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Nobody forgets the first time they stand near Derrick Henry. Safety Eddie Jackson officially signed with the Ravens on Sunday ahead of the team’s first training camp practice. By Monday, he was in awe of the star running back’s 6-foot-2, 247-pound frame. “I was telling the guys today, when ‘D-Hen’ first walked onto the field when I saw him at Alabama, I couldn’t believe how big he was,” Jackson said. “You see the film, him being a Florida guy. Then you see him in person, it’s like he’s a created player off a game.” “He’s a freak,” outside linebacker Odafe Oweh added. “Physical specimen. He looks like he could play defensive end, for real. I’m excited to see what he brings to the team. I’m just happy he’s on our side.” Until the newly acquired 30-year-old running back gets real repetitions in purple — beyond the non-padded play of early training camp — the Henry discourse will largely focus on football hypotheticals and his almost-mythical body. Often the two overlap. Zay Flowers was asked about how Henry might impact the offense. “[Have] you seen him before?” the 5-9, 182-pound wide receiver asked, met with laughter. “Have you seen him in person? You’ve got to stop that first, before you worry about somebody of my stature.” Gleaning much of anything concrete from training camp’s first week can be a futile exercise. Particularly, before the pads go on. Take, for example, a play Monday under persistent rain. Backup quarterback Josh Johnson dropped back in the pocket while Henry darted into the flat. Baltimore’s defensive line suffocated Johnson. With pads, it would have been a sack. Without pads, Johnson was able to flick the ball to Henry. But the ball slipped out of Henry’s hands and was intercepted for a would-be pick-six. The kind of play that stirs a July crowd braving tough conditions, but is meaningless in the grand scheme. Henry’s second day of training camp was otherwise fairly nondescript. When he wasn’t barreling out of the backfield, he spent most of his afternoon observing while in conversation with running backs coach Willie Taggart — much of that presumably about his acclimation to a new offense. “Watching them through the years and playing against them, it’s the style that they play with,” Henry said. “The offense that they run. Having Lamar, who’s different — who’s really different — that played a big factor into it as well. The success that they had last year, it’s something I definitely wanted to be a part of and be an added piece to this offense. It’s always been a certain type of culture and the style of play that the Ravens play, something that I was excited to come be a part of.” The soft-spoken Henry said what excites him most about joining the Ravens is the surplus of weapons, highlighted by Jackson, Flowers and tight ends in Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely. Henry adds a new layer of strength to an offense that scored the second-most rushing touchdowns in the league last year (26). That, and uplifting a returning contender that was a win away from playing in the Super Bowl last year. “You have this guy, you have this guy, you have that guy, and at the end of the day,” wide receiver Rashod Bateman said, “you have Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, so I’m kind of like everybody else. I’m just excited to watch it.” A recent story from Dan Pompei of The Athletic revealed stupefying details of how Henry has sustained his dominance: namely, that the All-Pro’s financial adviser estimated that Henry spends $240,000 annually on body maintenance. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens safety Eddie Jackson ready to join familiar faces for Super Bowl run Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens observations on Rashod Bateman’s up-and-down day, O-line questions and more | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Second day of Ravens training camp 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Fashion provides now-healthy Ravens WR Rashod Bateman ‘peace of mind’ while he works for bigger role Baltimore Ravens | Ravens tight end Mark Andrews enters training camp with injury behind him: ‘I feel 100%’ That includes a personal chef who helps him avoid fried food, gluten, dairy and artificial flavors. And during the offseason, according to Pompei, Henry doesn’t eat his first meal until 1 p.m. In-season, it’s more like 4 or 5 p.m. At his 3:30 p.m. post-practice media availability, Henry was asked if he had eaten yet. He laughed and thought about it for a moment. Those times were in reference to early morning practices when he played in Tennessee. “We practice at 1 [p.m.] here so I can’t go out on the field without having anything in my stomach,” he said. Just spinach, kale and avocado Monday morning. “Before, I was eating whatever I wanted: chicken wings, pizza, anything,” Henry said. “That’s not going to sustain it. I challenged myself to try to see if I could do it. Once I got used to it, it became easy. Now my body feels great. Just seeing how my body responded to it and the routine and the diet, I love it. It’s probably something I’ll do the rest of my life.” Body composition aside, does Henry have any particular goals in mind as he opens his first training camp with a new organization? Henry bowed his head toward the microphone before him and didn’t hesitate: “Super Bowl. That’s the goal.“ View the full article

Ravens newly acquired safety Eddie Jackson made quite an impression on coach John Harbaugh long before Jackson signed to come to Baltimore — way back in 2017. “I can remember it like it was yesterday,” Harbaugh said after the first day of full team practices Sunday. “I remember him running the ball for Alabama when we’re looking at the draft, and then him having all of these good years in Chicago [and] playing against him.” Jackson, a two-time Pro Bowl selection and 2018 first team All-Pro, stood out on Day 2 of training camp Monday, intercepting a pass from Emory Jones in what was one of many highlights for the defense on a rainy afternoon. In his first public comments since signing with Baltimore last week, Jackson explained his decision to come to Baltimore and how he looks to enhance a secondary and locker room looking to make a run to the Super Bowl. “It felt like a perfect fit,” Jackson said. “Knowing what they have in the building and the tradition of things, I knew it’s perfect for me to come in, do what I have to do to get better everyday and hopefully win the Super Bowl.” A fourth-round draft pick in 2017 out of Alabama, Jackson joins former college teammates Derrick Henry and Marlon Humphrey, who were all part of the Crimson Tide’s 2015 national title team. Jackson also reunites with linebacker Roquan Smith, whom he played with in Chicago from 2018 to 2022 before Smith was traded to Baltimore. “There’s a great group of guys in the locker room,” Jackson said with a smile. “I grew up with a lot of the guys so I feel right at home, it feels natural.” Pairing a veteran like Jackson with Humphrey and fellow safeties Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton might be what the Ravens need to solidify a secondary looking to add depth to an already talented core. “He’s a pro, great demeanor,” Harbaugh said. “He seems like he’s picked up the defense. He’s been digging in that playbook really hard and he looks good.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens impressed by new teammate Derrick Henry: ‘Just happy he’s on our side’ Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens observations on Rashod Bateman’s up-and-down day, O-line questions and more | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Second day of Ravens training camp 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Fashion provides now-healthy Ravens WR Rashod Bateman ‘peace of mind’ while he works for bigger role Baltimore Ravens | Ravens tight end Mark Andrews enters training camp with injury behind him: ‘I feel 100%’ Now with Jackson in the fold, Swiss army knife defenders like Hamilton and Arthur Maulet can continue to move around and play different positions on new defensive coordinator Zach Orr’s unit. The Ravens laud a secondary stockpiled with moveable and sometimes interchangeable pieces. Harbaugh beamed at the possibility of several “position groupings” that will place players in various spots on the defense in an attempt to mix up coverages and disrupt offenses. “I feel like this is the most deep and competitive room I have had since back at Alabama,” Jackson said. “The guys have been teaching me, answering any questions I have. It’s definitely special.” Jackson is coming off a 2023 season in which he recorded 37 tackles and an interception for the Bears. Despite missing time with injuries in each of the past three seasons, Jackson is still sure of what he can bring to the table in Baltimore with this new group as the Ravens look to make a Super Bowl run. “I can still go out there compete and fly around,” Jackson said. “I can come in and contribute to a team and I know the type of person I am off the field as well. I just want to show that to everyone around the league.” View the full article

The Ravens gambled by signing fourth-year wide receiver Rashod Bateman to a three-year, $15 million contract extension in April, and there are days at practice when it makes sense. Bateman, a first-round pick in the 2021 draft, had a strong performance during the second day of training camp in Owings Mills on Monday. He had a brilliant one-handed 25-yard reception down the left sideline after beating cornerback Brandon Stephens, and later snatched a pass over the middle for a 20-yard gain. He wasn’t done. The former University of Minnesota standout went up over two defensive backs for a 15-yard reception over the middle late in the practice session. This could be the breakout season for the 6-foot-1, 197-pound Bateman. However, earlier in practice, he didn’t even attempt to catch a pass thrown his way against tight coverage. Until proven otherwise this season, he is an enigma, even though the Ravens need him to step up to form a potent receiving corps with second-year receiver Zay Flowers and tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely. Questions on the O-line The Ravens have questions on the offensive line, not only because of physical talent, but health issues as well. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley has suffered from leg injuries the past three seasons and right tackle Patrick Mekari, possibly the most versatile performer on the front line, has struggled with back and lower leg injuries during the same time span. Right guard/tackle Daniel Faalele, in his third season out of Minnesota, looks out of place at guard because of his 6-8, 380-pound frame. He bends a lot better than he did as a rookie, but short-yardage situations on the goal line might be a problem. Regardless of how much football has changed through the years, the low man still wins in goal line situations. Ravens defensive lineman C.J. Ravenell, left, works on a pass rushing drill with Tramel Walthour, right, during the second day of Ravens training camp. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Emphatic, unwarranted defense Lamar Jackson didn’t practice for the second straight day because of illness, but at least reporters didn’t have to listen to coach John Harbaugh talk about him possibly becoming the greatest quarterback in NFL history again. Harbaugh’s performance defending Jackson on Monday was intentional, well-scripted and unwarranted. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Second day of Ravens training camp 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Fashion provides now-healthy Ravens WR Rashod Bateman ‘peace of mind’ while he works for bigger role Baltimore Ravens | Ravens tight end Mark Andrews enters training camp with injury behind him: ‘I feel 100%’ Baltimore Ravens | For Ravens, it’s Super Bowl or bust despite changes to roster, coaching staff Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens observations on a can’t-miss play, early training camp standouts and more | COMMENTARY Catch of the day Best catch of the day belonged to rookie running back Rasheen Ali, who got a picture-perfect, over-the-shoulder 20-yard touch pass from rookie quarterback Devin Leary despite tight coverage from inside linebacker Trenton Simpson. Simpson couldn’t have covered Ali much tighter, and the second-year linebacker has performed well so far in the first two days. He has developed a good relationship with middle linebacker Roquan Smith. “I thought he had a really good day today,” Harbaugh said of Ali. “He looked good, quick, [and he] made some catches. He’s coming along nicely.” As for other running backs to keep an eye on, second-year player Owen Wright has stood out. The former Monmouth star from Bethesda runs bigger than he looks at 5-9 and 217 pounds. Humphrey looking strong Cornerback Marlon Humphrey has struggled with injuries the past two seasons, but he has put together two strong days in training camp. The Ravens have used him on both the inside and outside, and few receivers have been able to shake the eighth-year player out of Alabama. In fact, defense dominated Monday, but that’s to be expected so early in the season, especially without Jackson on the field. Ravens rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins works on a pass-catching drill during the second day of Ravens training camp. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Impressive interceptions Nate Wiggins, the team’s first-round pick and cornerback out of Clemson, picked off a pass that he snatched out of the hands of receiver Sean Ryan. Wiggins has been impressive so far, but he still has to improve his technique. “Nate has been looking good,” Harbaugh said. “[He’s] been working on technique. Again, it’s only his second day. He made a nice play, great technique, nice and square in man coverage there, and made the pick. It was a nice play. “He actually came running right back through the middle of the field — which you’re supposed to not do that, but that is where I was standing. I was just happy that he didn’t hit me and ran around. So that was nice.” As far as interceptions, rookie defensive end Tramel Walthour had one late in practice, and the 6-3, 283-pound former Georgia lineman showed some good speed before running about 25 yards and getting out of bounds. It was a good thing for Wright, because he wanted no part of Walthour when he was running downhill. View the full article

Ravens linebacker Odafe Oweh practices shedding blockers with assistant linebacker coach Matt Robinson on the second day of Ravens training camp. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Ravens rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins works on pass catching drill during the second day of Ravens training camp. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Ravens defensive lineman Travis Jones, #98, works on pass rushing drill as defensive line coach Dennis Johnson, left, looks on during the second day of Ravens training camp. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Ravens linebacker Odafe Oweh practices shedding blockers with assistant linebacker coach Matt Robinson on the second day of Ravens training camp. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Ravens rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins works on pass rushing drill as coach Chuck Smith looks on during the second day of Ravens training camp. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Ravens defensive lineman C.J. Ravenell, left, works on pass rushing drill with Tramel Walthour, right, during the second day of Ravens training camp. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr shouts instructions during the second day of Ravens training camp.(Kevin Richardson/Staff) Ravens new defensive line coach Dennis Johnson shouts instructions during the second day of Ravens training camp.(Kevin Richardson/Staff) Ravens rookie safety Beau Blade works on pass rushing drill during the second day of Ravens training camp. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Ravens safety Eddie Jackson speaks to the media after practice on the second day of Ravens training camp. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Ravens running back Derrick Henry speaks to the media after practice on the second day of Ravens training camp. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) Ravens linebacker Odafe Oweh speaks to the media after practice on the second day of Ravens training camp. (Kevin Richardson/Staff) View the full article

“The foot is healed, and it’s not a problem anymore, thank God.” — Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman That wasn’t always the case for the enigmatic former first round draft pick, which perhaps explains why he has a LinkedIn page, titling himself “Creative at Without Lords.” Under the “about” section, he lists: Receiver for Baltimore Ravens Owner-Without Lords Owner-Without Musik In the “experience” section, it reads: Clothing Designer-Without Lords-Full time. There was a time when most NFL players held jobs in the offseason to supplement their income. But that was decades ago, long before Bateman signed a two-year contract extension worth nearly $13 million this offseason (though former Baltimore safety Matt Elam was once a shoe salesman at Finish Line in the offseason because he was interested in owning a sports retail store). Bateman’s interest in other endeavors, meanwhile, stems from his love of fashion beginning at a young age combined with the scare of an uncertain future after injuries, including Lisfranc surgery on his left foot, derailed most of his first two seasons in the league. “Just having another outlet helps me with peace of mind,” Bateman told The Baltimore Sun. “When I got hurt, I didn’t know what it was gonna look like so I started to go really hard at [fashion]. It’s very important to me.” Which is why he says he decided this offseason to launch his own clothing line with a small group of close friends, including former University of Minnesota teammate Demetrius Douglas, who gave up football during the pandemic in 2020 and eventually turned to studying fashion. It’s also why Bateman spent part of his offseason — when he wasn’t training in the heat of Phoenix summer working out what he said was “three, four times a day every day” — at fashion week in Paris. The trip was coincidental, but it provided inspiration as much it did an opportunity to escape and unplug from social media, a chance to “get away” as Bateman told The Sun, for the often polarizing but gifted pass catcher Ravens fans are still waiting to break out. Bateman, now entering his fourth NFL season, put up his best numbers as a rookie in 2021 — an at-best pedestrian 46 catches for 515 yards. In 2023, he played essentially a full season (he was inactive for one game), for the first time but still finished with just 32 catches for 367 yards and a single touchdown. For his career, Bateman has just four touchdown catches. “It was a whole mental up and down for the past couple years,” Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman said. “I’m definitely better now.” (Amy Davis/Staff) In addition to his foot injury, which lingered into last summer, he also struggled mentally in the wake of the death of his grandmother in January of last year, followed shortly thereafter by the trauma of a teenage cousin who killed himself not long after finishing high school. “It was a whole mental up and down for the past couple years,” Bateman said an interview with the team’s website earlier this offseason. “I’m definitely better now.” Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens observations on Rashod Bateman’s up-and-down day, O-line questions and more | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Second day of Ravens training camp 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens tight end Mark Andrews enters training camp with injury behind him: ‘I feel 100%’ Baltimore Ravens | For Ravens, it’s Super Bowl or bust despite changes to roster, coaching staff Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens observations on a can’t-miss play, early training camp standouts and more | COMMENTARY He said the trials and tribulations also made him stronger, and he added in the same interview that he didn’t do enough in practices last season to earn the trust of new offensive coordinator Todd Monken, who said this offseason that injuries were also a concern early in the year. A lack of trust perhaps also explains his disconnect with quarterback and eventual NFL Most Valuable Player Lamar Jackson last season. Despite being open often, Bateman was targeted just 56 times in 2023, with only four games in which Jackson targeted him at least five times. His season high for receiving yards was 54 against the Miami Dolphins in Week 16, and in two playoff games he had just four catches for 41 yards on six targets, including just one catch for 2 yards in a 17-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game at M&T Bank Stadium. Still, the Ravens are bullish on the 24-year-old, who also had one of the best separation marks in the league last year, according to Pro Football Focus. In the offseason, with one year left on the receiver’s rookie contract, general manager Eric DeCosta signed him to a two-year extension, a move that surprised even Bateman. Coach John Harbaugh said that he expects the receiver will “take a big step” in 2024 and that Bateman is “expected to be a top receiver in the league for us.” “I expect a tremendous year [from] him,” Monken added. “We certainly could have found a way to get him the ball more.” Yet, the timing between Jackson and Bateman has yet to align, even early in 2024. When Bateman was at some of the voluntary organized team activities in the spring, Jackson was not. When Jackson was there, Bateman was not. And while both were in attendance for last month’s three-day mandatory minicamp, Jackson often threw elsewhere during the practices, with Bateman at times becoming frustrated before he saw an increase of targets and catches on the final afternoon. Sunday, Bateman was on the field for the first day of training camp, but Jackson was out sick. Jackson was still absent Monday, though Bateman had some nice plays on the rainy afternoon, including plucking one underthrown deep ball off the grass. He made the grabs in a new pair of gold cleats he’s been sporting, a nod to his personal style and the product of shoe artist Salvatore Marcum, whose payment from Bateman has been helpful for the designer’s ongoing cancer treatments. “Obviously, this year is different than last year,” Bateman said. “I’m healthy, 100%, and that’s all I can say about it. I don’t really want to keep talking about my injuries. It’s past me. That’s the past now, so we’re onto bigger and better things now. “It’s not about me. I need to do what’s best for this team — whatever that is [and] whatever my role is. I expect my role to be bigger, and I’m ready to take on that role.” What does he feel he needs to do in order to fulfill that promise? “Continue to stay healthy,” Bateman said, “and I’ve just got to go out and show consistency, so Lamar can trust me, so the team can trust me, so Todd Monken can trust me. “I feel good. I feel good.” View the full article

This offseason was different for Ravens tight end Mark Andrews. After missing eight games last season with a severe ankle injury, he said he didn’t feel like himself again until late March or early April. He took up Pilates as he searched for unique ways to get back into form. His 11 games in 2023 were his fewest as a pro as the veteran dealt with the first long-term injury of his career. The Ravens fared fine in his absence, but the void he left was obvious. Now Andrews, recuperated from the injury, enters his seventh training camp armed with a fresh perspective but the same optimism. “I feel 100%,” Andrews said. “A lot better than I ever have.” Andrews’ early months of the offseason were spent rehabilitating. He suffered the ankle injury in Week 10, had surgery soon after and returned for the Ravens’ home AFC championship game about two months later, a turnaround Andrews now acknowledges was quick and difficult. He caught just two passes for 15 yards in that loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Football was put on hold in February and March. Stabilization and balance exercises took up most of the 28-year-old’s time instead. It was a family effort to get Andrews back into playing shape — he ran routes while his brother covered him and his father fed a ball machine. Finally, the eventual return to the field gave him the feeling he longed for. “For me to be able to go through the offseason and go through a training session and feel incredible, be flying around and have the next day and be able to do it again,” Andrews said, “that was a great feeling.” Most of the supporting cast around Andrews is the same as last season. It’s the second year under offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Wide receivers Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman, who said his foot is no longer ailing him and that he feels more comfortable than ever, are back on the outside. Quarterback Lamar Jackson, who missed the first full team practice of training camp Sunday after he was sent home with an illness, will reconnect with his favorite target. The addition of running back Derrick Henry gives defenses even more to prepare for. Andrews, similar to his fellow pass catchers, hardly flashed Sunday in an uneventful first day of camp with Josh Johnson and Devin Leary throwing passes. Andrews managed to make a few grabs in the full team portion of practice, but his best will come when Jackson returns. “It’s only going to evolve more and more as guys get comfortable,” Andrews said. “As always in Year 2, after having an offense and learning it, things are new. You’re trying to figure out who you are as an identity. I think right now we’ve got a really clear picture of what we want to be and how we want to operate.” Perhaps the lone positive that sprouted out of Andrews’ absence was the emergence of Isaiah Likely as the Ravens’ top tight end over the final few weeks of the regular season. The Ravens’ Isaiah Likely hauls in a touchdown pass over the Texans Derek Stingley Jr. in the fourth quarter of their divisional playoff game at M&T Bank Stadium. (Jerry Jackson/Staff photo) Likely started a career-high eight games and posted 411 receiving yards and five touchdowns, both career bests. That’s despite finishing with fewer targets and catches than his rookie campaign in 2022, which is largely because of his nonexistent role before Andrews’ injury. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | For Ravens, it’s Super Bowl or bust despite changes to roster, coaching staff Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens observations on a can’t-miss play, early training camp standouts and more | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens first day of training camp 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson sent home from first full training camp practice with illness Baltimore Ravens | Ravens 53-man roster projection: Which spots are up for grabs entering training camp? From then on, Likely was a focal point in the offense. He scored five touchdowns and averaged 56 yards per game over the last five weeks of the regular season. He caught a touchdown pass in the Ravens’ divisional round playoff win over the Houston Texans. The 2022 fourth-round draft pick’s snap counts jumped from an average of 27% over the first 10 games to more than 70% with Andrews sidelined. Now entering his third training camp, Likely proved he’s capable. Seeing both tight ends on the field together might still be a rare occurrence. The Ravens decreased their usage of two tight end sets last season in Monken’s first campaign and instead relied on one tight end packages much more than Baltimore did under Greg Roman. That might not change — Monken’s system produced prolific numbers and Jackson’s second NFL Most Valuable Player Award. Still, Likely showed that it would be a tantalizing thought. The Ravens have the next few weeks to tinker with the possibility as they seek a postseason breakthrough in a season with high expectations. “I’m excited to see what it looks like,” Bateman said. “I’m kinda like everyone else, I’m just excited to watch.” View the full article

The fields are lush and green with freshly painted white lines marking each yard. Even the synthetic putting surface near the front door of the Ravens’ facility in Owings Mills got a makeover with new turf. While quarterback Lamar Jackson was out sick for the first day of training camp on Sunday, hope and promise are still in full bloom for Baltimore, coach John Harbaugh and his players. “Now it’s legit; now they have to be here,” Harbaugh said Sunday as the Ravens held their first full team practice of the new year. “I think everybody’s focus does dial in a little bit more — a lot more — because the time is at hand, the schedule is front of us, the countdown’s begun and we’re getting ready for something we’re about to embark on.” The beginning of training camp marks the start of a six-week sojourn to the 2024 NFL season and the Ravens’ prime-time opener against the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 5. The sting of last season’s loss to the Chiefs in the AFC championship game at M&T Bank Stadium has mostly healed. The stench that lingered over the city from an underwhelming, mistake-filled performance has dissipated, replaced by a wave of change that has swept through the roster and within the organization. Gone are wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, Pro Bowl inside linebacker Patrick Queen, safety Geno Stone and longtime running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards, along with three starting offensive linemen and several other contributors who signed elsewhere in free agency during the offseason. The coaching staff, meanwhile, saw the departure of whiz kid defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, now the coach of the Seattle Seahawks, as well as several key assistants, including former defensive line coach Anthony Weaver and former defensive backs coach Dennard Wilson. The front office wasn’t immune, either, with former director of player personnel Joe Hortiz now the general manager of the Los Angeles Chargers. He helped hire Harbaugh’s younger brother, Jim, as coach after he led is alma mater, Michigan, to the College Football Playoff national championship last season. Despite all that turnover, the expectation remains the same for the Ravens, both in their building and around the NFL: Super Bowl or bust. “There is a significant amount of change,” Harbaugh said. “Certainly more coaches than you normally see. That’s part of how it works. … We embrace it. We embrace opportunity on the coaching staff side for these guys to move up in these positions … and then embrace it as players, too. … I like our guys. I’m very optimistic they’ll do very well.” Chief among them of course is Jackson, who last season, at age 27, became the youngest player to be named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player twice. Jackson led Baltimore to a league best 13-4 regular-season record and the brink of the organization’s first Super Bowl appearance in over a decade while also boasting career highs in passing yards and completion percentage. The Ravens also made a free agent splash this offseason, adding former All-Pro running back Derrick Henry, who was the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2020. The former Tennessee Titans star has twice led the league in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns and is a four-time Pro Bowl selection, including last year. And after Baltimore’s defense last season became the first in history to lead the league in sacks, turnovers and points allowed per game, it returns All-Pro talent at every level in defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, inside linebacker Roquan Smith and do-it-all safety Kyle Hamilton, among other key pieces. Still, for all of Baltimore’s talent, a cloud continues to hover. The Ravens are just 2-4 in the playoffs with Jackson as their quarterback, and his postseason performances have been pockmarked by subpar play. That includes last year’s playoffs, when he struggled in the first half of a divisional round game against the Houston Texans and then fell flat against the Chiefs, throwing just one touchdown pass while being intercepted once, fumbling once and being sacked three times. Kansas City went on to win, 17-10, and this season will try to become the first team to win three straight Super Bowls while Jackson and the Ravens were left wondering again why they couldn’t even get there. Unsurprisingly, the bulk of the criticism fell on Jackson, who is entering his seventh year in the league. Ravens running back Derrick Henry signs autographs for children from Ronald McDonald House Charities who came to watch the first day of training camp Sunday. (Amy Davis/Staff) Sunday, Harbaugh went out of his way to defend the quarterback, launching into a nearly four-minute long counterattack. “They used to tell you don’t read your press clippings … we don’t really have press clippings anymore, we have phones and computers. … I do flip them through them, I read the stuff, I see the guys say what they say on the shows,” he said. “The good ones, I just scroll past because that’s just candy. The bad ones … I read it right away. I don’t let it go. “And Lamar, for whatever reason, there’s a lot of great things said about Lamar but there’s a lot of stuff that’s said you just gotta scratch your head and gotta wonder what’s that person’s even thinking. We take it personally. Lamar’s a guy, all his life Lamar Jackson is a guy who’s been answering those same questions. I’m talking about since he was a kid; junior high, high school, college, the draft, the success he’s had in the National Football League and it still comes up.” For Ravens fans, though, only a Super Bowl will do at this point. “We’ve always had a vision for Lamar Jackson,” Harbaugh continued. “It started with Lamar’s vision and his mom’s vision when he said he was gonna be a quarterback. … We bought in into that. We embraced it. We built an offense for it in [2019]. We’re building another offense for it in ’23 and ’24. “The vision … you see it like it’s already happened, you can see it like it’s already been done. The victory has already been won when you’re pouring into a vision and the vision that we have together is that Lamar Jackson is going to become and be known and be recognized as the greatest quarterback in the history of the National Football League. It’s gonna happen.” For that to happen, however, Jackson must lead the Ravens to the sport’s ultimate game. Only once have the Ravens even reached the AFC title game with Jackson at the helm. But there are reasons for optimism. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens tight end Mark Andrews enters training camp with injury behind him: ‘I feel 100%’ Baltimore Ravens | Mike Preston’s Ravens observations on a can’t-miss play, early training camp standouts and more | COMMENTARY Baltimore Ravens | Ravens first day of training camp 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson sent home from first full training camp practice with illness Baltimore Ravens | Ravens 53-man roster projection: Which spots are up for grabs entering training camp? Notably, Jackson is in his second year under offensive coordinator Todd Monken and will have greater input and control. His top receiver from last year, Zay Flowers, was one of the league’s best rookies in 2023. There is the addition of Henry, who, even at age 30, is the best back Jackson has ever played with. There is dependable and tight end Mark Andrews, who is healthy again after missing the final seven games of the regular season last year because of an ankle injury, as well as the emergence of fellow tight end Isaiah Likely. There is a defensive system that has consistently been one of the league’s best even through recent roster turnover. And there is Jackson, who for all his playoff struggles remains one of the game’s most dynamic, electric and talented players at any position. “He’s the most special player in the world,” Andrews said. “There is no one else like him. He’s the best quarterback in the NFL, and he continues to show why he’s labeled that. “He’s our captain, our leader, and we all look to him.” As usual, so will everyone else until he brings the Lombardi Trophy back to Baltimore. View the full article

Assuming second-year Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken won’t mind a possible play suggestion or two, maybe he should go visit some of the old Green Bay Packers film of the 1960’s. Remember the old Green Bay sweep, in which they would pull both guards, Jerry Kramer and Fuzzy Thurston, out in front of the running back and get around the right end? Well, the Ravens should have a similar play with new power back Derrick Henry. They could go pro right with swing lineman Patrick Mekari as the tight end and then toss to Henry, with 300-pound fullback Patrick Ricard as the lead blocker. No opposing team wants to see that, especially with the lightweight cornerbacks in the league these days. Once the 247-pound Henry squares his shoulder pads at the line of scrimmage, it’s good night. The Ravens could work the angle blocks and get big production with that play. I only have a few words for Coach Monken: “Oh, c’mon, man.” Jackson out Quarterback Lamar Jackson was absent from the first full team practice of training camp Sunday. According to coach John Harbaugh, Jackson became ill during meetings Saturday and was sent home shortly afterward. It’s only Day 1 of camp, so it was no big deal, except for the fans who came out to see the reigning NFL Most Valuable Player. There were a couple of fumbled exchanges by the quarterbacks throughout practice, but that’s to be expected, especially with backup Josh Johnson taking most of the repetitions with the first team and Devin Leary, the rookie from Kentucky, working with the second unit. Calling it now It’s way too early to make predictions, but I will do it anyway. The bet here is that second-year player Andrew Vorhees starts at left guard unless he struggles in the preseason. Vorhees has a nice base, good lateral movement and takes up a lot of space with his 6-foot-6, 320-pound frame. The former Southern California standout is explosive off the ball and seems to have filled up in the upper body after missing all of last season with a torn ACL. The Ravens gambled and picked Vorhees in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL draft. Tight end trio? The Ravens are in a good position having to get tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely on the field at the same time. Both are explosive, but Likely can make opposing tacklers miss. Both can be used on the outside as receivers, even though Likely’s vertical leap could cause more matchup problems on the outside. The Ravens also have third-year tight end Charlie Kolar to work with, even though he doesn’t have as much of a downfield presence. It appears Ricard could do some heavy lifting again as a tight end or H-back, but he looked good running and as a receiver Sunday. Likely, as usual, had the catch of the day, beating cornerback Brandon Stephens down the left sideline on a back-shoulder fade. Actually, the pass was just chucked up by Johnson, but Likely adjusted and made a great play. Nice catch The second best reception of the day belonged to rookie receiver Dayton Wade, a free agent out of Mississippi, who hauled in a 47-yard pass despite being smothered by cornerback Bump Cooper Jr., an undrafted rookie from Oregon State. It’s only one day into camp, but coaches keep notes on plays like the one Wade made. Flowers blossoming I just like watching second-year player Zay Flowers because he keeps doing all the right things that indicates he wants to be a great receiver. Long before the team was on the field for practice, Flowers was out stretching and going through other routines. His hand placement is better than a year ago, and he is always the first in line for drills, even ahead of 10-year veteran Nelson Agholor. That’s impressive stuff. Wiggins watch I like when people ask me if rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins, the Ravens’ first-round pick out of Clemson in April, will get much playing time this season. Is water wet? Is the sky blue? Does a cow give milk? He might be small at 6-1 and 182 pounds, but the kid has great speed and acceleration, which translates into good recovery ability. The Ravens will find a way to get him playing time, especially if they move cornerback Marlon Humphrey inside over the slot or near the line of scrimmage, which is a better position for him. The X-factor in this could be the development of third-year cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis. The 2022 fourth-round pick has played reasonably well in previous training camps, but he can’t stay healthy. If he plays up to expectations, though, that gives the Ravens a major advantage at a position that has been hit hard by injuries in recent seasons. 1-on-1 matchup Stephens has the same confidence as Flowers. A year ago, he didn’t know whether he was going to play cornerback or safety. Now he’s a starting corner. Stephens was very physical in practice and wasn’t backing off receivers in press coverage, an area he struggled in early last season. He had no problems getting in the face of receiver Rashod Bateman. Bateman also had some nice receptions Sunday but did have a big fumble on a quick slant. The fourth-year receiver needs to have a big season, especially after the Ravens signed him to a three-year, $15 million contract extension on April 24. Related Articles Baltimore Ravens | Ravens first day of training camp 2024 | PHOTOS Baltimore Ravens | Ravens QB Lamar Jackson sent home from first full training camp practice with illness Baltimore Ravens | Ravens 53-man roster projection: Which spots are up for grabs entering training camp? 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.’ Defensive line shaping up Fifth-year defensive tackle Justin Madubuike looks bigger in the lower half of his body but still has great explosion off the ball. He makes a difference in the pass rush because the Ravens finally have a strong inside presence. Nose tackle Michael Pierce should have a good season as well. The only players on the front line with question marks are tackle Broderick Washington and outside linebacker David Ojabo. Washington disappeared in games last season and didn’t get much pressure as a pass rusher. As for Ojabo, who has spent the past two seasons recovering from injuries, it’s hard to tell where he fits in as a run stopper or pass rusher. At least he’s participating in team drills to start camp. Good idea Harbaugh said he spoke to the team recently about visions and standards, and the need to raise the standards. After the Ravens failed to beat the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game here in Baltimore last season, it was the appropriate topic. View the full article

From left, ILB Deion Jennings #56, ILB Josh Ross #51 and Joe Evans #48 watch a drill on the first day of Ravens training camp. (Amy Davis/Staff) Cornerback Nate Wiggins #2 and defensive back Christian Matthew #45 watch a drill on the first day of Ravens training camp. (Amy Davis/Staff) Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman during practice on the first day of Ravens training camp. (Amy Davis/Staff) Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman during practice on the first day of Ravens training camp. (Amy Davis/Staff) Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers during practice on the first day of Ravens training camp. (Amy Davis/Staff) Mark Williams of Baltimore City, in front, watches the first day of Ravens training camp with other fans. Behind him, his wife Crystal Williams holds a fan in an attempt to stay cool, seated between other members of the family, from left, Makenzie, 4, Makayla, 15, and Khari, 4, clapping at right. (Amy Davis/Staff) Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman speaks to the media after practice on the first day of Ravens training camp. (Amy Davis/Staff) Ravens head coach John Harbaugh speaks to the media after practice on the first day of Ravens training camp. (Amy Davis/Staff) Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers speaks to the media after practice on the first day of Ravens training camp. (Amy Davis/Staff) July 21, 2024: After practice Ravens running back Derrick Henry, #22, signs autographs for children from Ronald McDonald House Charities who came to watch the first day of Ravens training camp. (Amy Davis/Staff) View the full article

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