Ravens Training Camp Notes – 8/3

Continuing discussion throughout Ravens Training Camp on our message board.

The next Joe Flacco or Terrell Suggs may have taken the field at M&T Bank Stadium today. Before the Ravens stage their annual open practice for free admission to the home crowd, over 275 Maryland area pee wee football players of all age groups, took to the field. They ran through a series of drills, just like the pros. Running sprints, tackling dummies, catching balls. A truly fun way for everyone to open up the stadium for the 2015 season.

Dennis Pitta is the first player to take the field. He came out 45 minutes before the rest of the team. Pitta was running routes and catching passes in shorts. 

For the offense, Breshad Perriman (knee) Marlon Brown (back) and Dennis Pitta (hip) were not participating tonight. On defense, Elvis Dumervil (tendonitis), Tray Walker (hamstring) Chris Greenwood (hamstring) and Rashaan Melvin (hamstring) also did not participate.

Early on in practice, the first team receiving group consisted of Steve Smith, Kamar Aiken, Crockett Gillmore and Maxx Williams.

Special teams got some work in early as well. We saw Michael Campanaro, Lardarius Webb, Aldrick Robinson, DeAndre Carter and Asa Jackson fielding punts. Someone has to step up and take Jacoby Jones’ old job.

When 11 on 11 drills got underway, I couldn’t help but notice the absence of 2013 second round pick Arthur Brown. First team ILBs clearly are second year star C.J. Mosley, and veteran Daryl Smith. You had to wait until…well…a while, until Brown got some reps in the same group as Andrew Bose. Bose was earlier cut by the Ravens to make a roster spot when they signed Kyle Arrington. Later in practice, Maxx Williams ran a seam route right past Arthur Brown for an easy catch (from Bryn Renner nonetheless) who then out ran the DBs for a score. 

Second team reps at the ILB spots taken by Albert McClellan, Steven Means, and Zachary Orr at times.

Wrapping up one of the passing drills, rookie Darren Waller beat Will Hill on a deep route and Joe Flacco hit him for a TD. Later in practice, Waller would cough up another deep ball right in his numbers. Luckily, the booble landed right in teammate DeAndre Carter’s hands.

Speaking of Flacco, at one point he and back up QB Matt Schaub, alternated passes. Lets just say, god help the Ravens if Flacco misses any time. Even Kyle Boller would say that Matt Schaub looked bad out there. 

With Matt Elam out for the season with a torn biceps, the safety battle behind Will Hill and Kendrick Lewis is wide open. On a few occasions, Brynden Trawick made quick breaks to disrupt passes. Ravens need someone to step up here, and Trawick made his presence felt. 

When red zone drills started, rookie Javorious “Buck” Allen showed of his catting ability, jump cut to his left to elude Albert McClellan and gain more yardage. 

The loudest cheers of the night came when Justin Tucker drilled a 64-yard field goal right down the center. 

Interesting to note that Michael Campanaro lined up outside for the majority of the snap tonight, as opposed to in the slot position where he excelled at Wake Forest, and in his limited time here in 2014. On one play he was bumped off his out route by the physical Jimmy Smith. It lead to an easy pick for Smith of Flacco.  You want to see Camp be more physical, but Smith is as big as the come for CBs and one of the games best. A good teaching moment, in my opinion, for the second year wideout.

Tonight’s winners at practice: Brynden Trawick, Maxx Williams, and the fans. All 22,111 of them that came out tonight to see their favorite players in action.

Tonight’s losers: Arthur Brown, Matt Schaub.

Quotes

Coach Harbaugh on which players stood out to him, getting an opportunity on a big stage.

“It’s hard to say because I’m going to miss guys. But I think Brynden Trawick played well. He was all over the field. Had a big pass break up there when we were doing the two minute. Joe [Flacco] played exceptionally well. Buck Allen I thought was a young guy that looked really good just off the top of my head, Carl Davis. Of course I’m going to miss a bunch of guys. 

Brynden Trawick on if he think’s he’ll have an increased role on the defense.

“Possibly. That’s for the coaches to decide. I’m just working everyday trying to get better. Trying to help my team win.”

Justin Tucker on if he kicks his best at home, after drilling a 64-yard FG during practice.

“I definitely feel like our stadium is a challenge once we get into the regular season. A night like tonight when its nice and warm, the ball just can tend to fly. It wasn’t too windy out there…our stadium in November, December can be a challenging place to kick but at the same time it’s so much more satisfying to make kicks at home, in front of our fans where you get that roar of the crowd. It’s something that everybody in the sports world craves, and we get to experience it in the best way possible with the best fans in the league.