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Ravens training camp got off to an inauspicious start Sunday with quarterback Lamar Jackson absent for the first full team practice. Jackson, the reigning NFL Most Valuable Player, was sent home with an illness. He had been at practice earlier in the week with quarterbacks having reported on Monday. Last season, Jackson had career highs in passing yards and completion percentage and led Baltimore to the AFC championship game before becoming the youngest player at age 27 to be named MVP of the league twice. The Ravens will open their season Sept. 5 against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in a rematch of last year’s AFC title game at M&T Bank Stadium. This story will be updated. View the full article

A lot can, and likely will, happen between the start of Ravens training camp and the end of it just over a month from now. Injuries are inevitable. Some players who are expected to be significant contributors might struggle, while other, lesser-known ones could surprise and even shine. Decisions will have to be made, most notably about the three open starting offensive line jobs and the backup roles behind them. Questions also need answered at wide receiver and elsewhere on the roster. The coming days and weeks will be revelatory. On Aug. 27, NFL rosters need to be cut from 90 to 53 players. Here’s a look at how the Ravens’ final roster could end up looking: Quarterback (2) Lamar Jackson, Josh Johnson They key here is a rule change that allows a team’s No. 3 emergency quarterback on game days to come from the practice squad. There’s also no limit to the number of times said quarterback can be promoted. Last year, the Ravens carried three quarterbacks for most of the year, but with former backup Tyler Huntley now on the Cleveland Browns, the 38-year-old Johnson the clear No. 2 and the rule change, it seems unlikely Baltimore would burn an active roster spot on a third quarterback — unless sixth-round draft pick Devin Leary impresses in training camp. Running back (3) Derrick Henry, Justice Hill, Rasheen Ali Thanks to another rule change, teams can place up to two players on injured reserve who are designated to return when trimming their rosters to 53. Expect Keaton Mitchell, who suffered a torn ACL in mid-December, to be one of them, with his return not likely until later in the season. Meanwhile, Henry, the Ravens’ splashy free agent addition, will be the lead back, with Hill a nice change-of-pace option and dependable pass protector spelling him. Ali, a rookie fifth-rounder who struggled with fumbles at Marshall, will get a chance this summer to show off his speed and will need to hang onto the ball or risk the Ravens possibly turning to the veteran free agent market. Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers makes a catch during a drill at OTAs at the Under Armour Performance Center in May. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Wide receiver (6) Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor, Devontez Walker, Deonte Harty, Tylan Wallace This is the group that will have the most compelling battles this summer. The top three spots on the depth chart are set between Flowers, Bateman and Agholor. The same is probably true for the fourth spot with Walker, a rookie fourth-round pick with big-time vertical speed. After that is where things get interesting. Harty, a Baltimore native, has experience as a receiver and a returner. Wallace has been a special teams stalwart and delivered one of the biggest plays of last season with a game-winning punt return against the Los Angeles Rams. Second-year receiver Sean Ryan out of Rutgers spent last year on the practice squad and had a solid spring. Quarterback-turned-receiver Malik Cunningham is an intriguing possibility who has transitioned well so far. The Ravens kept six receivers last year and that will likely be the case again. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Shaq Barrett, Baltimore native and 2-time Super Bowl champion, retires Baltimore Ravens | Pressure? Ravens DT Justin Madubuike says ‘they haven’t seen nothing yet.’ Baltimore Ravens | Six things to watch at Ravens training camp, including Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and Zach Orr Baltimore Ravens | Ravens sign veteran safety Eddie Jackson to one-year deal, bolstering depth ahead of training camp Baltimore Ravens | 10 things to know about AFC North and rest of NFL as Ravens training camp begins Tight end/fullback (4) Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely, Charlie Kolar, Patrick Ricard The only question among this group is how often Baltimore will feature Andrews and Likely on the field at the same time. It will be worth watching, and the expectation is it will be more than last year, which wasn’t very often. Outside of quarterback, this is also the Ravens’ best position group. Offensive line (10) Ronnie Stanley, Tyler Linderbaum, Patrick Mekari, Roger Rosengarten, Andrew Vorhees, Josh Jones, Daniel Faalele, Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, Ben Cleveland, Nick Samac Baltimore is in good shape with a suddenly fit and spry Stanley at left tackle and Linderbaum, who was selected to the Pro Bowl last season, at center. Beyond that are question marks. Second-round pick Roger Rosengarten out of Washington could start at right tackle, or the Ravens could opt to go with Daniel Faalele or veteran Josh Jones, who has played every position except center in his career, if the rookie doesn’t look ready. Faalele is also in the mix at right guard, along with Aumavae-Laulu and Cleveland. Vorhees, meanwhile, has a shot at the starting left guard job after sitting out his rookie year because of a torn ACL during the 2023 scouting combine, but Jones could also factor in there. Samac, a seventh-round pick from Michigan State, figures to compete for a backup role at center in the wake of Sam Mustipher’s free agency departure. Mekari can play anywhere along the line, which is one of the reasons the Ravens would prefer to keep him in his usual rotational fill-in role. Defensive line (5) Justin Madubuike, Michael Pierce, Broderick Washington, Travis Jones, Brent Urban Much like the tight ends, this group is fairly set. The biggest question is whether Jones takes a big leap forward in terms of snaps and, therefore, production. The 2022 third-round pick has drawn praise for his steady improvement, but he’s played just 35% and 39% of the team’s defensive snaps, respectively, over his first two seasons. Otherwise, these five spots should be locks. Trenton Simpson is expected to move into a starting inside linebacker spot for the Ravens following Patrick Queen’s departure. (Amy Davis/Staff photo) Inside linebacker (4) Roquan Smith, Trenton Simpson, Malik Harrison, Chris Board Harrison can play outside or inside and gives the Ravens more depth, if needed, behind Simpson, who moves into a starting role with Patrick Queen now in Pittsburgh. Board essentially replaces Del’Shawn Phillips, last year’s leader in special teams snaps who played sparingly on defense. Josh Ross has appeared in only five games over his two seasons in Baltimore and only on special teams. Outside linebacker (5) Odafe Oweh, Kyle Van Noy, David Ojabo, Tavius Robinson, Adisa Isaac Health and production are two big concerns among this group. Ojabo is still working his way back from last year’s torn ACL. A hamstring injury suffered in rookie minicamp has landed Isaac, a third-round pick out of Penn State, on the non-football injury list. Oweh has just 13 sacks across three seasons and has never had more than five in a year. Van Noy is coming off a career-high nine sacks, but he turned 33 in March and no longer has Jadeveon Clowney (now with the Carolina Panthers) as a running mate on the outside. Malik Hamm has potential, but it’s a crowded room. Cornerback (7) Marlon Humphrey, Brandon Stephens, Nate Wiggins, Arthur Maulet, T.J. Tampa, Jalyn Armour-Davis, Damarion “Pepe” Williams Injuries always seem to be a concern among this group, which is why it’s likely Baltimore will again go with seven cornerbacks to begin the season. Williams played just one game last season and spent most of the year on injured reserve because of an ankle injury. Armour-Davis appeared in eight games but was sidelined with a hip injury. Ka’Dar Hollman and Tre Swilling could factor in, though Swilling got snaps at safety in the spring. Lamar Jackson’s cousin, Trayvon Mullen, who missed all of last season with a toe injury, figures to be a longshot to make the roster. Safety (4) Marcus Williams, Kyle Hamilton, Eddie Jackson, Ar’Darius Washington Jackson, a two-time Pro Bowl selection with the Chicago Bears who signed with the Ravens on Friday, figures to be the top option to replace Geno Stone as the third safety. Though Washington played in the slot last year before suffering a chest injury that kept him out for much of the season, his versatility and experience likely give him the edge over seventh-round rookie Sanoussi Kane and undrafted free agent and former Maryland and River Hill High standout Beau Brade. Special teams (3) Justin Tucker, Jordan Stout, Nick Moore Moore is back after suffering a torn Achilles tendon last summer. Tucker and Stout have the kicker and punter jobs locked down, so the only potential drama that exists revolves around the new kickoff rules and whether the Ravens will perhaps try Stout as a kickoff specialist. View the full article

MIAMI — Shaquil Barrett, a two-time Pro Bowl selection who was expected to log significant playing time for the Miami Dolphins while their two starting outside linebackers recover from injuries, delivered stunning news Saturday when he announced his retirement at age 31. His exit — three days before the start of training camp — leaves Miami without a healthy veteran outside linebacker on its roster. “It’s time for me to hang it up,” Barrett said in a statement on Instagram. “It’s been a great ride and I appreciate everything that came with it over the years. I’m ready to shift my full focus to my wife and kids and helping them realize [their] dreams and catch ’em. “Anyone who caught their dreams before know the work, time and consistency required to reach them. I’m ready to start building them skills up in my kids, which will take 100% commitment. [I know] to some it’ll be a surprise but I’ve been thinking about this for a while and the decision has never been more clear than it is now.” In April 2023, Barrett’s 2-year-old daughter, Arrayah, drowned in a swimming pool at the family’s home in the Beach Park neighborhood in south Tampa, Florida. Barrett and his wife, Jordanna, have three other children. A Baltimore native, Barrett played for the rec-league Charm City Buccaneers at Leon Day Park and later at City College until 2008, when he left to go to Boys Town High, a private boarding school in Omaha, Nebraska. He started his college career at Nebraska-Omaha, but the school dropped its football program after his freshman year, so he transferred to Colorado State. Barrett started three seasons for the Rams and recorded a Mountain West Conference-record 20 1/2 tackles for loss as a senior. “Growing up in Baltimore is an experience I wouldn’t take back or trade for anything,” he told The Baltimore Sun in February 2021. “It’s dog-eat-dog. You’ve got to grow up fast. When you’re in Baltimore, that’s normal, just part of the culture there. It makes you tough-skinned. … It makes you focus on yourself and not let too much outside criticism bring you down or too much outside positivity take you up. You’ve got to stay even-keeled through everything.” Even with Barrett, the Dolphins already were thin at outside linebacker because starters Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb are recovering from major injuries and will begin training camp on the physically unable to perform list. The Dolphins figure to be able to recoup Barrett’s $5.5 million signing bonus because he never played a down for the team after signing a one-year deal that could have been worth up to $9 million with incentives. Miami also could get back $7 million in cap space; the Dolphins currently have $12 million in cap space, per Over The Cap. Undrafted out of Colorado State, Barrett finished his career with 59 sacks, 22 forced fumbles, 400 tackles and 73 tackles for loss in nine seasons — the first five with the Broncos and the past four with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The two-time Super Bowl champion was a Pro Bowl selection in 2019 and 2021 and a second-team All Pro in 2019. He led the NFL with 19 1/2 sacks in 2019, his first with Tampa Bay after leaving Denver to sign a one-year deal with the Buccaneers. Barrett had 52 tackles (including three for loss) and 4 1/2 sacks, an interception and three forced fumbles in 16 games for Tampa Bay last season, all starts. Pro Football Focus ranked Barrett 42nd among 112 edge defenders last season. He played in only eight games in 2022 because of a torn Achilles tendon suffered in Week 8, but he had 10 sacks in 15 games 2021. After that season, he was ranked 86th by his fellow players on the NFL’s Top 100. He was released by Tampa Bay on Feb. 24, three years into a four-year, $72 million contract extension. Baltimore Sun staff contributed to this article. ©2024 Miami Herald. Visit miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. View the full article

Ravens middle linebacker Roquan Smith was fresh off trips to Paris, Barcelona and Germany because, in the words of Baltimore’s perhaps most curious mind, “why not.” Defensive lineman Justin Madubuike, meanwhile, chose to stick with a more familiar environ, opting for a gym in Atlanta, where he trained alongside outside linebackers Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo, among others. The offseason is over now, though. Veterans reported to Owings Mills on Saturday for training camp ahead of Baltimore’s first full-team practice set for Sunday afternoon. Last season, the Ravens’ defense became the first in the modern era to lead the league in sacks, takeaways and points allowed per game, so what could they do for an encore? “I think we can be better,” Smith said. “It starts in training camp, day in and day out. Everybody’s excited early on and I know we got the mindset of guys pushing through adversity when we face that, but I love the pieces that we have here.” None might be more important than Madubuike. The 2020 third-round draft pick out of Texas A&M, who has steadily improved in each of his first four seasons in the NFL, is used to applying pressure. His 13 sacks last season led all interior linemen in the league. But now, he’s the one facing it. That’s the string attached to the four-year, $98 million contract extension he signed in the offseason. The deal makes him the third-highest paid player at his position, behind only Kansas City Chiefs star Chris Jones and 2019 13th overall pick Christian Wilkins, who signed with the Las Vegas Raiders in the offseason. Los Angeles Rams superstar Aaron Donald, the gold standard for interior linemen, retired in March. The weight of such a hefty contract isn’t lost on Madubuike. “Teams are gonna definitely be blocking me different … they’re gonna try to slow me down,” the 26-year-old said. “So you could say pressure in terms of pressure from myself, to stay polished and stay focused and stay better than last year. That’s the only pressure I feel.” It’s why Madubuike spent the offseason working on what he called the “little pebbles” that add up over the course of a long season, particularly when the expectation is the Super Bowl. He didn’t get specific on his goals, other than to say that he expects to reach double digits in sacks again after tallying one, two and 5 1/2 his first three seasons, respectively, before a breakout 2023 that landed him his first Pro Bowl selection. Most important, he said, are focusing on sleep, nutrition, staying in shape, having a high motor and “just focusing on ways to not get tired.” Evidence from the Ravens’ final two games of last season — a 34-10 divisional round playoff rout of the Houston Texans, followed by a 17-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game at M&T Bank Stadium — suggests he was anything but, however. Against the Texans, Madubuike wreaked havoc with seven pressures and two run stops while receiving an 81.7 pass rush grade from Pro Football Focus. The following week against the Chiefs, he had six pressures and a sack, becoming the first player in last season’s playoffs to take down eventual Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Patrick Mahomes. The sack came early in the fourth quarter with Baltimore trailing 17-7 and the Chiefs barreling down the field toward more potential points. But Madubuike’s play helped lead to a punt. Still, the Ravens lost, while the Chiefs went on to win the Super Bowl for a second year in a row. The defeat lingered, but now a new opportunity awaits. “After those performances, even though I played well I just had it [in my mind], they haven’t seen nothing yet,” Madubuike said. “I can be better. I can be stronger. I can be faster.” After several departures on defense, he might have to be. Gone are outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney (Carolina Panthers), inside linebacker Patrick Queen (Pittsburgh Steelers) and third safety Geno Stone (Cincinnati Bengals), last year’s interceptions leader in the AFC, among others. Questions linger about where else on the defense Baltimore’s pass rush and disruption might come from. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Six things to watch at Ravens training camp, including Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and Zach Orr Baltimore Ravens | Ravens sign veteran safety Eddie Jackson to one-year deal, bolstering depth ahead of training camp Baltimore Ravens | 10 things to know about AFC North and rest of NFL as Ravens training camp begins Baltimore Ravens | Attman’s owner says Jewish deli dropped from M&T Bank Stadium lineup Baltimore Ravens | As Baltimore’s Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum turns 50, it shifts focus to the future Meanwhile, former defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald is now the coach of the Seattle Seahawks and former defensive line coach Anthony Weaver the Miami Dolphins’ defensive coordinator. Former inside linebackers coach Zach Orr replaced Macdonald, but the 32-year-old is the second-youngest defensive coordinator in the NFL and will be calling plays for the first time. It perhaps helps, though, that Orr is already plenty familiar with Madubuike. After Baltimore lost to the Bengals in the wild-card round to end the 2022 season, Orr told the defensive tackle, “You’re going to be an All-Pro. I can see it. I can feel it.” Madubuike hasn’t forgotten that conversation. And in Donald, a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and eight-time All-Pro, including last year, Madubuike also sees inspiration. “When I came in as a rookie, I wanted to be not ‘like him,’ but play like him in the sense of just being great and being a known player in this league,” he said. “It added that focus. “I guess you could say year after year after year, I’ve gotten better, and it’s been working. I have a long way to go to even be mentioned in the same sentence as him in terms of play, but I’m determined and willing.” View the full article

The Ravens’ summer vacation is almost over. This year, Baltimore rookies reported for their first day of training camp July 13, the earliest of any team in the NFL. Lamar Jackson and the team’s three other quarterbacks, along with any injured veterans, reported Monday. The rest of the roster will report Saturday, with only the Houston Texans and Chicago Bears opening camp earlier. While there’s nothing glamorous about the hot summer days in Owings Mills, they are the foundation for the season ahead and will provide, at the very least, glimpses of the possibilities to come. Over the coming weeks, training camp will lend insight on, among other things, how new running back Derrick Henry will fit into the fold, what new defensive coordinator Zach Orr’s defense will look like in the wake of Mike Macdonald’s departure to the Seattle Seahawks and who will emerge to fill the three open starting spots on the offensive line. As players get back to work, here’s a look at what to watch for as training camp kicks off. What will the second year of Todd Monken’s scheme look like for Lamar Jackson and the rest of the offense? Last season, Jackson threw for a career-high 3,678 yards and completed a career-best 67.2% of his passes, leading Baltimore to an NFL-best 13-4 record in the regular season. Jackson won his second league Most Valuable Player Award, becoming the youngest player to do it twice. Still, the offense was wildly inconsistent, particularly early in the season. “We want to streamline, [and] we want to make it better for all of our players — Lamar especially — and we want to streamline it in a way that we become a more consistent offense,” Monken said during the offseason. “We have to work to start faster. That’s inevitable, but Year Two, we should be able to do that.” Baltimore was fourth in the NFL last season in first-half points per game (14.6), but to Monken’s point, in six of those games the Ravens scored 10 or fewer points over the first 30 minutes. Meanwhile, expect Jackson to have even more input and control within the offense, something that was expanded on last year and will be a point of emphasis again. How will that manifest? “Just being able to change extra plays and stuff like that,” Jackson said. “From us watching film and getting into games, teams changing things up on us, we just want to add extra layers to all of our calls.” That includes some nuance to Jackson’s cadence, which has been another point of emphasis during the offseason. How will they overcome all the coaching departures? Perhaps one of the more overlooked changes, or at least one that’s difficult to quantify for now, is the significant amount of turnover on coach John Harbaugh’s staff. Beyond losing Macdonald, defensive line coach Anthony Weaver left to become the Miami Dolphins’ defensive coordinator, defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson was named the Tennessee Titans’ defensive coordinator and assistant offensive line coach Mike Devlin bolted to become the offensive line coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. Orr, meanwhile, was promoted from his role as inside linebackers coach, while assistant quarterbacks coach Kerry Dickson and assistant T.J. Weist are both gone, among other moves. That’s a lot of change, though some of it wasn’t unexpected given the Ravens’ success last year, and it’s something Harbaugh is used to over his 16 seasons at the helm. It’s also an area of impact that’s difficult to measure at this point and will remain that way until games are played. On the upside for Baltimore, there is at least some continuity with Orr, Monken, longtime offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris, tight ends coach George Godsey, wide receivers coach Greg Lewis and quarterbacks coach Tee Martin all back. Running back Derrick Henry enters a Ravens offense that runs more often out of shotgun and pistol formations than his previous team, the Titans. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Can Derrick Henry be as impactful at age 30 and out of the shotgun? Even at an advanced age for a running back, Henry has showed only minimal signs of slowing down. His 1,167 rushing yards last season with the Titans were his fewest in a full season since 2018 and his 4.2 yards per carry was his lowest mark since 2017, but he was also operating behind one of the league’s worst offensive lines. He was also the focal point of Tennessee’s offense for a long time with few other stars surrounding him during his eight seasons there. That won’t be the case alongside Jackson and a plethora of other options, including tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely and second-year wide receiver Zay Flowers. Surprisingly, there was at least a tinge of concern initially about Henry operating out of a much more shotgun heavy scheme after playing with a quarterback mostly under center during his career. “Watching the film in Tennessee, that was a concern,” Ravens running backs coach Willie Taggart said. “Like, ‘We’re in the [shotgun], and we run from the gun, and how would Derrick be in it?’ And I’m not going to lie, I questioned that, until he got here, and [I saw] the big man move his feet, and I’m like, ‘Woah.’ It’s really impressive for a guy that size to move the way he does. And he’s got, not necessarily Zay Flowers’ feet, but from a big guy, he’s pretty swifty on his feet and [has] great vision and all. But seeing him do it from the gun, I don’t have any … I don’t think we’ll have any problem doing it. “And, we’ll also be under center.” Will the Ravens feature more two tight end sets? With Andrews and Likely, Baltimore has one of the better tight end duos in the league. The Ravens also led the NFL in expected points added per play when passing from 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends) last season despite Andrews, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, missing seven games because of injuries and the two not often being on the field at the same time. While there’s not a lot to glean from spring practices during organized team activities and minicamp, Andrews and Likely did see a healthy number of targets, perhaps a harbinger of this fall. Having both of them on the field at the same time more often, along with Henry in the backfield, should present problems for defenses — namely forcing opponents to choose between using an extra defensive back to match up with the two tight ends, or a linebacker to deal with Henry. The former could be a boon for the four-time Pro Bowl back and in turn the Ravens’ rushing attack, which vanished against the Chiefs in the AFC championship game. Which rookies will have the biggest impact? The expectation for first-round draft pick Nate Wiggins is to be an immediate contributor. Still, there’s no guarantee that the speedy cornerback will be automatically plugged in as a starter on the outside. For one, the Ravens have a proven duo in Brandon Stephens and Marlon Humphrey, who, if fully healthy, could bounce back from an injury-hampered season. For another, it’s a crowded room that includes positional versatility and depth — at least for now. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens sign veteran safety Eddie Jackson to one-year deal, bolstering depth ahead of training camp Baltimore Ravens | 10 things to know about AFC North and rest of NFL as Ravens training camp begins Baltimore Ravens | Attman’s owner says Jewish deli dropped from M&T Bank Stadium lineup Baltimore Ravens | As Baltimore’s Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum turns 50, it shifts focus to the future Baltimore Ravens | 5 free agents Ravens could still target, including former Steelers pass rusher Beyond Wiggins, the most intriguing rookies are second-round offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten, third-round outside linebacker Adisa Isaac, fourth-round receiver Devontez Walker and fifth-round running back Rasheen Ali. The hope internally is that D’Alessandris can plug Rosengarten in at the open right tackle spot and not worry about him, much the way he did with Tyler Linderbaum at center. Isaac, who suffered a hamstring “tweak” that kept him out of spring practice, would be a boost to a group that needs one if he’s able top produce. Ali is a smooth and speedy back who could spell Henry and Justice Hill, particularly with Keaton Mitchell’s timetable for return from a torn ACL still unclear, as well as contribute on special teams. Walker, meanwhile, gives Jackson another downfield threat with good size. Who else will the Ravens add? Last year, the additions of outside linebackers Jadeveon Clowney and later Kyle Van Noy paid tremendous dividends for the Ravens, who have a history of adding veteran players late in camp or beyond. With question marks once again surrounding Baltimore’s pass rushers, there’s a good chance general manager Eric DeCosta will look to bolster that group again. The Ravens already dipped into the veteran safety market, signing former All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowl selection Eddie Jackson to a one-year deal on Friday. Jackson, who spent his first seven seasons with the Chicago Bears, gives the Ravens depth and will likely be part of three-safety looks alongside All-Pro Kyle Hamilton and veteran Marcus Williams. View the full article

The Ravens agreed to a one-year deal with free agent safety Eddie Jackson, the team announced Friday afternoon. Jackson, 30, spent his first seven seasons with the Chicago Bears, where he played with current Ravens middle linebacker Roquan Smith. Jackson’s best season came in 2018, when he collected six interceptions and was named a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection. He followed that with two interceptions and another Pro Bowl nod in 2019. After two seasons without an interception, the veteran had a resurgent 2022 with four picks and two forced fumbles. However, injuries have hampered him since. Jackson played just 12 games in each of the past two seasons while battling a foot injury. A 2017 fourth-round draft pick after a standout career at Alabama, Jackson recorded 32 tackles, one interception and five passes defended in 2023, but was released by the Bears in February in a cost-cutting move. The Ravens hope Jackson adds quality depth at safety after the departure of Geno Stone, who signed a two-year, $14 million contract with the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason after leading the AFC with seven interceptions. Baltimore has one of the league’s top safety tandems in All-Pro Kyle Hamilton and veteran Marcus Williams, but the defense likes to use a lot of three-safety looks. Williams has also struggled with injuries over the past two seasons, appearing in just 21 of 34 regular-season games after signing a five-year, $70 million free agent deal in March 2022. This story might be updated. View the full article

Last season, the AFC North was the only division to have three teams make the playoffs as well as the only one to have three teams win at least 10 games. That of course included the Ravens, who finished an NFL-best 13-4 during the regular season and reached the AFC championship game for the first time in more than a decade. Quarterback Lamar Jackson was also named NFL Most Valuable Player, becoming, at age 27, the youngest to win the award twice in the modern era. So what’s new for Baltimore and the rest of the AFC North in 2024? In a word, plenty. Former Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald is now the coach of the Seattle Seahawks, with former inside linebackers coach Zach Orr promoted to fill his vacancy, among a slew of other assistant coaching and front office changes. There was a mass exodus of free agents from Baltimore, including inside linebacker Patrick Queen, outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney and safety Geno Stone. But the Ravens also added four-time Pro Bowl running back and two-time NFL rushing champ Derrick Henry and signed star defensive tackle Justin Madubuike to a long-term extension. And the rest of the division perhaps got even better with the Pittsburgh Steelers adding quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, quarterback Joe Burrow healthy again for the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson and running back Nick Chubb also returning from season-ending injuries. Around the league, Ravens coach John Harbaugh’s younger brother Jim returned, taking over as coach of the Los Angeles Chargers after leading Michigan to a national championship; the Kansas City Chiefs, who beat the Ravens in the AFC title game en route to winning a second straight Super Bowl, are favored to become the first time to three-peat; and future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers is healthy after tearing his Achilles tendon four snaps into his first New York Jets season. Put another way, for the Ravens to once again contend for the Super Bowl, they’ll need to navigate not just a loaded division and stacked conference, but one of the league’s most difficult and quirkiest schedules. With training camp upon us, here are the five biggest things to keep an eye on in the AFC North this season, plus five more things to know about the rest of the NFL. Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is ‘going to give people something to talk about’ First it was a strained right calf on the second day of training camp that continued to linger, then torn ligaments in the quarterback’s throwing wrist in a Week 11 loss to the Ravens that ended his season. Over the first four years of Burrow’s career, Cincinnati reached the Super Bowl and played in two AFC championship games. But injuries to the 2020 No. 1 overall pick — knee, calf and wrist — have also become part of his narrative. Bengals Burrow FootballMatt Rourke/APBengals quarterback Joe Burrow told the “Pardon My Take” podcast recently, “I’m going to give people something to talk about this year.” (Matt Rourke/AP) That prompted the Bengals to improve the protection around their $275 million investment, and the quarterback to figure out how to remain on the field. On the first point, they signed 2019 Pro Bowl offensive tackle Trent Brown to replace Jonah Williams and selected highly touted tackle Amarius Mims out of Georgia with the 18th overall pick of the NFL draft. Mims, who has injury questions himself, adds depth to a line that includes ex-Raven and former Pro Bowl left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. Cincinnati also replaced running back Joe Mixon with Zack Moss, who had 794 yards and five touchdowns on 183 carries for the Indianapolis Colts while filling in for the injured Jonathan Taylor last season. Mixon topped 1,000 yards four of his seven seasons in Cincinnati, including last year, but Moss, 26, is younger and a better pass blocker. On defense, the Bengals signed 30-year-old tackle Sheldon Rankins, who replaces D.J. Reader, to pair with star pass rusher Tre Hendrickson (career-best 17 1/2 sacks in 2023) and dependable end Sam Hubbard (six sacks). In the secondary, they snatched up former Ravens safety Geno Stone, whose seven interceptions last year topped the AFC, brought back safety Vonn Bell and are expected to move 2022 first-round pick Dax Hill from safety to cornerback. As for Burrow, he seems particularly motivated, telling the “Pardon My Take” podcast recently, “I’m going to give people something to talk about this year.” Ravens vs. BrownsKarl Merton Ferron/Baltimore SunBrowns quarterback Deshaun Watson grimaces as Ravens defensive tackle Justin Madubuike twists him down for a sack. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Will Deshaun Watson be healthy enough to finally deliver on the Browns’ investment? Watson is entering his third year in Cleveland and hasn’t come close to fulfilling his end of the massive five-year, $230 million guaranteed contract the Browns inexplicably signed him to after trading for the maligned quarterback. He’s also coming off surgery to repair a fractured glenoid — the socket of the shoulder joint’s ball-and-socket structure — in this throwing arm, an injury he suffered (or at least worsened) in Cleveland’s dramatic 33-31 comeback win over the Ravens in Baltimore last November. With Joe Flacco now with the Colts following his fairytale stint in leading the Browns to the playoffs and being named the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year, Cleveland added veteran Jameis Winston and former Ravens backup Tyler Huntley, but neither of them makes the Browns a serious threat. Meanwhile, Chubb is also coming off surgery after tearing his ACL and MCL last September. Jerome Ford filled in adequately, averaging 4 yards per carry and rushing for 813 yards, but the offense will be better with Chubb, wide receivers Amari Cooper and newly acquired Jerry Jeudy and tight end David Njoku, who broke out last season with 81 catches for 882 yards and six touchdowns. All six starters return on the offensive line, while the offense also gets a new coordinator in Ken Dorsey, who comes over after being fired from the Buffalo Bills following a 5-5 start last season. Cleveland’s defense will be its strong suit, however, with reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett, fellow edge rusher and three-time Pro Bowl selection Za’Darius Smith and the addition of veteran linebacker Jordan Hicks. Cornerbacks Denzel Ward, Martin Emerson Jr. and Greg Newsome might be the best trio in the league. New Steelers quarterbacks Russell Wilson, left, and Justin Fields have plenty to prove. (Joe Sargent/Getty) Who will start at quarterback in Pittsburgh? Out is 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett after just two unremarkable seasons in Pittsburgh and in are Wilson and Fields, a pair of cast-offs each hoping to have a renaissance in the Steel City. Who starts remains to be seen, but Pittsburgh gets a quarterback in Wilson with plenty of experience and past success who has won a Super Bowl and been selected to the Pro Bowl nine times. While he was a bust after getting traded from the Seahawks to the Denver Broncos in 2022, it’s possible that Denver and coach Sean Payton was simply a bad fit. Then there’s Fields, the former 2021 No. 11 overall pick whose career with the Chicago Bears lasted just three seasons before he was traded to the Steelers in exchange for a sixth-round pick. Like the Browns, the Steelers have a new offensive coordinator in former Atlanta Falcons coach Arthur Smith, who hopes to add some sizzle to a Pittsburgh offense that ranked in the bottom quarter of the league in total yards in 2023. The continued growth of wide receiver George Pickens, who had 63 catches for 1,140 yards and five touchdowns last season, along with talented young tight end Pat Freiermuth should help. Third-round pick Roman Wilson out of Michigan could also be an immediate contributor in the slot. But the biggest difference could come on defense with the signing of former Ravens inside linebacker and 2023 Pro Bowl selection Patrick Queen. Queen joins a defense that already includes star edge rushers T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, who improved in pass coverage last season, and safety DeShon Elliott, who spent the past five years with the Miami Dolphins. Pairing Elliott with safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and second-year cornerback Joey Porter Jr. should give the Steelers an improved secondary. Some things remain the same in Pittsburgh, however — notably a good offensive line that should be bolstered with the drafting of left tackle Troy Fautanu in the first round and center Zach Frazier in the second. Around the rest of the NFL 1. The Chargers will have a distinctly Ravens feel this year. In addition to Jim Harbaugh, they hired ex-Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman, signed former Baltimore running backs Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins, poached assistant offensive line coach Mike Devlin and plucked former director of player personnel Joe Hortiz to be their general manager. It’s no wonder the teams will meet on “Monday Night Football” at SoFi Stadium on Nov. 25. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Attman’s owner says Jewish deli dropped from M&T Bank Stadium lineup Baltimore Ravens | As Baltimore’s Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum turns 50, it shifts focus to the future Baltimore Ravens | 5 free agents Ravens could still target, including former Steelers pass rusher Baltimore Ravens | Ravens position group rankings: Questions surround offensive line, wide receivers Baltimore Ravens | Ravens rookies T.J. Tampa, Adisa Isaac could miss start of training camp 2. Last year, the Chiefs, Ravens, Texans, Bills, Browns, Dolphins and Steelers all made the playoffs. All those teams should be in the mix again, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Jets, who get Rodgers back. At age 40 (he’ll turn 41 in December), there are rightful questions as to whether he can last a full season and perform at his previously high level. But if Rodgers can stay healthy, it’s hard imagining the Jets not being a threat, particularly given their stout defense. Expectations are high for an organization that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2010. 3. In addition to the NFL’s drastic new kickoff rules, the league’s banning of the swivel hip-drop tackle will also go into effect. While the former will be an interesting watch in terms of strategy and execution, the latter is a judgement call that undoubtedly will cause all sorts of consternation among coaches and fans, especially early in the season. Yet plenty of coaches were happy to see it outlawed, including the Ravens after tight end Mark Andrews suffered an ankle injury on such a tackle that knocked him out of the final six games of the regular season and the divisional round of the playoffs. 4. Are the Texans the NFL’s next elite team? Quarterback C.J. Stroud was last year’s NFL Rookie of the Year, while DeMeco Ryans finished second for Coach of the Year. They added All-Pro wide receiver Stefon Diggs, Mixon, four-time Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter and veteran end Denico Autry and talented young linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair. That makes them the first team to acquire players who respectively had 10-plus sacks, 1,000-plus rushing yards and 100-plus receptions, according to NFL Research. The Ravens-Texans game could be a preview of this year’s AFC championship game and would be a rematch of last season’s divisional round matchup in which Houston gave Baltimore fits for the first 30 minutes. 5. But can anyone dethrone the Chiefs? No team has ever won three straight Super Bowls, but Kansas City should be even better this year with more speed on offense thanks to the additions of one-time Ravens receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and rookie Xavier Worthy, whose time of 4.21 seconds in the 40-yard dash set the NFL scouting combine record. They also of course still have quarterback Patrick Mahomes, coach Andy Reid and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, as if anyone needed a reminder of what is the NFL’s current dynasty. View the full article

Corned beef sandwiches and hot dogs with bologna from Attman’s Delicatessen won’t be on the menu for Ravens fans at M&T Bank Stadium this fall, owner Marc Attman said he learned earlier this week. When he called to inquire about plans for the upcoming football season on Monday, Attman said, a representative of Levy Restaurants — the new Chicago-based concessionaire at M&T Bank Stadium this year — informed him that his Jewish deli wasn’t being asked to return. “Did we do something wrong?” Attman asked. Disappointed, he said he hadn’t been told the news before his call. “My business is a part of Baltimore.” Attman’s, which got its start in Charm City more than 100 years ago, opened a new eatery in Harbor Point earlier this year. In addition to its East Lombard Street and Potomac locations, the deli had operated out of a booth in Section 119 of M&T Bank Stadium for the past decade. There, Attman said he had a year-to-year contract and intended to stay for more years to come after his booth was recently revamped. But sweeping change for the stadium came this spring, when the Ravens announced in March that the team would be parting ways with longtime concessions partner Aramark to start a new venture with Levy, which already manages concessions for Oriole Park at Camden Yards and the Baltimore Convention Center, and was approved for a liquor license at M&T Bank Stadium last week. “As is customary in all sports and entertainment venues, vendors and offerings are consistently evaluated, and new concepts and menus are introduced on a yearly basis,” Levy wrote in a statement in response to questions about the fate of Attman’s Delicatessen and what might replace it. “We’re committed to creating a first-class and memorable experience for fans, and ensuring variety of our food and beverage offerings is a big part of that promise. We will continue to evolve our offerings each year to make game days as enjoyable and delicious as possible.” Attman said he’s heard that a chicken restaurant could take his spot in the stadium. The former deli outpost meant extra paychecks for his employees and a chance to work with the organization Caring For Young Minds. “My employees … got screwed. And truthfully, I got a little screwed. And I’m not going to really be upset, but I am very disappointed that this happens. I’m just a small guy,” he said. “I think the fans will miss us, absolutely.” View the full article

The Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum is a short walk from Camden Yards along a path of baseballs painted on the sidewalk. The trail leads visitors from the gates of the Orioles’ ballpark to the doorstep of the institution, tucked away in the cobblestone streets of Pigtown and surrounded by lines of rowhouses. The quaint and historic building where perhaps the greatest baseball player ever was born has been a constant in the Baltimore sports ecosystem for a half-century. It’s served as home to some of the area’s most valuable sports artifacts, drawing out-of-town and local fans alike. Museum directors say they want it to be more. The Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum will celebrate its 50th anniversary Friday, a chance to honor its past and look to the future. The nonprofit museum has faced challenges with expansion before, and Executive Director Shawn Herne and Director Emeritus Michael Gibbons say it faces new problems now. But with innovative plans on the horizon that won’t sacrifice its history, the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum aims to further cement itself as a Baltimore staple. “Most of us relied on that fifth grade field trip,” Herne said of cultural attractions. “They don’t happen anymore. Museums are going to have to adapt. They’re going to have to change or they’re going to go out of business.” The museum will unveil a new display at its Emory Street location for its anniversary. Among the artifacts that will be shown are the trophy Ruth received for his Player of the Century Award, a program from the game in which he hit his last home run, and a note from an opposing player who got a hit off Ruth as a rookie. The last two of those have never been on display. The museum will also host a lunch Sept. 12 featuring “VIP speakers,” Gibbons said. It plans to debut a film on Ruth’s 1914 rookie season later this year, among other celebrations that will extend into the fall and beyond. “We are scheduling events to run all the way through 2025,” said Gibbons, who’s worked for the museum since 1982. The 50th anniversary comes almost a decade after the closing of the Sports Legends Museum, an extension of the Babe Ruth museum that sat just outside Camden Yards in the former Camden Station. The museum closed the location in 2015 after it was unable to reach an agreement on a new lease with the Maryland Stadium Authority. The Babe Ruth Birthplace houses most of what was once at the Sports Legends site, and that space has been vacant since. But the museum is renewing efforts to expand. “Our mission now is to find a new location,” Gibbons said. Mike Gibbons shows off former Orioles manager Earl Weaver’s 1996 National Baseball Hall of Fame ring in the archives. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Ambitions for a new location are high. With it, Gibbons and Herne aim to make a space they hope will transform how people view museums. Among the plans are QR codes to show visitors video and audio to accompany displays. Holograms would talk to passersby. Indoor batting cages are being discussed, with an overall focus on immersion and interaction, rather than an expectation that visitors will continually stop to read display panels. Some of those improvements could be seen soon in the Babe Ruth museum, they said. “We would have artifacts and we would have displays in there, but there would be much more to do,” Herne said. “That means new technologies. That means looking at preservation in a different way, looking at education in a different way.” Related Articles Sports | UMBC baseball’s Luke Johnson aspiring to validate draft selection by Washington Nationals Sports | Festival with a ‘series of events’ to promote 150th Preakness Stakes Sports | 5 free agents Ravens could still target, including former Steelers pass rusher Sports | All-Star Game underscores importance for Orioles to keep their stars | ANALYSIS Sports | Severn, St. Mary’s hire new boys lacrosse coaches A new site would store most of the collection of memorabilia from the Ravens, the Orioles, the University of Maryland and other local teams, while the original location would retain mostly Ruth-centric exhibits. Other possible additions include featuring more stories of women in the local sports scene, like Orioles head groundskeeper Nicole Sherry, public address announcer Adrienne Roberson, broadcaster Melanie Newman and Camden Yards architect Janet Marie Smith. The museum won’t stray far from its roots — it’ll continue to be at the forefront of research on Ruth’s career. Said Herne: “We’re learning stuff about him to this day.” Those lofty aspirations aren’t without their challenges. The museum’s directors are only in the early stages of identifying a location and planning what the space will look like. And they say they face obstacles drawing visitors from the Greater Baltimore area because of news coverage about city crime. “The news is always bad about Baltimore. It’s all bad all the time,” Herne said. “I don’t have a problem attracting visitors from New Jersey or Virginia. I have problems attracting visitors from Towson, Bel Air and Westminster. For us, it’s finding ways to bring people back downtown and convince them it’s safe to come downtown.” Gibbons said “much of the planning and funding strategies will be tied to the location of the project.” “Once a location is determined, we can develop an exhibit design plan and operating budget,” he said. “We are confident that our vision to create an interactive, STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering and Math]-intensive attraction will draw good support from the community.” Gibbons and Herne combine for more than six decades of experience at the museum. They’ve watched it grow, struggle and overcome across its 50 years in Baltimore. A new site, one they say can be the future of museums, is now the focus. They know they must evolve. “We’re hesitant to call it a museum because we don’t want to create a traditional museum,” Herne said. “We want to create something that is experiential.” Mike Gibbons, director emeritus of the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum, looks over an exhibit of Orioles memorabilia. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Shawn Herne, executive director of the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum, near a model of Yankee Stadium. The museum is celebrating its 50-year anniversary beginning on July 29 and continuing until 2025. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Mark Belanger’s Gold Glove, and Al Bumbry’s Silver Glove awards in the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum archives. The museum will celebrate its 50-year anniversary starting July 29 and continuing 2025. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Mike Gibbons, director emeritus of the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum, near an exhibit of Babe Ruth’s records. Gibbons says changes to the exhibit will have to be made after Major League Baseball added the statistics of former Negro Leagues players into its historical record. The museum will celebrate its 50-year anniversary starting July 29 and continuing 2025. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Mike Gibbons, director emeritus of the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum, shows some of the archived items that will be put on display for the museum’s 50-year anniversary celebration on Friday. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Mike Gibbons, director emeritus of the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum, holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy won by the Baltimore Colts in 1971 in the archives. This is one of several items that will be put on display for the museum’s 50-year anniversary celebration on July 29. Events commemorating the anniversary will continue until 2025. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Show Caption of Expand View the full article

The Ravens don’t have much money to spend. Baltimore currently has just over $5.9 million in salary cap space, according to Over The Cap — only the Atlanta Falcons ($3.47 million) have less. That doesn’t give Baltimore room to sign more than two or three players, but one doesn’t have dig deep into the memory bank to recall the bargains they got last year in signing Jadeveon Clowney at the end of training camp and Kyle Van Noy in late September in the wake of injuries to young outside linebackers David Ojabo and Odafe Oweh. Clowney and Van Noy combined for 18 1/2 sacks and were key contributors to the first defense in the modern era to lead the NFL in sacks, takeaways and points allowed per game. Both were one-year deals, with Clowney getting $2.5 million and Van Noy $1.5 million — incredible bang for the Ravens’ buck. Likewise, Baltimore last summer signed cornerbacks Ronald Darby for $3.2 million and Arthur Maulet for just over $1 million and they, too, were significant contributors. Clowney, 31, parlayed his success into a two-year, $20 million deal with the Carolina Panthers earlier this year, while Van Noy, 33, returned to the Ravens on a two-year deal worth up to $9 million. Darby, meanwhile, went on to sign a two-year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars worth up to $10 million, and Maulet returned to Baltimore on a two-year deal worth $4 million. Will Baltimore hit the jackpot again this offseason? It’s difficult to predict and even harder to replicate, but there are several veteran free agents still available, including some at positions of need for the Ravens, so expect general manager Eric DeCosta to be prudent. Here’s a look at five players the Ravens could still target. Adrian Amos, safety Amos visited Baltimore last offseason before signing with the New York Jets in the wake of a season-ending injury to former Ravens starter Chuck Clark. Released in December before being picked up by the Houston Texans, the Baltimore native is available again and, at age 31, would provide veteran depth behind starters Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams. Last year, the former Calvert Hall and Penn State standout played in 16 games (11 with the Jets, five with the Texans) and had 28 tackles while playing a role on special teams. He also signed for just over $1.1 million last season, so he would be affordable. Former Broncos safety Justin Simmons is a two-time Pro Bowl selection with 30 career interceptions. (David Zalubowski/AP) Justin Simmons, safety Simmons is a two-time Pro Bowl selection with 30 career interceptions who also shared the NFL lead in picks with six in 12 games in 2022. Put another way, that probably makes the former Denver Broncos star too expensive for Baltimore. His last deal in Denver in 2021 was for four years and $61 million, and while he won’t fetch anywhere near that number, a team such as the Philadelphia Eagles, which he has been linked to, has the money to land him with more than $25 million in cap space. Still, Simmons is probably the best free agent safety on the market and would be an enormous addition to a Ravens defensive backfield that likes to use a lot of three-safety looks and already includes what should be one of the best safety duos in the NFL in Hamilton and Williams. Markus Golden, outside linebacker Just three years ago, Golden had 11 sacks for the Arizona Cardinals. He spent last season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, where he played behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith but still managed four sacks, six tackles for loss and 10 quarterback hits in 230 snaps. The nine-year veteran turned 33 in March, but he would give the Ravens another veteran presence alongside Van Noy and a solid edge setter against the run. He’s also cap friendly, with the expectation that he’ll sign a similar contract to the $1.3 million deal he received last season. The Ravens are also familiar with Golden, given that he played for Pittsburgh and recovered a fumble against Baltimore in the 2023 regular-season finale. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | As Baltimore’s Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum turns 50, it shifts focus to the future Baltimore Ravens | Ravens position group rankings: Questions surround offensive line, wide receivers Baltimore Ravens | Ravens rookies T.J. Tampa, Adisa Isaac could miss start of training camp Baltimore Ravens | The best of Jacoby Jones’ Ravens career, from the ‘Mile High Miracle’ to ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Jacoby Jones is one of the best characters in Ravens history | COMMENTARY Zach Cunningham, inside linebacker Though the Ravens know what they have in All-Pro Roquan Smith and are confident in second-year inside linebacker Trenton Simpson, Cunningham, a seven-year veteran, would provide depth to a position that could use some, particularly with Simpson stepping in for the departed Patrick Queen. Cunningham, 29, spent last season with the Eagles, recording 85 tackles, four passes defended and a fumble recovery in 13 games, including 10 starts. Dalvin Cook, running back Speaking of familiarity, Cook spent the last couple of weeks with the Ravens last season after they signed him in mid-January. While Derrick Henry was Baltimore’s big free agent splash of the offseason, Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins signed with the Los Angels Chargers and Keaton Mitchell is still recovering from a torn ACL suffered in mid-December, opening the door for another running back to handle some carries. Entering his age 29 season, Cook is merely a spot contributor at best at this point, but he seemed to enjoy his brief stint in Baltimore and would provide some insurance behind Henry, Hill and possibly rookie Rasheen Ali. View the full article

It’s been an offseason of change for the Ravens. A free agent exodus. A coaching staff that was plundered. Those are the prices of success, with Baltimore coming off a year in which it boasted the NFL’s best regular-season record and got within a game of reaching the Super Bowl before falling flat against the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game at M&T Bank Stadium. Gone are longtime running backs Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins. Three-fifths of the starting offensive line, including popular and reliable veteran Kevin Zeitler, are elsewhere. The defense, meanwhile, saw coordinator Mike Macdonald become the Seattle Seahawks’ coach, inside linebacker Patrick Queen sign with the rival Pittsburgh Steelers, outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney land a huge deal with the Carolina Panthers and safety Geno Stone, who was second in the NFL with seven interceptions, depart for another division rival in the Cincinnati Bengals. Yet, there is plenty of familiarity and promise, namely quarterback Lamar Jackson and second-year wide receiver Zay Flowers, along with All-Pro caliber players at every level of the defense with tackle Justin Madubuike, inside linebacker Roquan Smith and safety Kyle Hamilton. There are still some questions that need to be answered in the weeks and months ahead, but the Ravens have one of the best rosters top to bottom in the NFL. Here’s how each position group stacks up, from weakest to strongest, as Baltimore gets set to kick off training camp this weekend. Offensive line Last season, the Ravens’ offensive line allowed just 160 total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, the fifth-fewest in the NFL. Going into this season, PFF ranks the unit 25th. That’s what happens when three starters are elsewhere after guards Zeitler and John Simpson and signed with the Detroit Lions and New York Jets, respectively, and right tackle Morgan Moses was traded to the Jets in a draft pick swap. Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum and former All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley are back, but questions and unknowns abound up front. Can Stanley, who looked fit and energized in the spring after struggling with injuries again last year, stay healthy? Will any of Baltimore’s unproven young players, such as second-round rookie tackle Roger Rosengarten, or other backups who have at times flashed, become dependable, every down starters? Ben Cleveland and Daniel Faalele, while solid at times last season, have yet to show enough consistency. Andrew Vorhees is healthy after a knee injury that sidelined him all of last year, but has yet to put on pads for Baltimore. Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu was touted as a possible starter at left guard going into camp last year, then didn’t play a snap during his rookie season. Coach John Harbaugh said he’d like to have the offensive line settled within the first couple of weeks of training camp, but it’s reasonable to think that timetable could extend through at least the first preseason game or two. Ravens and Commanders joint practiceKevin RichardsonDavid Ojabo has missed essentially each of the past two seasons since Baltimore drafted him in the second round in 2022. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Outside linebacker Promise is different from production. Odafe Oweh showed improvement last year but still finished with just five sacks and 15 pressures, though he did rank 14th in the NFL in pass rush win rate among edge rushers, per PFF. David Ojabo, meanwhile, has missed essentially each of the past two seasons since Baltimore drafted him in the second round in 2022 and is still working his way back from last year’s torn ACL. Veteran Kyle Van Noy is back following a career-high nine sacks in just 14 games last year after signing with the Ravens early in the season, but gone is Clowney, who not only had 9 1/2 sacks a year ago but was a valuable edge setter against the run, something that is not Van Noy’s forte. General manager Eric DeCosta likes the length, speed and tenaciousness of third-round rookie Adisa Isaac, who had 7 1/2 sacks last season at Penn State, but Isaac missed all of the spring because of a hamstring “tweak” suffered during rookie minicamp. Put another way, don’t be surprised if DeCosta adds another veteran edge rusher late in the summer once again. There are still notable free agents available, including Emmanuel Ogbah, Yannick Ngakoue and Shaq Lawson. The challenge will be hitting on one with the kind of success the Ravens had with Clowney and Van Noy last year. Wide receiver Flowers was one of the best rookie receivers in the NFL last season. His 396 yards yards after the catch ranked 15th among all receivers, per PFF, and his 19 missed tackles forced were the third-most among rookie receivers since 2006. His 77 catches and 858 receiving yards led the Ravens and his five touchdown catches were tops among the team’s receivers. Beyond Flowers, however, there are question marks. Rashod Bateman has occasionally flashed over his three seasons in Baltimore, but he has yet to deliver on his full potential either because of injuries his first two seasons or a lack of on-field chemistry with Jackson, something that was evident last year. The Ravens signed Bateman to a two-year extension — something the receiver said he was even surprised by — but his 56 targets in 2023 paled in comparison with the 108 Flowers got. Odell Beckham Jr. moving on to the Miami Dolphins should at least result in more targets for Bateman, among others. The Ravens also brought back dependable veteran Nelson Agholor, who had 35 catches, including four touchdowns, last season, but at this point the 31-year-old is a complementary piece. After those three, there’s uncertainty. Rookie Devontez Walker, Deonte Harty, Tylan Wallace, Keith Kirkwood, Sean Ryan and converted quarterback Malik Cunningham all battling for snaps and the remaining likely three spots on the final 53-man roster. Cornerback An area of concern heading into training camp last year looks to be a position of strength this year. Marlon Humphrey is expected to bounce back from an injury-marred 2023, while Brandon Stephens established himself on the outside last year. Add first-round pick Nate Wiggins, the return of Arthur Maulet and a healthy Jalyn Armour-Davis and Baltimore is suddenly flush with quality cornerbacks. There’s also Damarion “Pepe” Williams, fourth-round pick T.J. Tampa and others such as Ka’Dar Holman and Tre Swilling, who looked good in the spring, to provide further depth. If the group can stay largely healthy — a big if given the injury history of a few players — then the Ravens should have lots of options and depth in the defensive backfield. Inside linebacker Smith has emerged as not just the emotional heartbeat of the Ravens’ defense but as one of the best linebackers in the NFL, garnering All-Pro honors each of the past two seasons. Gone, however, is Queen, who left for the Steelers in free agency, and taking his place is second-year linebacker Trenton Simpson. While Simpson cuts a similar figure to Queen — speedy, athletic, high energy — he’s still young and therefore likely prone to some of the same kinds of mistakes Queen made early in his Baltimore career before blossoming into a highly talented player. But the Ravens will need Simpson, praised for his high football IQ among other attributes, to be ready to fill the void, with only Josh Ross and Chris Board behind him along with undrafted free agents Deion Jennings and Yvandy Rigby. Malik Harrison could also be an option, however, as he can play outside or inside. Safety All-Pro Hamilton is in the conversation for best defensive player in the NFL. Marcus Williams, when healthy, has long been a well-above average free safety. Together, they have the potential to be the best tandem in the league. Beyond health, though, depth could be something of a concern given Stone’s free agent departure. Ar’Darius Washington is the most obvious candidate to replace Stone, but has been injury prone. Stephens can play safety if needed, but he’s been valuable as a corner. The Ravens have versatility among some of their other defensive backs as well, and it’s possible they could add another veteran presence sometime during training camp with former Denver Broncos star Justin Simmons, among others, still available. Ravens defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, right, could be on the verge of becoming a superstar. (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Staff) Defensive line This is one group that returns pretty much as is from a year ago and again should be above average. Madubuike, whose 13 sacks last season led all interior linemen in the NFL, could be on the verge of becoming a superstar. Broderick Washington is looking to play more like he did in 2022 than 2023. Another healthy season for Michael Pierce would only bolster the group and veteran Brent Urban remains a reliable contributor. Travis Jones, who has shown steady improvement in each of his first two seasons in the league, appears poised to be the next player up front ready to break out. If there is a concern, it’s how the unit will fare given the departure of Clowney, whose presence on the outside made things easier on the inside, as well as defensive line coach Anthony Weaver, now the defensive coordinator for the Dolphins. Still, there’s no reason to think this shouldn’t be one of the Ravens’ most consistent and effective groups. Special teams Justin Tucker remains one of the best kickers in the history of the sport, punter Jordan Stout has been terrific on occasion but has lacked consistency, and long snapper Nick Moore missed all of last season with a torn Achilles tendon but was a second-team All-Pro in 2022. In short, special teams is not something the Ravens have to worry about, though they did give up some big returns last season, including a punt return for a touchdown against the Bengals and another against the Houston Texans in the divisional round of the playoffs. It will also be worth watching how they adapt to the new kickoff rules in place for this season. Running back Derrick Henry has twice led the NFL in rushing and rushing touchdowns. He’s a former All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowl selection. He is the best back, even at age 30, that Jackson has played with to date. In letting Dobbins and Edwards walk (both signed with the Los Angeles Chargers) and signing Henry, Baltimore instantly upgraded its backfield in a big way, literally and figuratively. At 6 feet 2 and 247 pounds, he’s bigger than Edwards yet faster than Dobbins. In the Tennessee Titans’ regular-season finale against the Jaguars last season, Henry hit a top speed of 21.68 mph on a 69-yard run, which tied for the seventh-fastest speed by a ball carrier all year. That’s only slightly slower than the career-best 21.8 mph he reached in Week 6 of the 2021 season. Behind him, Keaton Mitchell is still recovering from a torn ACL suffered in mid-December, but the expectation is that he’ll be back at some point during the season, likely in the second half at the earliest. Justice Hill, meanwhile, remains a dependable third-down back who is a good pass blocker and capable of the occasional big play. The Ravens also drafted Rasheen Ali out of Marshall. He’s a smooth, fast runner who is a capable pass catcher and led the FBS with seven plays of 50-plus yards last year, though he does have ball security concerns with 11 fumbles over the past three seasons. Isaiah Likely proved a more than capable fill-in for Mark Andrews last season. But how often will they be on the field together? (Jerry Jackson/Staff) Tight end/fullback Mark Andrews is one of the best tight ends in the NFL and should be 100% after recovering from an ankle injury that knocked him out of the final six games of the regular season before he returned for the AFC title game. Isaiah Likely proved a more than capable fill-in with 30 catches for 411 yards and five touchdowns, just one less than Andrews and as many as Flowers. Charlie Kolar is being developed into an in-line tight end but is still a capable pass catcher, and four-time Pro Bowl fullback Patrick Ricard is the ultimate utility knife. It’s no wonder the Ravens did little in the way of shaking up this group, only adding undrafted rookies Mike Rigerman and Riley Sharp. The only question remaining is whether Andrews and Likely will be on the field at the same time more often. Logic says they should be, given their exploits, but they rarely were last season. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens rookies T.J. Tampa, Adisa Isaac could miss start of training camp Baltimore Ravens | The best of Jacoby Jones’ Ravens career, from the ‘Mile High Miracle’ to ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Jacoby Jones is one of the best characters in Ravens history | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Dan Rodricks: Jacoby Jones gave Ravens fans a golden memory | STAFF COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Former Ravens star Jacoby Jones remembered by teammates: ‘You were 1 of 1!’ Quarterback Jackson, 27, is the youngest player to have been named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player twice. He’s also coming off a season in which he hit career highs in passing yards and completion percentage in his first season under offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Simply, he’s one of the best players in the sport. Jackson should be even more comfortable and in control in Year 2 under Monken. He also shed a few pounds in an effort to be even faster, which should make him and the Ravens’ offense that much more dangerous, especially with Henry in the fold. The biggest concern, of course, is who is behind Baltimore’s franchise player. Tyler Huntley, who had been Jackson’s backup, signed with the Cleveland Browns in the offseason. That they got him for the veteran league minimum salary tells you that the Ravens were ready to move on and are more comfortable with 38-year-old journeyman Josh Johnson, who spent last season primarily as Baltimore’s emergency third quarterback. The Ravens drafted Devin Leary out of Kentucky in the sixth round, but he’s a project at this point. Undrafted rookie Emory Jones would do well to make the roster. But in today’s NFL, few if any teams with a star as big as Jackson have a backup who can step in and produce similar numbers. View the full article

The Ravens placed second-year running back Keaton Mitchell and rookie cornerback T.J. Tampa on the physically unable to perform list Monday ahead of the start of training camp later this week. They also added rookie outside linebacker Adisa Isaac to the non-football injury list. Two of the moves were mildly surprising. Tampa, whom the Ravens drafted in the fourth round out of Iowa State, was a full participant in Baltimore’s offseason workouts this spring. His injury is not known, though he can be activated at any point. The Ravens have plenty of depth at cornerback, including Marlon Humphrey, Brandon Stephens and first-round pick Nate Wiggins, among others. Isaac, a third-round pick out of Penn State, suffered a hamstring “tweak” during rookie minicamp in May, according to coach John Harbaugh, and has not practiced since. His absence leaves Baltimore a little thin at the position with David Ojabo continuing to work his way back from a torn ACL that ended his season last year, though Isaac, likewise, can come off the NFI list at any point. Mitchell, meanwhile, is continuing his comeback from a torn ACL suffered last December against the Jacksonville Jaguars and is expected to be out all of training camp. If he is still on the PUP list once the 53-man roster is finalized, he’ll have to sit out at least the first four games of the season. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | The best of Jacoby Jones’ Ravens career, from the ‘Mile High Miracle’ to ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Jacoby Jones is one of the best characters in Ravens history | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Dan Rodricks: Jacoby Jones gave Ravens fans a golden memory | STAFF COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Former Ravens star Jacoby Jones remembered by teammates: ‘You were 1 of 1!’ Baltimore Ravens | Jacoby Jones, former Ravens WR and star of Super Bowl 47, dies at age 40 Harbaugh said in May that Mitchell should be able to return “sometime during the season” and that he’s “on schedule, maybe ahead of schedule.” As an undrafted rookie out of East Carolina last season, the diminutive but speedy Mitchell provided an instant spark to the Ravens’ backfield. In eight games, he rushed for 396 yards on 47 carries with two touchdowns and had nine catches for 93 yards. Ravens rookies reported to Owings Mills for training camp on Saturday, while quarterbacks, including two-time NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson, and injured veterans did so Monday. Veterans are due to report Saturday. Baltimore’s first full-team practice will take place Sunday. View the full article

Jacoby Jones, the former Ravens All-Pro returner and star of their most recent Super Bowl victory, has died at age 40. The former wide receiver and special teams standout died “peacefully at his home in New Orleans,” according to a statement from the NFL Players Association on behalf of Jones’ family, though no official cause of death has been announced. “Jacoby had the unique ability to connect with everyone he encountered,” the Ravens said in a statement. “His charisma, joy and love created a one-of-a-kind presence that could light up any room or brighten a dark day.” The wide receiver and return specialist spent three seasons with Baltimore. He returned two kickoffs and one punt for touchdowns in 2012 and was named to the Pro Bowl and an All-Pro returner while adding 406 receiving yards. He was instrumental in both roles during the Ravens’ playoff run and second Super Bowl win. Jones remained intertwined with the Ravens long after he left the team. Just weeks ago, he attended Ravens minicamp alongside Ray Rice, Torrey Smith and other former players. Jones’ short but impactful tenure in Baltimore is marked by monumental highlights on and off the field. Here are some of his most memorable moments. ‘Mile High Miracle’ The Ravens trailed the Broncos by seven with less than 40 seconds to go in the 2013 AFC divisional round, 70 yards from the end zone and a chance to even the score. Joe Flacco stepped up in the pocket, reared back and unleashed a ball that soared through the thin Denver air. The third-and-3 pass sailed over an outstretched Broncos defender and into the arms of Jones, who scampered in for a touchdown. Justin Tucker went on to kick the game-winning field goal in double overtime over a 38-35 victory. “I eased up. I’m like, ‘he ain’t throwing it,’” Jones later said. “I looked up again and I said, ‘Damn, he threw it.’ I just went and got it. I looked around again like, ‘Is this for real?’” The win sent the Ravens to the AFC championship game, where they beat the New England Patriots, 28-13. That pushed Baltimore to its second Super Bowl appearance. Kenneth K. Lam, Baltimore Sun photoThe Ravens’ Jacoby Jones returns the opening kickoff of the second half of Super Bowl 47 against the 49ers 108 yards for a touchdown. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Super Bowl star A few weeks after completing the play that sparked the Ravens’ historic playoff run, Jones again rose to the occasion to secure Baltimore’s second Super Bowl championship. Jones caught a 56-yard pass from Flacco in the final minutes of the first half of Super Bowl 47 in his hometown of New Orleans to send the Ravens into halftime with a 21-6 lead. After a delay for a power outage at the Superdome, Jones then returned the second-half opening kickoff 108 yards for a score. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston: Jacoby Jones is one of the best characters in Ravens history | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Dan Rodricks: Jacoby Jones gave Ravens fans a golden memory | STAFF COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Former Ravens star Jacoby Jones remembered by teammates: ‘You were 1 of 1!’ Baltimore Ravens | Jacoby Jones, former Ravens WR and star of Super Bowl 47, dies at age 40 Baltimore Ravens | Become a Ravens Insider with our weekly newsletter It was the longest kickoff return touchdown in Super Bowl and postseason history. Jones’ 290 all-purpose yards remain a Super Bowl record. Tripped by Tomlin Defenders often struggled to tackle Jones in the open field. So Steelers coach Mike Tomlin resorted to a unique — and illegal — way to slow the electric returner. Late in the third quarter of Baltimore and Pittsburgh’s Thanksgiving game in 2013, Jones emerged through blockers and raced down the sideline. Tomlin stood with his back to the play and one foot on the field. It forced Jones inside, where he was tackled and kept from reaching the end zone. Tomlin was fined $100,000 for the penalty, the second largest fine given to a head coach in NFL history. “My heartfelt sympathy goes out to the family of Jacoby Jones during this difficult time. I enjoyed coaching him during his time with the Steelers,” Tomlin posted on X. Jacoby Jones’ 77-yard kickoff return for a score was one of seven fourth-quarter touchdowns in the Ravens’ 29-26 win over the Vikings on Dec. 8, 2013. (Kenneth K. Lam/Staff) Snow game hero Jones scored one of seven fourth-quarter touchdowns in the Ravens’ wild 29-26 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 8, 2013, his lone kickoff return touchdown of the season. It put the Ravens ahead 21-19 with under two minutes to play, a lead the Vikings erased 26 seconds later. Flacco and the Ravens offense responded by driving down the field in five plays and capped the drive with a touchdown toss to Marlon Brown with four seconds left to win it. Jones added four catches for 37 yards in a game remembered for the wild finish and snowy conditions. Jacoby Jones tied an NFL record with a 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the Ravens’ 31-29 win over the Cowboys on Oct. 14, 2012. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Record setter In Week 6 of the 2012 season, Jones tied an NFL record for the longest kick return with a 108-yard touchdown to help beat the Dallas Cowboys, 31-29, for the Ravens’ 14th consecutive regular-season home win. Four weeks later, he returned a kickoff 105 yards for another touchdown, becoming the first player to return two kicks for 105 yards or more in a season. Jones’ four kickoff return touchdowns in his three seasons in Baltimore are the most in team history. Of the four players to field at least 100 kicks, Jones has the highest average yards per return with 30.1. Jacoby Jones competed on Season 16 of “Dancing with the Stars” alongside Karina Smirnoff. (ABC/Adam Taylor) ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Jones’ signature dance was seen in end zones around the NFL. And his moves took him further than the football field. Jones appeared on “Dancing with the Stars” in 2013 and performed some of the moves that made him a fan favorite on the television show. In one episode, he performed alongside partner Karina Smirnoff to the tune of “Good Feeling” by Flo Rida. “All my training that I’ve had, I never had a woman push me like she did,” Jones said. The pair reached the final round of Season 16 of the show but came up just short and finished third. View the full article

If you hung around current Ravens vice president Ozzie Newsome during his 33 years as an NFL executive, he was always dropping some nuggets of wisdom. Back in the mid 1990’s, when the team was still at its old training facility in Owings Mills, Newsome once said, “Every team needs its share of knuckleheads, and you can’t win without them.” He was right. And then there are the eggheads, which described Jacoby Jones, but in every positive sense of the word. Jones, 40, died “peacefully at his home in New Orleans,” according to a statement from the NFL Players Association on behalf of Jones’ family. But long before his death, he had already left an indelible impression on football fans in Baltimore. His postseason success in 2012 led the franchise to its second Super Bowl title since arriving in the city in 1996. But sports is about so much more than just competition. It’s about relationships that endure for decades, which is why you still see those existing bonds between those great San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys teams of the late 1990’s or the Ravens of 2000 or 2012. Jones, a wide receiver and return specialist, had that endearing type of personality. He was charismatic, joyful, joked around a lot and was beloved by his teammates. He was a man of strong faith, which is why he once let middle linebacker Ray Lewis lay his hands on him in prayer before a game. And oh, could Jones dance. The one-time “Dancing with the Stars” contestant could bust as many moves on the field as he did at a nightclub, and regardless of the situation, Jones always found happiness. I didn’t know him well, not like some of the older Ravens such as Michael McCrary, Peter Boulware, Lewis and Jonathan Ogden, but he could always make you smile with a quick phrase or by saying something outrageous. “I loved Jacoby Jones,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said in a statement. “We all did. His spirit, enthusiasm and love for people were powerful. He was a light. He was a man of faith.” There was more. “Jacoby was one of the most fun-loving teammates and people I’ve ever been around,” former Houston Texans defensive lineman J.J. Watt posted on X, formerly Twitter. “Always dancing and laughing with a permanent smile on his face.” Every team has its share of star players, and the Ravens had their own in 2012, even though Lewis and safety Ed Reed were on the downsides of their respective careers. But in the postseason, everyone has to turn up their game. Great players have to dominate, average players need to become good and some knuckleheads have to make major contributions. The 2012 season was Jones’ time to shine. The All-Pro kick returner had only 30 catches for 406 yards and one touchdown during the regular season, but he could have easily been the Most Valuable Player in the playoffs. He made the 70-yard, game-tying touchdown catch in the final seconds of regulation in the Ravens’ AFC divisional round playoff game against the Denver Broncos, which has been called the “Mile High Miracle” after Baltimore went on to win in double overtime. It was indeed a miracle. Quarterback Joe Flacco’s pass was so high and so far that the ball seemed to have dew on it when Jones made the catch. Then there was the 56-yard touchdown catch and the 108-yard kickoff return for a score against the 49ers after the lights had gone out at halftime in Super Bowl 47. The Ravens were able to hang on for a 34-31 victory. This all fits in with Jones’ fun-loving personality. He still holds Super Bowl records for the longest play and kickoff return at 108 yards and the most all-purpose yards in the game with 290. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Dan Rodricks: Jacoby Jones gave Ravens fans a golden memory | STAFF COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Former Ravens star Jacoby Jones remembered by teammates: ‘You were 1 of 1!’ Baltimore Ravens | Jacoby Jones, former Ravens WR and star of Super Bowl 47, dies at age 40 Baltimore Ravens | Become a Ravens Insider with our weekly newsletter Baltimore Ravens | Lamar Jackson, Joe Flacco, Alyssa Thomas nominated for 2024 ESPYS Jones also holds the Ravens’ record for most career kickoff returns for touchdowns (four), most kickoff returns for touchdowns in a single season (two) and the longest kickoff return in team history, having returned two for 108 yards against the Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers. But there is more to Jones’ legacy than just having postseason success. He’ll go down as one of the top characters in team history. The late Tony Siragusa was amusing but could be vicious at times. Former tight end Shannon Sharpe was the mouthpiece of an offense that lacked identity in 2000. Lewis and Reed were two of the greatest players ever, but nobody made as big of an impact on the Ravens as Jones in such a short period of time. Only running back Jamal Lewis in his rookie season can compare. Jones had been in the NFL for five years with the Houston Texans before signing with the Ravens and becoming the perfect fit. His legacy will long be remembered in Baltimore. View the full article

On a freezing Saturday night in Denver in January 2013, Jacoby Jones sealed his legacy as the leading man in a golden Ravens memory. Most of us never knew him personally, of course, but Jones will be forever beloved for the large role he played in one of Baltimore’s greatest sports moments. With the ball on the Ravens’ 30-yard line, quarterback Joe Flacco took the snap, dropped back to pass, then stepped up and threw a mile-high pass in Mile High Stadium. It seemed like desperation at first, a pass that might end up being intercepted by the Broncos and ending the game. But, way downfield, waiting for the football to arrive behind two baffled Denver defenders, was Jacoby Jones. He cradled the ball in his arms and sprinted untouched for the touchdown. Sixteen hundred miles away, Ravens fans from Catonsville to Churchville let out a collective scream that could have awoken E.A. Poe from his grave in Westminster Burial Ground. When Jones crossed into the end zone, completing a 70-yard play that made the score 35-34 in Denver’s favor, there were only 31 seconds left in that crazy, back-and-forth playoff game. Rookie Justin Tucker kicked for the tie, then kicked a field goal for the win in double overtime. The Ravens went to the Super Bowl that year and won it. Jones was the star of that show, too. He ran the second-half kickoff back 108 yards for a touchdown against San Francisco, and the screams in Baltimore at that moment also could have stirred the author of “The Raven.” But some — I think most — Ravens fans go back to the 70-yard touchdown in Denver when they want to savor a golden memory of that championship season. It was just a few weeks ago, during the slow part of a daylong fishing trip, when I asked my son if he remembered that play. And, of course, he did. He knew exactly where he was, and who he was with, when Flacco’s pass reached Jones’ long arms. Jacoby Jones, whose death at 40 was first reported Sunday by The Baltimore Sun’s Brian Wacker, will forever be associated with that play. It happens in sports: Some athletes seal their legacy with one play, or a brief but brilliant period in their careers, and that’s how we remember them. Recall the unheralded defensive lineman, Keith Washington, who blocked a field goal attempt that a fellow Raven returned for a touchdown, a miraculous moment on the way to the team’s first Super Bowl. Recall the unlikely clutch hit from an unlikely hero, Delmon Young, who led the Orioles to a come-from-behind playoff win at home in 2014. There never seemed to be anything “unlikely” about Jacoby Jones, however. He was fast, exciting and daring. As a kickoff returner, he was willing to run out of the end zone with the ball and into the charging horde, and that alone deserved our praise and our awe. Professional sports franchises build a community conversation and enrich our shared memories. In the thick album of Baltimore sports, there’s a page devoted to Jacoby Jones and his miracles of the 2013 NFL playoffs. Tragically, he did not have the gift of a long life. But he’ll be appreciated, long and deep, by grateful Ravens fans, young and old, who remember exactly where they were when Jacoby Jones hauled in the mile-high miracle. View the full article

Jacoby Jones, a former Ravens wide receiver and the star of Super Bowl 47, has died, an NFL source with direct knowledge has confirmed to The Baltimore Sun. He was 40. Immediately after the news, former teammates and media members shared what Jones meant to them. Here’s what they wrote on X, formerly Twitter: Torrey Smith, former Ravens wide receiver “My brother! I thank God for the memories and your impact on this world. You were 1 of 1 ! Your play on the field and jokes will live on forever! We have Momma Jones a Lil Coby’s back for life! This one hurt me man! We are going to miss you! Love you bro!” Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson “na bra no way RIP LEGEND” Matt Leinart, former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL quarterback “My former teammate Jacoby Jones passed. Damn this hits hard. His laugh and just bigger than life personality will be something I’ll always remember. RIP brother” J.J. Watt, former Houston Texans defensive lineman “Jacoby was one of the most fun-loving teammates and people I’ve ever been around. Always dancing and laughing, with a permanent smile on his face. Gone far, far too soon. R.I.P Jacoby Jones.” Pat McAfee, ESPN host and former NFL punter “Jacoby Jones was an absolute legend.. he was beloved by literally everybody he met and lit up every room/field he walked into/onto. Rest easy my brother.. we will miss your presence.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Jacoby Jones, former Ravens WR and star of Super Bowl 47, dies at age 40 Baltimore Ravens | Become a Ravens Insider with our weekly newsletter Baltimore Ravens | Lamar Jackson, Joe Flacco, Alyssa Thomas nominated for 2024 ESPYS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens fans give mixed reviews on new ‘Purple Rising’ helmet Baltimore Ravens | JT Taggart, Calvert Hall standout and son of Ravens coach, commits to Maryland Darius Butler, TV host and former NFL cornerback “This Jacoby Jones news hurts man! If you ever met him it’s a guarantee he made your day better. If you knew him, you LOVED him. Amazing man that always showed up w/ incredible energy and a smile! Gonna miss you 12!” Donté Stallworth, former NFL wide receiver “I’ll never forget training with Jacoby Jones in New Orleans. he was fresh outta St Aug when I was playing for the Saints and he made it clear his plans to not only play in the NFL but make an impact. he did exactly that. RIP brother” Sarah Spain, ESPN host “Jacoby Jones was such a fun, friendly, joyful guy. Gone way too soon.” This story might be updated. View the full article

Jacoby Jones, a former Ravens wide receiver and the star of Super Bowl 47, has died, the team said early Sunday. He was 40. A cause of death has not been announced. “We are completely heartbroken to learn about the passing of Jacoby Jones,” the Ravens said in a statement. “Jacoby had the unique ability to connect with everyone he encountered. His charisma, joy and love created a one-of-a-kind presence that could light up any room or brighten any dark day. “Jacoby will long be remembered not just for his success on the football field, but for the lasting personal connections he made with countless people in the Ravens organization, Baltimore community and every area he called home.” A native of Louisiana, Jones played the Ravens for just three seasons, from 2012 to 2014, but left an indelible mark on the franchise with his performance in the Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49ers. He had a 56-yard touchdown catch and a Super Bowl record 108-yard kickoff return for a score to open the second half that helped propel Baltimore to the 34-31 victory over the San Fransisco 49ers. He also had a 70-yard game-tying touchdown catch in the waning seconds of regulation in the Ravens’ AFC divisional round playoff game that season against the Denver Broncos, dubbed the “Mile High Miracle,” that Baltimore went on to win in double overtime. It was voted the greatest moment in team history for the NFL’s 100th anniversary in 2019. “I loved Jacoby Jones. We all did,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said in a statement. “His spirit, enthusiasm and love for people were powerful. He was a light. He was the cherished son of his loving mom, Ms. Emily. They were so close. He was a man of faith. “My favorite football play was when Jacoby was talking to his mom in the end zone, just before a late-game kickoff return against the Vikings in a snowstorm shootout. Jacoby then raced to catch the ball and run it back for a touchdown. My favorite Jacoby personal moment was every time I saw his smiling face full of Joy. Rest in peace, Jacoby, in the arms of Jesus.” Jones, who played at Lane College and was a third-round draft pick of the Houston Texans in 2007, spent nine seasons in the NFL and also played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and then-San Diego Chargers following his time in Baltimore. In September 2017, Jones signed a one-day contract with the Ravens so he could retire as a member of the franchise. Jones holds the Ravems record for most career kickoff return touchdowns (four), most kickoff return touchdowns in a single season (two) and longest kickoff return in team history, having also returned two more for 108 yards against the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers. An All-Pro returner and Pro Bowl selection in 2012, he finished his career with 203 catches, 2,733 yards and 125 touchdowns. He also had 4,940 yards and five touchdowns as a kick returner and 2,688 yards and four scores as a punt returner. This article will be updated. Kenneth K. Lam, Baltimore Sun photo In the Ravens' 34-31 win against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII, Jacoby Jones opened the third quarter with an NFL-record 108-yard kick return for a touchdown. Baltimore Sun photo by Kenneth K. Lam In the Ravens' 34-31 win against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII, Jacoby Jones opened the third quarter with an NFL-record 108-yard kick return for a touchdown. Karl Merton Ferron, Baltimore Sun Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco, left, and wide receiver Jacoby Jones celebrate after Flacco's rushing touchdown in the third quarter against the Cleveland Browns in 2012. Kenneth K. Lam / Baltimore Sun New Orleans, LA-- 2/3/13 -- Baltimore Ravens' Jacoby Jones (#12) heads for the end zone on a record setting 108-yd kickoff return for a touchdown to open the second half of the Baltimore Ravens vs. the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. Baltimore Sun photo by Lloyd Fox Ed Reed and Jacoby Jones celebrate the Ravens' win over the Patriots. Joe Mahoney / AP Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones celebrates as he crosses the goal line for a touchdown against the Denver Broncos in the fourth quarter of an AFC divisional playoff NFL football game, Saturday, Jan. 12, 2013, in Denver. Mitchell Layton, Getty Images Ravens wide receiver (and former "Dancing with the Stars" contestant) Jacoby Jones threw out the first pitch before the Orioles faced the Red Sox on June 15, 2013. Christopher T. Assaf / Baltimore Sun Jacoby Jones catches a kickoff from Shane Lechler before running it 105 yards for a touchdown against the Raiders to close the scoring in the Ravens' 55-20 victory Nov. 11, 2012. Jones returned four kickoffs for TDs in the regular season during his three years with the team. Kim Hairston / Baltimore Sun Baltimore, Md--8/12/17--Former Ravens wide receiver/returner Jacoby Jones signs autographs during the team's last open practice at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday. Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun. Owings Mills, MD -- 08/03/2012 -- Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones (12) calls back at a coach during training practice at the Ravens' athletic complex Friday, Aug 3, 2012. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun Staff) [FBN RAVENS TEAM PRACTICE (_D3S3400.JPG)] Denver-CO-1/12/13-sp-p16-ravens-broncos-sweeney---Ravens' Jacoby Jones runs off the field after the game winning field goal. Jones caught the game tying 70 yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco. Baltimore Ravens take on the Denver Broncos in the AFC DIvisional game. Gene Sweeney Jr. Baltimore Sun Staff #7807 Owings MIlls,MD--8/11/12--Ravens' #12 Jacoby Jones. Baltimore Ravens football practice at their practice facility in Owings MIlls. Lloyd Fox-Sun Photographer-sp-ravens-camp-0812-p-fox-#133 1/12/13--Denver, CO-- sp-p-ravens-broncos-fox, -- Ravens' #12 Jacoby Jones and teammte #82 Torrey Smith celebrates Jones' fourth quarter touchdown to tie the game. Baltimore Ravens vs. Denver Broncos NFL football playoffs at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Lloyd Fox, Sun Photographer #3467 New Orleans, LA-- 2/3/13--sp-4313-super-bowl-fox, --Ravens' Jacoby Jones during pregame warm ups. Baltimore Ravens vs. San Francisco 49ers in the NFL Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun. #4313 DANCING WITH THE STARS - "Episode 1601" -- "Dancing with the Stars" was back with an all-new cast of fresh faces hitting the dance floor. The competition began with the two-hour Season 16 premiere, live, MONDAY, MARCH 18 (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network. (ABC/Adam Taylor) KARINA SMIRNOFF, JACOBY JONES Matthew Wilson of Pylesville, right, gives Baltimore Ravens player Jacoby Jones a fist bump after getting an autograph at Wednesday night's autograph signing at Buon Gusto in Whiteford. Jacoby Jones opened the second half of Super Bowl XLVII with a 108-yard touchdown return Sunday in New Orleans, tying a Super Bowl record. The score propelled the Ravens to a 28-6 lead over the San Francisco 49ers, who then staged a comeback that fell short after a dramatic defensive stand by Baltimore's secured the title. New Orleans, LA-- 2/3/13 -- Baltimore RavensÕ Jacoby Jones (#12) heads for the endzone on a record setting 108-yd kickoff return for a touchdown to open the second half of the Baltimore Ravens vs. the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. -- Photo by: Kenneth K. Lam/Baltimore Sun DSC_3923 sp-3923-super-bowl-lam Show Caption of Expand View the full article

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Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, former Baltimore signal-caller Joe Flacco and ex-Maryland women’s basketball star Alyssa Thomas are nominees for awards at the 2024 ESPYS, ESPN announced Wednesday. Jackson is a finalist for best NFL player and best play — his 13-yard completion to himself on a pass batted into the air at the line of scrimmage during Baltimore’s AFC championship game loss to the Chiefs. Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Myles Garrett and San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey are also finalists for best NFL player. Flacco, a 16-year veteran who played in just six games over the previous two seasons before Cleveland signed him midseason, led a resurgent Browns team to the playoffs and is nominated for best comeback athlete. Thomas, who starred for the Terps from 2010 to 2014 and is currently a forward for the Connecticut Sun, is a finalist for best WNBA player. Jackson earned his second NFL Most Valuable Player Award this past season after leading the Ravens to the AFC’s No. 1 seed with a career-high 3,678 passing yards and 67.2% completion rate. He added 821 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Related Articles Sports | Ask Amy: A reader ‘updates’ advice on her dilemma Sports | Severna Park three-sport star Ryn Feemster named 2023-24 Baltimore Sun high school girls Athlete of the Year Sports | October success remains Orioles’ ultimate goal as memories of ALDS sweep return | ANALYSIS Sports | Bowie State senior to be honored as Pride Night Orioles Birdland Community Hero for work within the LGBT community Sports | Howard Community College introduces girls flag football as a varsity sport Flacco, who was named the Associated Press NFL Comeback Player of the Year, took over as the Browns’ starting quarterback in December and started in five of Cleveland’s six final regular-season games. He led them to a 4-1 record in those contests, helping the Browns secure just their third playoff appearance this century. Flacco led the NFL with 1,616 passing yards in the month of December. Thomas was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year in 2012 and 2013 and averaged 19 points and 10.9 rebounds per game as a senior. The 32-year-old is a four-time All-Star in 11 seasons with the Sun and was the runner-up for both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year last season. She recently made her first Olympics team and will compete with the U.S. in Paris this summer. The 2024 ESPYS will be broadcast on July 11 at 8 p.m. on ABC. Fan voting is open until 5 p.m. the night of the awards ceremony. View the full article

After months of speculation and waiting, Tuesday marked the reveal of the Ravens’ new “Purple Rising” alternate helmet. The third helmet design in team history features a metallic purple shell, a gold face mask and the team’s alternate front-facing bird logo — first introduced in 1999 — outlined in gold. The team announced that it will wear the helmets for one game this season paired with the all-purple uniform that features gold numbers outlined in white. It will be the first major change to the franchise’s uniform since it unveiled purple pants with a white-and-black stripe in 2018. The Ravens debuted an all-purple uniform in 2016 as part of the NFL’s “Color Rush” and infamously wore mustard gold pants for one game in 2015 to celebrate their 20th anniversary season. Leaguewide, several teams have introduced alternate helmets since the NFL eliminated its “one-shell rule.” In 2022, the league allowed teams to wear a second alternate helmet. Beginning in 2025, teams will be allowed to wear a third. While reactions to the Ravens’ new helmets have been largely positive from the players, with wide receiver Zay Flowers and tight end Mark Andrews sharing their approval in a video posted by the team, fan reactions have been mixed. While some are eager to see the team introduce something new, others plead for the Ravens to keep the uniforms “classy and simple.” “We don’t need all the bells and whistles, our focus needs to be on winning ball games,” Dustin Patrick from Frederick said. “How many uniforms and helmets do you see Kansas City wear?” Other fans chimed in with their thoughts on the new helmets and what they would like to see from the team’s uniforms in the future. Editor’s note: Some answers have been lightly edited for clarity. What is your reaction to the team’s new “Purple Rising” helmet? “I love it, I absolutely love it. The purple with the gold is a nice combo. I do like the older Ravens head logo.” — April R Smith, Owings Mills “I like the purple with the gold touch instead of black, it brings it out more and brightens it up.” — Desiré Ash, Baltimore “I like the old-school logo, but I’m not feeling all the gold. We need some black in there, the Raven is a dark bird.” — Tao Moore, Reisterstown “Oh I don’t like those at all. That bird is not the Ravens bird, they need to stick to the old helmet.” — April Giordano, Middle River The Ravens’ Tylan Wallace returns a punt for a touchdown to beat the Rams in overtime at M&T Bank Stadium on Dec. 10, 2023. (Jerry Jackson/Staff) How does this new all-purple look compare with your favorite uniform combination(s)? “I don’t like it, all I see is purple and gold. We are not the [Minnesota] Vikings. Our best uniform is when we are blacked out.” — Jaelyn Heyliger, Reisterstown “We’ve seen the ‘Color Rush’ before, but the purple helmets will really make it pop and stand out.” — Marquise Wells, Baltimore “I love the all-purple. Honestly, I like all the uniform combinations. Just keep away from those ugly mustard pants.” — Smith What game should the Ravens debut the “Purple Rising” helmets? “We can put them on against the [Las Vegas] Raiders. It’s the first home game and they [stink], so we can break out the new unis and get the ‘W’ all in the same day.” — Moore “We need to get them out of the way and wear them early and against a team we can beat. At least we can get a win in them ugly things.” — Patrick “It’s only right we debut them against Cincinnati [Nov. 7]. It’s a prime-time game and [the Bengals] can wear their all-white ones with the white helmet. I think it’d look good under the lights for that Lamar vs. Joe Burrow showdown.” — Wells “The first night game of the season [Sept. 29 vs. Buffalo Bills] would be perfect, get a lot of eyes on them during a big televised game.” — Smith Ravens inside linebacker Trenton Simpson celebrates his fumble recovery against the Dolphins with cornerback Ronald Darby, left, and outside linebacker Tavius Robinson on Dec. 31, 2023. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) What would you like to see the Ravens do with their uniforms in the future? “Change the logo, go back to the old bird. The current one looks a little cartoony to me.” — Heyliger Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | JT Taggart, Calvert Hall standout and son of Ravens coach, commits to Maryland Baltimore Ravens | Ravens stock watch: Who stood out and who didn’t at OTAs and minicamp Baltimore Ravens | Ravens unveil new ‘Purple Rising’ alternate helmet Baltimore Ravens | Ravens returning to ‘Hard Knocks’ along with rest of AFC North Baltimore Ravens | Five things we learned from Ravens OTAs and minicamp, including the irrelevance of Lamar Jackson’s absences “Add some flavor, maybe some gray uniforms or something new with the pants. I know how we run our organization, but it’s OK to be different and outside the box sometimes.” — Wells “A gray uniform might work, but don’t change the bird. I think we do a really nice job with all our current uniforms.” — Giordano “Well first we should wear these helmets more than just one time. All that time, money and hype and you wearing them for only one game? That doesn’t make any sense to me.” — Ash “The thing that frustrates me about the Ravens is that the best jersey they have is a practice jersey. Bring out that black jersey with the purple number outlined in gold.” — Patrick “Our uniforms aren’t bad at all. As long as we keep the mustard pants gone forever.” — Smith View the full article

JT Taggart always wanted to play quarterback. He was his team’s signal caller from youth football until eighth grade. The only thing that pulled him away was a monstrous growth spurt he hit just before high school, sprouting up to a towering 6 feet 7. Taggart, a three-star tight end recruit from Calvert Hall who announced his commitment to Maryland earlier this month, blossomed into one of the state’s best players after moving to Baltimore when his father, Willie Taggart, became the Ravens’ running backs coach. As the son of a coach, JT Taggart moved frequently. His college decision was the first time in his life his future was in his own hands. With a chance to finally experience some continuity, he chose the Terps. “I wanted to be close to family,” he said. “Leaving them far away, it wouldn’t feel right.” Willie Taggart was a head coach at five NCAA Division I schools before joining the Ravens. The Taggarts bounced around the south for seven years between Western Kentucky and South Florida. A brief one-year stint at Oregon preceded a two-season stretch at Florida State, then three more seasons at Florida Atlantic. John Harbaugh hired him in February 2023. Each relocation brought disruptions and challenges for JT Taggart, who’s admittedly a man of few words. New schools meant new friends, teammates and coaches. For the first time in 2023, Willie, confident in the stability of his new role with the Ravens, told his son Baltimore would be a place they could finally settle as JT neared the end of his high school days. “It was really difficult trying to make friends and build relationships with people,” he said. “It was probably the most difficult aspect of my life.” JT Taggart lacked the connection to Maryland that born-and-raised in-state prospects hold. Calvert Hall supplemented that. Cardinals assistant coach Bernie Fiddler played for the Terps in the early 2000s when Mike Locksley served as running backs coach and recruiting coordinator. Willie Taggart and Kevin Sumlin, Maryland’s tight ends coach, overlapped as Power Five head coaches in the 2010s. The tight end is the 36th-best player in Maryland in the Class of 2025, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. At 6-7 and 225 pounds, Taggart also plays defensive end and basketball for Calvert Hall. He chose the Terps over West Virginia, Miami, Colorado and others. Ravens running backs coach Willie Taggart was a Division I head coach before coming to Baltimore. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) “Maryland’s a great program,” Willie Taggart said at Ravens mandatory minicamp. “Coach Locksley’s done an awesome job down there. I want someone to finish what we started. I told Coach Locksley, ‘I’m handing him off to you. You gotta take him to the finish line now and help him continue to develop.’ We want Locksley to help him become a man.” Maryland reeling in JT Taggart bucks its trend of poor results with recruiting Baltimore. Only 11 members of its current roster are from the city. The Terps have brought in just two of the state’s top 20 recruits in the past two classes, including none in the top 10 in 2024. Of that group, six are headed to rival Big Ten programs. The university’s athletic department and Under Armour, founded by former Terps football player Kevin Plank, announced a new 12-year, $98 million partnership this week. It includes a name, image and likeness program that will allow players to earn money by promoting Under Armour products on their social media accounts. Despite the local corporation’s recent struggles — several Division I programs that once had similar agreements with Under Armour have split ties and turned to other equipment and apparel companies — Maryland surely hopes its partnership attracts more local talent. St. Frances four-star running back DeJuan Williams will play his freshman season with the Terps this fall. Highly coveted Spalding quarterback Malik Washington could be next. None of that mattered for Taggart, though. All he wanted was to finally stay in one spot, a place he could choose and that kept him close to family. “I’m not that much of a talkative person,” he said. “I don’t connect with somebody that fast. But when I talked with Coach Locksley, I felt connected immediately.” View the full article

The locker room is empty. The jerseys are put away. The grass is undisturbed. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is back home in South Florida. Linebacker Roquan Smith is globetrotting, with trips planned for Spain and France. Running back Derrick Henry is presumably working out at a gym somewhere. Safety Kyle Hamilton is likely on a golf course. Life in the NFL is quiet this time of year, and Baltimore’s players are off until the start of training camp — which this year comes early with rookies reporting July 13 and veterans July 20 — after wrapping up mandatory minicamp last week and 10 sessions of voluntary organized team activities before that. Still, there was plenty to be gleaned from the past month of practices. Here’s a look at who stood out, who didn’t and what questions the Ravens still face as they enter their final respite before renewing their pursuit of the franchise’s elusive third Super Bowl trophy. Who impressed Isaiah Likely Guess which team led the NFL in expected points added per play when passing from 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends) last season? That could be a sign of things of what’s to come for Isaiah Likely. While there was a huge jump for Baltimore in its use of 11 personnel (one back, one tight end, three wide receivers) last season from 9.8% to 64%, it’s possible Baltimore could take a step back to feature two tight end sets more often. After career highs in receiving yards (411), touchdowns (five) and yards per target (10.3) last season, Likely is expected to be featured even more this year. He’s already looked the part over the past month, making a few leaping catches, including some with one hand. Given his abilities as someone who can go up to get the ball and stretch the field vertically, it would be logical for the Ravens to get Likely and fellow tight end and Jackson security blanket Mark Andrews on the field more often. Malik Cunningham and Sean Ryan Once dubbed a quarterback by coach John Harbaugh after the Ravens signed Cunningham off the New England Patriots’ practice squad late last season, the former Louisville star has made a mostly seamless transition to wide receiver. “He’s shown a lot of speed, a lot of quickness,” Harbaugh said. “[He’s] kind of a natural at the position, and I’ve seen that he understands the game from the perspective of the quarterback, so [his] routes and coverage and timing and things like that have been excellent.” Cunningham made a few nice catches in every practice and fit in with the group. Along with Ryan, a 2023 undrafted free agent out of Rutgers who has also stood out so far, the wide receiver group is one of the more intriguing ones to watch this summer. Beyond the top three spots that belong to Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor, there are jobs up for grabs. Ravens inside linebacker Trenton Simpson, right, has looked ready to step into a starting role this season. (Kim Hairston/Staff) Trenton Simpson Players weren’t in pads and there was no “live” contact over the past month, so it’s sometimes difficult to gauge progress for some players or positions. That wasn’t true of Simpson. He’s added a few pounds and physically looks the part of the prototypical inside linebacker — fast, strong and able to diagnose plays quickly. Simpson has also been lauded by coaches not just for his speed and quickness, but his football IQ. Add in the bond he has formed with All-Pro linebacker Smith — the two are visiting Spain together this summer — and it looks like the 2023 third-round draft pick will be able to slide right in without much competition to replace the departed Patrick Queen. Most of the offensive line The offensive line en masse had nearly perfect attendance through the offseason program — not surprising given that three starting jobs and several backup roles are up for grabs. The players also didn’t disappoint. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley looks trim, mobile and healthy. Center Tyler Linderbaum is expected to continue to perform at a Pro Bowl level. And while the rest of the group wasn’t able to separate much if at all from one another given the nature of the practices, they collectively, for the most part, drew praise from Harbaugh as well as veteran offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris. “I’ve seen good competition,” said Alessandris, who has moved players all over the line. “Andrew [Vorhees] is doing a great job. ‘Sala’ [Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu] is doing a good job. Josh Jones is doing a good job. Ben [Cleveland] is doing a good job inside there, so you just keep seeing all these young men doing it, and the good news is, this is the time of year where you’re learning assignment, communication [and] playing fast. The contact is not there. That’s going to come. Training camp is what that’s built for along with games. Then, we’ll see how it plays out from there.” Jalyn Armour-Davis and Tre Swilling The Ravens like to keep a deep cornerback room, and that’ll be the case again this year. Two players, among others, who have looked good are the oft-injured Armour-Davis and Swilling, a member of the practice squad last season. Now in his third season, Armour-Davis has looked fast, didn’t see a lot of balls thrown his way because of tight coverage and had an interception. Swilling, meanwhile, took advantage of safety Marcus Williams’ absence during OTAs and Hamilton being sidelined in minicamp with an elbow injury and more than held his own. Who didn’t impress Marlon Humphrey Though Humphrey was on the field early during OTAs, he did not participate for the bulk of the offseason because of what Harbaugh called “nagging things.” “He should be ready for training camp,” Harbaugh said. “It shouldn’t be a problem.” Midway through last August, Humphrey underwent foot surgery and ended up missing the first four games of the season, and he was hampered by injury for much of the season. So while Humphrey’s health shouldn’t be a problem, as Harbaugh said, it’s probably something worth monitoring. Ben Cleveland Is this finally the year that Cleveland breaks out, or at least settles in, as the Ravens’ starting right guard? “When Ben’s had his opportunities to start, he’s produced and done well,” D’Alessandris said. “You’ve seen nice progression and improvement, and I’m anxious to see now, when you start training camp, you put the pads on, and we’re going to see if he’ll continue. It has to be earned, right? It’s earned based on play production.” That’s hardly a ringing endorsement for the 2021 third-round pick to be plugged in as an automatic starter. Perhaps more telling was that other players got more reps through OTAs and minicamp. While the offensive line battles won’t shake out until at least the first couple of weeks of training camp, it’s unclear where Cleveland fits in. To D’Alessandris’ point, Cleveland played well when he did get on the field last season, yet there’s been little indication he’s near the front of the line for a starting role in 2024. Adisa Isaac The third-round outside linebacker out of Penn State suffered a hamstring “tweak” during rookie minicamp the week after the draft and hasn’t practiced since. There’s no concern it was anything more than a short-term injury, and him being on an adjacent field working with trainers during minicamp was a good sign. Still, missing that many practices could slow the rookie’s chances of establishing himself. Given the questions about the group as a whole, the Ravens need as many healthy and able players as possible at the position. Already, Baltimore has seen the young careers of Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo affected by injuries. Veteran Kyle Van Noy is back, but Jadeveon Clowney moved on in free agency. Tavius Robinson and Malik Hamm figure to be competing for snaps, but are largely unproven. Isaac could have some catching up to do to make an impact, especially early on. The Ravens clearly believe in wide receiver Rashod Bateman’s ability to make a leap this season. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Rashod Bateman On the last day of minicamp, Bateman caught everything that came his way, from plucking one underthrown ball off his shoe tops to a nice toe-tapping sideline grab. A day earlier, though, he only received a few targets and had even fewer catches. On a couple of occasions, he wandered off on his own seemingly upset with the day’s proceedings. Clearly, though, the Ravens believe in Bateman, signing him to a two-year extension that he was even surprised by. Jackson has also been proactive in his praise of the talented wide receiver. Yet questions remain about the chemistry between the two, especially after Bateman caught just 32 passes in what was his first fully healthy season. Harbaugh said he expects Bateman to take a big step forward this year, which would make the Ravens’ offense that much more explosive and dynamic. But even the players’ workout schedules didn’t align at times, with Jackson in South Florida and Bateman in Owings Mills during part of OTAs and vice versa. Of course, it’s only June. The start of training camp is still a month away. This summer, and the season, will provide even more answers. View the full article

Back in March, Ravens team president Sashi Brown hinted that something special was in the works for Baltimore’s uniforms this season. “We’re exploring some things with some of the alternative jerseys,” he said during the NFL owners’ meetings in Orlando, Florida. “We have some stuff that’s coming, but if I said too much, my team would shoot me before I got back to the building.” The reveal came Tuesday, with the Ravens unveiling a “Purple Rising” alternate helmet that features a gold face mask, gold striping on the top of the helmet and the team’s face-on bird logo, also outlined in gold and highlighted with red eyes. The alternate marks the third helmet design in team history. The first, which featured a flying “B” logo, was used from 1996 to 1998; the second, which uses a profile angle of the bird’s head, has been in use since 1999. Other combinations have also included an all-black alternate uniform that was introduced in 2004, gold pants used during the 2015 season and an all-purple “color rush” uniform with gold numbers. The Ravens will use the latest helmet for one game this season. As for the rest of the uniform, the jersey and pants will also be purple, with gold numbers and gold stripes down the side of the pants with both outlined in white. Player reaction to the look was overwhelmingly positive. “This the one,” wide receiver Zay Flowers said in a team video. “Bad a–, man,” tight end Mark Andrews added in the same piece. Though the Ravens have not revealed which game they will wear the uniforms in, they do have five prime-time games this season, including two at M&T Bank Stadium. The first of those home games under the lights is on Sept. 29 against the Buffalo Bills on “Sunday Night Football” and the second is Nov. 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals on “Thursday Night Football.” Baltimore RavensThe Ravens on Tuesday unveiled a “Purple Rising” alternate helmet that features a gold face mask, gold striping on the top of the helmet and the team’s face-on bird logo, also outlined in gold and highlighted with red eyes. (Baltimore Ravens) View the full article

The Ravens are returning to “Hard Knocks.” HBO and the NFL announced Monday that Baltimore will be one of four teams featured on “Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North.” The series will debut on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 9 p.m., following the Ravens’ Week 13 game against the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium and will be carried on HBO and streamed on Max. The “all-access coverage” will follow the AFC North — which had the best record in the league and three playoff teams last season in the Ravens, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers — with episodes airing every Tuesday over the final six weeks of the regular season and the playoffs. “Last season the AFC North became the first division ever to have all four teams finish with a winning record, making it the perfect place to launch this new approach to ‘Hard Knocks,’” Keith Cossrow, NFL Films vice president and head of content, said in a statement. “We thank the Bengals, Browns, Ravens and Steelers for the opportunity to showcase some of the greatest rivalries in football and present the intensity of a playoff chase from all four corners of this incredibly competitive division.” It will be the Steelers’ first time on “Hard Knocks” and marks a return to the 18-time Emmy-winning series for Baltimore, which was the first team featured on the original “Hard Knocks” training camp series in 2001 following its Super Bowl victory over the New York Giants in the 2000 season. Since then, the Cincinnati Bengals appeared in the series in 2009 and 2013 and the Cleveland Browns in 2018. The Ravens’ other opponents over the final six weeks of the regular season include the New York Giants, Steelers, Houston Texans — whom they will play on Christmas — and the Browns, with a bye week during that span in Week 14. Last season, Baltimore won the AFC North, finished with the NFL’s best regular season record (13-4) and reached the AFC championship game, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs, 17-10, at M&T Bank Stadium. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, meanwhile, won his second NFL Most Valuable Player Award. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Five things we learned from Ravens OTAs and minicamp, including the irrelevance of Lamar Jackson’s absences Baltimore Ravens | Former Ravens safety Tony Jefferson comes out of retirement to sign with Chargers Baltimore Ravens | Ravens safety Marcus Williams isn’t concerned with past injury struggles: ‘I think I’m the best’ Baltimore Ravens | Ravens observations on ‘pumped’ Kyle Van Noy, ‘nagging things’ for Marlon Humphrey and more Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson’s chemistry with receivers, new cadence key for offense: ‘Next level’ One prominent Raven is not a “Hard Knocks” fan. “I never watch that show,” coach John Harbaugh said recently on former Orioles center fielder Adam Jones’ podcast. “It’s just not real. People think it’s real, it’s not real. “You put a microphone and a camera in your face, people aren’t the same. If they wanna bring ‘Hard Knocks’ in here, it wouldn’t bother me one bit just because I know what I’ll tell our guys is, ‘Here’s what were gonna do, we’re just gonna be us.’ … We’re not trying to put on a show or act for anybody. … But I do think it’s a distraction because you’ve got a camera in your face.” View the full article

The Ravens are done with their official offseason preparations. The next time we see them, they’ll be ramping up in earnest for the 2024 season. That will mean fierce, physical competition for a few open jobs. It will mean talk about the last steps that must be taken to reach an elusive Super Bowl. It will mean unrelenting scrutiny on the men — particularly quarterback Lamar Jackson and coach John Harbaugh — expected to get the Ravens there. All those stories were in the air during three weeks of organized team activities (OTAs) and the concluding week of mandatory minicamp. They just wren’t as pressing as they will be come late July. With that in mind, here are five things we learned from the last month of Ravens activity. We can always find reasons to get frustrated with Lamar Jackson. Most of them don’t mean a whole lot. The attendance hawks had their talons sharpened for Jackson’s absences from several OTA sessions. The loudest of those, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, reported that Jackson sacrificed a $750,000 bonus by failing to appear at 80% of voluntary workouts. Jackson brushed past a question about the bonus after the Ravens’ minicamp practice Wednesday, saying, “I never discuss my contract up here.” The real question is whether any of this will matter when Jackson leads the Ravens’ offense against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 5 or, more importantly, when playoff time arrives in January? The answer is unknowable. Could a Jackson-led offense be 3% tighter if he attended every workout or gathered his receivers more religiously for informal pitch-and-catch sessions in South Florida? Maybe, but it’s such an easy point for his critics to harp on because the premise is impossible to measure. Harbaugh would prefer that Jackson show up for every OTA session. As he’s said many times, he’s a coach; his natural instinct will always be to want his players present and stacking reps. He’s not, however, going to scold his franchise quarterback for missing a few voluntary workouts. There’s no percentage in it. We would all do well to keep that same big-picture view of the situation. Jackson has a nonconformist streak. It’s part of the reason he became a unique, brilliant quarterback in the face of a doubting chorus that said he couldn’t throw precisely enough or that he’d get hurt dancing outside the pocket. His version of preparing for a season might not fit the standard (though Tom Brady skipped plenty of voluntary workouts in his later years with the Patriots, and Aaron Rodgers just blew off minicamp with the Jets). The bottom line is we can count on two hands the players who, when healthy, almost guarantee their teams will play in the postseason. Jackson is one of them. His teammates have never not rallied to him, even after he was injured for the 2022 playoffs and uncertain to sign an extension with the Ravens. Imperfect OTA attendance isn’t going to change any of that. Ravens offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris gives instructions during mandatory minicamp in Owings Mills. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) The Ravens’ offensive line will remain a mystery until at least a few weeks into training camp Almost all of the Ravens’ unclaimed starting jobs are on the offensive line, with both guard spots and right tackle up for grabs. That was true coming out of free agency and the draft. It’s true after four weeks of offseason workouts. Minicamp and OTA alignments are often misleading. Recall that rookie Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu often lined up as the team’s starting left guard last summer only to lose that status quickly during training camp and become a guaranteed inactive for most of the regular season. Harbaugh said repeatedly that candidates would not separate themselves during these noncontact workouts, some of which did not even feature helmets. It was a time for teaching plays, honing basic techniques, experimenting and running laps as punishment for false starts. The Ravens seem to be considering many possibilities, with Ben Cleveland, Daniel Faalele, Aumavae-Laulu, Josh Jones, Andrew Vorhees and Roger Rosengarten competing for snaps, some of them candidates for all three open jobs. With Cleveland and Faalele still in states of developmental limbo in years four and three, respectively, coaches would probably love Vorhees to cement himself as a starting guard and Rosengarten to show he’s ready to handle right tackle. But we can’t make such pronouncements based on anything we saw over the last month. The number of variations the Ravens tried only added to the sense that we’re talking about an incomplete puzzle. So when will we know? “The earlier the better,” Harbaugh said. “It would be nice if we could kind of [know] by the first into the second week of training camp; [that] would be a goal to have a good idea. If it goes into the [preseason] games, it could go into the preseason games, but maybe just one spot up for grabs or something like that.” The guess here is Vorhees will seize one of the guard jobs and Jones, with 24 NFL starts under his belt, will factor, much as John Simpson did last year. But it really is a guess. On the plus side, left tackle Ronnie Stanley was an engaged participant in every voluntary workout, looking trim and healthy as he prepares for a pivotal season that could extend his career. Trenton Simpson is ready for his shot to fill Patrick Queen’s shoes Simpson pops the eyes as a physical specimen. This we’ve known since the Ravens drafted him in the second round out of Clemson. He somehow looked even bigger and faster over the last four weeks, lining up next to Roquan Smith in the spot vacated by Queen. It’s not difficult to picture him roaming sideline to sideline, blitzing and dropping back to make plays in coverage. Queen was on the field for almost every defensive snap, and the Ravens seem to have faith Simpson can handle a similar role, because they haven’t signed a veteran to compete with the second-year linebacker. Just as importantly, Smith, who leads the defense by words and example, has embraced the affable 23-year-old as a partner. “I think he’s going to surprise a lot of people,” Smith said. “He’s still learning for sure, but I think the way that he doesn’t make the same mistakes over and over every day — he learns from his mistakes, and I think that’s crucial when you’re young, being able to not make the same mistakes twice. I know he doesn’t understand how fast, how explosive and how powerful he is, but once he actually understands that, which I think will be very soon, watch out.” They’re building an off-field rapport as well, with plans to travel to Spain together. “Whenever I have a question, he’s there to answer it,” Simpson said. “Off the field, the relationship has grown a lot, also. Just every single day, [I’m] learning something from him and matching his energy.” Smith’s presence sets Simpson up for a gentler transition than the one Queen experienced when he was asked to be the team’s middle linebacker after he’d started just one full season at LSU. Simpson will make mistakes once the games begin, but his development could be one of the most entertaining subplots for first-year coordinator Zach Orr’s defense. Ravens wide receiver Malik Cunningham tosses to running back Justice Hill during organized team activities. (Karl Merton Ferron/Staff) Lamar Jackson’s targets stack up about as we thought they would OTAs and minicamp are made for pass catchers, with no contact to dissuade them and reduced emphasis on the running game. The defense often seems more organized than the offense, but the most spectacular plays invariably belong to the receivers. We saw big, fast rookie Devontez Walker grab balls downfield as the Ravens hoped he would when they drafted him in the fourth round. We saw Malik Cunningham, a star quarterback at Louisville, take to wide receiver easily and earn attention from coaches who now seem intrigued by his potential. We saw steady production from 6-foot-3 Sean Ryan, who signed a futures deal with the team after he spent last season on the the practice squad. Did any of this change the pecking order we’ll see in September? Probably not. Tight end Mark Andrews, fit and intense as ever, remains Jackson’s first option when a play breaks down. Andrews’ running mate, Isaiah Likely, makes the most spectacular catches in the middle of the field. Zay Flowers is a threat at multiple levels and the most trusted wide receiver. Nelson Agholor is the wise veteran who communicates easily with his quarterback. And Rashod Bateman is the gifted wild card — solitary and hanging his head when he’s ignored, most dynamic playmaker on the field the next day. We’ve watched Jackson long enough to know Andrews and Flowers will see the ball plenty, as will Likely if coordinator Todd Monken cracks the code to using him and Andrews as complementary threats. Bateman will have his best chance to break out, but until we see Jackson look for No. 7 consistently, week after week, we’ll wonder if it’s ever going to happen for him in Baltimore. Injuries will undoubtedly shape the Ravens’ season, but so far, so good A few key players sat out minicamp or did not participate fully. Safety Kyle Hamilton had surgery to clean what Harbaugh described as “loose bodies” from his elbow. Cornerback Marlon Humphrey, coming off an injury marred 2023, is still dealing with nagging issues. Outside linebacker David Ojabo is building strength as he comes back from a partially torn ACL in hopes of finally getting his career on track. Hamilton and Humphrey are expected to be ready for the start of training camp. Ojabo might not be a full go right away. Running back Keaton Mitchell is the only Raven ruled out for the start of the season, though Harbaugh said he’s on track to come back in 2024. Bateman and Stanley, who had to worry about significant injuries as they prepared for recent seasons, seem to be feeling great. So do Andrews and safety Marcus Williams, who played through pain last season. All things considered, the Ravens will gladly accept this medical outlook. Injuries will arise when the pace and physicality of play pick up in training camp. They always do. The season will bring other unwanted surprises; see Andrews hobbling off after a hip-drop tackle last November. But they’re on track to go into training camp as the team Harbaugh and general manager Eric DeCosta designed, which is one mark of a successful offseason. View the full article