By the tip of voluntary observe Wednesday, the scenario with the Ravens’ tight ends had change into extra complicated. It’s a great drawback to have when Greg Roman is your offensive coordinator.
On a day when the Ravens’ passing recreation was downright terrible and extra defensive gamers had touches than receivers due to knocked down passes, rookie tight finish Charlie Kolar had two distinctive catches over the center. On each receptions, he needed to attain up and haul in overthrown passes, which pressured him to get each inch out of his 6-foot-6, 250-pound body.
According to educate John Harbaugh, Kolar, a fourth-round draft pick of Iowa State, had two related catches the day earlier than. Being a downfield risk is likely one of the causes the Ravens chosen Kolar. They wished one other tight finish to enrich starter Mark Andrews, and so they might need discovered one.
The drawback proper now’s that Kolar hasn’t proven he is an efficient blocker, one thing Andrews additionally struggled with as a rookie 4 years in the past. Isaiah Likely, one other rookie tight finish chosen within the fourth spherical out of Coastal Carolina, is a greater blocker than Kolar, however the Ravens might need too many on the place with the attainable return of Nick Boyle, who has struggled to get on the sphere the previous two seasons whereas recovering from a knee harm.
Harbaugh says Boyle is lighter and faster, however his forte is obstructing within the Ravens’ run-heavy scheme. Training camp doesn’t begin till late July, so the Ravens have loads of time to determine an association.
“I expect a lot of production from those guys,” Harbaugh stated. “There’s a lot of depth. It’s going to be interesting. They’ll function as receivers in one sense or another a lot of times, too. So, they’re good receiving tight ends, they’re blocking. I’m excited to see them when the pads come on. They’ve looked good so far, all of them.”
Justin Madubuike stands out
When you watch the defensive position hit in sled work, third-year defensive sort out Justin Madubuike stands out as a result of he is likely to be the quickest and most explosive off the snap.
Madubuike has performed a variety of issues nicely in his first two seasons — together with dropping pounds. He has all the time been fast and has been one of many few linemen who can penetrate and disrupt working performs. Madubuike began 11 of 15 video games final season and completed with 36 tackles and a pair of sacks.
This may very well be the breakout season for the 2020 third-round pick of Texas A&M. He batted down three passes Wednesday.
“Really expect him to take off, he and I talked about it,” Harbaugh stated. “We expect him to take it to another level. That’s what he has practiced to do. I think he wants to be more consistent against the run, even though he played the run well last year. But he wants to start disrupting passes, a few batted balls, a few sacks. He is very determined. He looks good.”
Second-year cross rushers
The Ravens want high quality cross rushers, so there needs to be a deal with younger exterior linebackers like Daelin Hayes and Odafe Oweh, each second-year gamers.
Oweh, a 2021 first-round pick of Penn State, began two of 15 video games as a rookie and was second on the group with 5 sacks. A foot harm prompted him to overlook taking part in time on the finish of final season and an obvious shoulder surgical procedure has slowed him all through the three voluntary practices open to the media.
But Oweh isn’t nonetheless on the sideline. Even when he’s ready for his subsequent rotation in drills, he’s engaged on one thing, whether or not it’s hand preventing or some pass-rushing strikes. You can’t query his need to get higher.
Hayes, a 2021 fifth-round pick of Notre Dame, missed most of final season with ankle and knee accidents. But he’s noticeably thicker in his backside half and appears to play with extra energy.
The Ravens want them to remain wholesome as a result of each have a variety of potential.
Welcome again
The Ravens had three new faces on the offensive line that weren’t in attendance every week in the past.
Both second-year guard Ben Cleveland and offensive tackles Ja’Wuan James and Daniel Faalele participated in observe, and Harbaugh stated sort out Morgan Moses, one in all their key free-agent signings, practiced Tuesday.
Both Cleveland and the rookie Faalele will wrestle in cross safety. Faalele, the fourth-round pick of Minnesota, regarded out of practice and winded throughout the 11-on-11 group intervals. James, coming off a torn Achilles tendon, ran nicely despite the fact that there was little or no bodily contact and he didn’t must push or transfer an opponent off the ball.
See, Lamar?
Cornerback Marlon Humphrey has been spectacular.
After he signed a five-year, $97.5 million contract extension in October 2020, Humphrey had a subpar 2021 season earlier than tearing his proper pectoral and lacking the ultimate 5 video games.
He might have skipped the three latest minicamps however has proven up and labored very exhausting. That is an indication of excellent religion when a participant does these sort of issues.
Are you listening, Lamar Jackson?
Harbaugh, although, stated he expects his star quarterback to be on the group’s obligatory minicamp subsequent week.
Consistency is essential
Second-year receiver Rashod Bateman dropped a straightforward cross over the center early in observe however made up for it with a number of excellent catches in a while. The key for Bateman can be consistency.
Two younger receivers who’ve been spectacular are rookie free brokers Devon Williams out of Oregon and Makai Polk from Mississippi State.
Timing, although, needs to be labored out between the receivers and quarterbacks. The Ravens have a variety of work to do.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com