Ravens Secondary: New Stars Emerge

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh is not getting ahead of himself so early in training camp, only three days in.

He stated on Friday, "We're not focused on the grand scheme at the moment; it's more about addressing numerous small details."

On a sweltering day in Owings Mills, where temperatures almost hit 100 degrees, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson wasn't quite on point with his accuracy in some of the finer details. As the legendary Allen Iverson, the former NBA player and insightful thinker, would say, "it's just practice."

The coaches and his fellow players have complete faith in the two-time NFL MVP, especially after his record-breaking season in terms of touchdown passes and passing yards.

Jackson did show flashes of brilliance, notably linking up with Rashod Bateman on a few passes across the center of the field during the 11-on-11 drills.New receiver DeAndre HopkinsHe was also rescued by teammates on two occasions, including a slightly off-target cross that he managed to secure despite being a step ahead.cornerback Jaire Alexanderfollowed by a diving catch of an errant pass while practicing 7-on-7 drills, with cornerback T.J. Tampa close behind.

Jackson stands alone as the sole player to achieve a minimum of 4,000 passing yards and 900 rushing yards in a single season. He also showcased impressive agility with a deceptive run, feigning a handoff in one direction before cutting the other way, leaving the opposing defender behind.

1. In contrast to earlier in the week, when Jackson hit Bateman for a 60-yard score after Bateman outran Nate Wiggins, they couldn't replicate that success this time. Bateman once again had a slight lead on Wiggins, but the pass was short, allowing the quick cornerback to recover and break up the play.

Bateman began to run at a moderate pace, stretching out his arms to indicate to Jackson that he should pass the ball further downfield, just as they had practiced earlier in the week.

Where’s Mike Green?

Last year, Mike Green topped all college football players with 17 sacks. However, in the initial days of training camp, the polarizing edge rusher from Marshall – who surprisingly slipped to the second round due to…two accusations of sexual assaultremains in search of his initial victory.

Even though it's still early in the game, he's consistently failed to pressure the quarterback, regardless of who's playing.

1. During a play on Friday, Green charged into the backfield but was stopped by Lucas Scott, an undrafted rookie fullback. 2. In another instance, he quickly moved past rookie fifth-round tackle Carson Vinson, a former Alabama A&M player, but the tackle managed to prevent him from reaching the quarterback, missing what should have been a pressure or even a sack.

Green's speed and agility are clear, but he's barely managed to create any pressure on the quarterback, maybe just one instance.

This Monday marks the first practice where players will wear full pads. It will be particularly interesting to observe Green, who is projected to play a key role in Baltimore's pass rush this year, to see if he can elevate his performance.

Tyler Loop’s best day

Tyler Loop has participated in two of the three training camp sessions so far, with a break on Thursday. He hasn't missed a kick in either session. However, Friday's practice was the first time we truly saw what the rookie can do, as he successfully kicked from over 60 yards away.

Initially, Loop needed four tries during red zone plays. The offense executed a play, followed by the field goal team coming onto the field. All of these attempts were from within the 25-yard line. Subsequently, Loop launched a series of consecutive kicks.

He successfully kicked five field goals from distances between 30 and 45 yards, gradually increasing the distance with each easy kick. Then the true challenge arrived. Loop launched a kick from 63 yards out, positioned on the right hash mark. The ball sailed cleanly through the goalposts with room to spare, much to the joy of his teammates, the coaching staff, and the spectators enduring the sweltering July weather.

The Ravens also mentioned Loop on their official website.converted a 68-yard attempton the other side of the field during an individual exercise.

Loop had his strongest kicking performance of the offseason's public practices on Friday, following a decent but unremarkable minicamp and OTAs that featured a missed kick of over 60 yards.

Strap in

1. It's debatable whether Jaire Alexander created it, but he definitely made the "seatbelt celebration" famous during his time as a Green Bay cornerback. This move, where you put your hand across your chest to mimic fastening a seatbelt (a symbol for locking down a receiver), is starting to appear in the early stages of Ravens training camp. 2. While the origin of the "seatbelt celebration" is uncertain, Jaire Alexander undoubtedly brought it to prominence while playing cornerback in Green Bay. This gesture, which involves a hand motion across the chest simulating the fastening of a seatbelt—a metaphor for tightly covering a receiver—is now being seen in the initial practices of the Ravens. 3. The question of whether Jaire Alexander originated it remains open, but there's no doubt he popularized the "seatbelt celebration" during his tenure as a veteran cornerback in Green Bay. This hand-across-the-chest gesture, imitating the action of buckling a seatbelt and symbolizing the lockdown of a receiver, is gaining traction early in the Ravens' training camp.

1. After intercepting a pass from reserve quarterback Cooper Rush on Wednesday, Alexander introduced the celebration. 2. Humphrey followed suit on Friday, dislodging the ball from tight end Isaiah Likely, rising to his feet, and immediately miming fastening an imaginary seatbelt.

Wiggins, after his second pass deflection in what had been a successful practice, joined Alexander in performing their trademark celebratory move.

When questioned about potentially making a game-changing play himself, safety Kyle Hamilton paused to consider. He then suggested it might happen if the play was particularly unusual. Regardless, the All-Pro safety admitted to enjoying the added excitement.

Hamilton commented, "That's probably what we were missing. Sometimes, guys can get a little quirky. I tend to be more balanced, so I need someone to draw that energy out of me, and Jaire does that for us. When it comes to energy, everyone takes their cue from him. Even though he's only been at three practices, everyone can already sense the impact he's having."

Significantly more advanced than my previous state.

Hamilton was selected as the 14th player in the 2022 draft. During his first year, Pro Football Focus gave him the best grade of any rookie defensive player for the Ravens in the last 16 years. By his second year, he had reached All-Pro level, and he's been chosen for the Pro Bowl twice in his three years playing.

Hamilton thinks Malaki Starks, a first-round selection, is significantly more advanced than he was at the same stage of his career.

1. Hamilton commented on the former Georgia standout, saying, "First off, the guy is incredibly gifted." 2. "He effortlessly pulls off incredible feats, likely without even realizing it; he's that intuitive." 3. Hamilton added, "The only thing slightly hindering him is his limited experience. But once that falls into place, he'll become an exceptional player."

Hamilton mentioned that the new guy understands the game plan better than he did when he was a rookie, is confidently discussing plays, and is soaking up information during meetings.

"He has a giving nature," Starks remarked, grinning.

Starks snagged his initial interception of training camp on Thursday, marking the first time he's intercepted a pass from Jackson. Aside from that notable play, he's appeared at ease during live drills. Starks mentioned that he frequently consults with Hamilton to better understand various game situations.

Starks remarked, "He's incredibly intelligent."who was personally praised for his understanding of footballduring the entire selection period. "You believe you understand the game until you're surrounded by experts, and then you recognize how little you actually know."

Wiggins stands out

Wiggins was undoubtedly the star of the show today.

1. During the initial 11-on-11 segment, he almost picked off Jackson after cutting in front of Anthony Miller on a quick pass. 2. Shortly after, he disrupted a sweep play with a forceful tackle.

Afterward, he caught up to Bateman on Jackson's long pass and effortlessly knocked the ball away.

Despite gaining a little weight, Wiggins, listed at 182 pounds, remains very slender, but he's been tenacious in coverage and possesses great speed.

Hamilton stated, "I believe he has the potential to become a top player in the league. He's the type who isn't intimidated by any opponent."

He's really performing well, particularly today. He's been playing at this caliber for the last three days. ... I anticipate he'll show one of the most significant improvements on the team compared to last year.

43 observations on each Baltimore Ravens defensive player as training camp gets underway.
Jaire Alexander of the Ravens has moved on from his time with the Packers, stating, "I'm feeling positive about my situation here."
Ravens' perspective: An abundance of tight ends? That's not a problem for us.
Kyle Van Noy of the Ravens is aware his time is limited, but he intends to maintain his current pace.
READERS' FEEDBACK: Supporters believe the Ravens are the top team in professional football.

Injuries and attendance

According to FTN Fantasy, the Ravens enjoyed a remarkably healthy season last year, with an adjusted games lost figure of only 16.3, making them the healthiest team in the NFL by a good margin. This trend has largely continued through the initial week of training camp.

1. Hopkins, who sat out Thursday's practice due to an awkward landing on his knee, returned to the field Friday and made a few impressive catches. 2. After missing Thursday's practice because of a knee issue sustained from an awkward landing, Hopkins was back in action on Friday, showcasing some excellent receptions. 3. Hopkins, sidelined on Thursday following an awkward knee injury, was back practicing on Friday and pulled down some notable catches. 4. Following a Thursday absence due to an awkward knee incident, Hopkins returned to the field on Friday and demonstrated his skills with a few remarkable grabs. 5. After awkwardly landing on his knee and missing Thursday's session, Hopkins was back practicing Friday, making a couple of impressive catches.

Cornerback Chidobe Awuzie was mostly a spectator during team drills, but according to Harbaugh, the 30-year-old veteran, who has a history of injuries, is "fine" and "he'll be OK."

In other news, Keith Kirkwood, another receiver, was the sole addition to the list of players missing.

Got a news story? Get in touch with Brian Wacker atbwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn.

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