scrimmage. In the process, it became more clear that a bigger frame also meant a less agile runner, leading to more punishment absorbed.
How Zach Orr is figuring things out as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator, and other takeaways from OTAs
Jonas Shaffer, BaltimoreBanner.com
“I’ve got to calm myself down a little bit,” he joked Thursday. “Now, after a play, I celebrate, [but] now I’ve got to get ready for the next call. I can’t celebrate too hard. Previous years, I was just waiting to hear the call. Now everyone is looking at me, like, ‘What’s the call? What’s the call?’ So I’ve got to keep it mild-toned now. I’m definitely going to express my excitement when the time is right, but I definitely have to be aware of that. Things get moving quick, and you have to be planning ahead.”
“You definitely get more comfortable,” said Orr. “Coach Harbaugh does a great job of putting us in these game-like situations, even as play-callers and as coaches.”
“Everybody in this league is good, and if you’re not prepared and you’re not doing things the right way, you’ll lose and get your butt kicked by anybody in this league,” Orr recalled Harbaugh telling him recently. “So you respect the guys. … We respect the team, the quarterbacks, the coordinators that we’re going to face as a defense, but we honestly believe that if we prepare the right way, we play how we’re supposed to play, it’s not going to really matter who we’re playing or when we’re playing them.”
One reason each AFC team won’t make the playoffs in 2024
Gordon McGuinness, PFF
BALTIMORE RAVENS: NEW-LOOK OFFENSIVE LINE DOESN’T PAN OUT
The Ravens have handled offensive line shake-ups before, but it is hard to ignore the unit’s offseason departures. Right tackle Morgan Moses and right guard Kevin Zeitler both ranked inside the top 10 at their respective positions in PFF grade last season. That’s a lot to ask of rookie Roger Rosengarten and veteran Ben Cleveland, who will likely replace them. John Simpson, meanwhile, is easier to replace.