ExtremeRavens Posted August 2 Posted August 2 As the temperature soared toward triple digits in Owings Mills on Friday afternoon, the Ravens opted for a shorter practice — about 90 minutes — and shells instead of pads while operating mostly at half speed. It was their 11th practice since training camp opened 13 days ago, so there’s a need to balance the requisite repetitions without overworking players before the first game of the regular season next month. It’s why, for example, safety Ar’Darius Washington took first-team reps during 7-on-7 play in place of Kyle Hamilton to give the All-Pro safety and perhaps the defense’s most talented player some time off. Still, there were some things to be gleaned from the day. During one of the rare full-speed periods on the afternoon, quarterback Lamar Jackson completed 4 of 6 passes, including, unsurprisingly, two to tight end Mark Andrews. Wide receiver Rashod Bateman was, again, another matter. Jackson overshot him down the far sideline after Bateman had a good two steps on cornerback Brandon Stephens. He also failed to connect with the receiver on a short out pattern, throwing the ball out of his reach and well into the sideline. The quarterback did hit Zay Flowers in stride for about 40 yards down the sideline after Flowers got behind Arthur Maulet. The connection and chemistry between Jackson and Flowers has been obvious. Much like last season, the same can’t yet be said for Jackson and Bateman. Other takeaways With players operating at half speed much of the day, it’s hard to gauge progress, but rookie wide receiver Isaiah Washington made a couple of nice plays, hauling in a touchdown from Josh Johnson during 7-on-7 play and followed that with another one as he wrestled a pass away defensive back Daryl Worley. Receiver Nelson Agholor, tight end Charlie Kolar and Andrews all had touchdown grabs as well. Meanwhile, cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis, who has struggled with injuries each of the past two years, continues to have a strong camp and earn praise in the process. Harbaugh essentially guaranteed his spot on the roster, which is telling given a deep and talented defensive backfield. “He’s always played very good football,” Harbaugh said. “We expect him to have a really good year.” He added that Armour-Davis will play in certain packages in the secondary as well as as special teams. New kickoff rules It’s still difficult to get a grasp of the impact of the new kickoff rules, but Thursday night’s preseason game between the Houston Texans and Chicago Bears at least provided the first glimpse. Not much was different. The first two kickoffs from each team resulted in identical 21-yard returns that put the ball a yard past where it would have been under the old touchback rules. The farthest anyone returned a kick was to the 31-yard line. There were also a couple of penalties for players running too early before the returner caught the ball. Harbaugh’s impressions? “It looked about how we thought it would look,” he said. “One thing that did jump out is, it’s confusing for the fans. Where does the ball go? If you kick out of bounds, where does it go? What about after a penalty you kick it out of bounds? What about if it’s in the end zone when it lands there? What if it rolls in the end zone, where does the ball go?” To wit, kicks that reach the end zone in the air can be returned, or the receiving team can opt for a touchback and possession at the 30. Kicks that reach the end zone in the air and go out of bounds or sail past the end zone will result in a touchback at the 30. But to Harbaugh’s point, the new rules did get at best mixed reaction from fans. The Ravens will get to test it out themselves Friday night at M&T Bank Stadium when they open the preseason against the Philadelphia Eagles. Injuries and attendance The only new absence at Friday’s practice was, surprisingly, Tyler Linderbaum. The Pro Bowl center is in his third year and has been as good as he has been reliable, so his not being on the field was notable. However, it doesn’t appear to be a serious injury as Harbaugh termed it a minor soft tissue issue. Linderbaum will also sit out Saturday’s practice, but Harbaugh said he expects him back sometime next week. “We’ll be very patient with Tyler,” he said. “He’s having a great camp.” Receiver and kick returner Deonte Harty (soft tissue/lower leg), meanwhile, was absent again, as was cornerback Trayvon Mullen (shoulder). “I can’t say there’s no concern,” Harbaugh said of Harty, who has been absent all week with what has been described as a nagging lower leg issue that he has dealt with in the past. “You would want him out here with this new [kickoff] deal, getting a feel for the timing of it.” The Ravens will wrap up the week with practice from 1:45 to 3:45 p.m. Saturday before a day off Sunday. View the full article Quote
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