Star quarterback Lamar Jackson wasn’t in attendance for the Ravens’ voluntary “football school” Wednesday on the workforce’s facility in Owings Mills. New offensive coordinator Todd Monken isn’t involved.
“We’re excited about the guys that are here,” Monken stated. “I know Lamar’s working hard.”
It’s been six days since Jackson signed a five-year extension reportedly value $260 million that makes him the very best paid participant within the NFL yearly. But he was hardly the one huge identify absent from the session.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., whom the Ravens signed to a one-year deal value as much as a reported $18 million final month, working backs J.Okay. Dobbins and Gus Edwards and linebackers Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen have been additionally among the many notable gamers not in attendance.
When they are going to be is unknown, however the Ravens’ first apply throughout offseason workforce actions is May 22.
“I know the guys that aren’t here are working hard,” Monken stated. “They’re pros. When they’re here, they’re here. We look forward to getting them here and getting them up to speed on what we’re doing offensively. That’s the biggest challenge.”
In the meantime, Monken stated he’s been in “constant communication” with Jackson and Beckham and speaking soccer with them.
“I do think we’ll be able to get those guys here hopefully in a short amount of time,” he stated. “But until that happens we’ll get up to speed with the guys we’ve got.”
One of these gamers Monken did have on Wednesday was extensive receiver Devin Duvernay, who stated that he’s again to working after present process season-ending foot surgical procedure in December. He stated he likes the place he’s at bodily and took part within the media viewing portion of apply.
He’s additionally enthusiastic about what might be a totally revamped offense below Monken. Greg Roman resigned in January after mounting frustration over what devolved right into a sputtering offense, notably within the purple zone and late within the season when Jackson was sidelined for the ultimate six video games due to a knee damage.
Duvernay, Beckham, a wholesome Rashod Bateman and first-round draft decide Zay Flowers give the Ravens one of many league’s quickest receiving items. Last season, Ravens receivers have been final within the NFL in yards by a large margin.
“There’s a ton a different ways to stress the field,” Duvernay stated. “We have a ton of different guys who can do a multitude of things.”
None extra so than their dynamic 26-year-old quarterback.
Jackson’s 4,437 speeding yards over the primary 5 years of his profession are essentially the most by a quarterback in NFL historical past. Twice he topped 1,000 speeding yards in a season, together with in 2019 when he ran for 1,206 yards and 7 touchdowns and threw for 3,127 yards and a league-high 36 touchdowns with simply six interceptions on his strategy to being named the unanimous NFL Most Valuable Player.
For his profession, Jackson has accomplished 63.7% of his passes for 12,209 yards and 101 touchdowns. But after lacking 10 video games over the previous two seasons due to accidents, it’s potential that Jackson may maybe run much less below Monken.
“It goes back to the players that you have,” Monken stated. “The extra proficient you might be round your quarterback, the much less he has to tackle that burden since you’re enthusiastic about getting others the soccer.
“But he has a unique trait, a unique skill set. You can’t take that completely out of his toolbox, because that’s a huge weapon for him and for us, using his feet.”
Monken, who was the offensive coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2018, the Cleveland Browns in 2019 and two-time defending nationwide champion Georgia, additionally stated earlier this yr that he plans to have the Ravens play at a sooner tempo.
The hope is that can result in a way more explosive offense after the Ravens averaged 20.6 factors per recreation in 2022, which ranked nineteenth within the league, simply forward of the Carolina Panthers. If nothing else, it ought to assist Baltimore keep away from having bother getting the ball snapped earlier than the play clock expires, one thing that plagued the workforce final season.
“Game dictates tempo, players dictate tempo,” stated Monken, noting that the gamers who’ve been in attendance have solely been on the sphere for about 10 days and that the sport plan is in its infancy stage. “As we move forward, we’ll have better idea where that presents itself for us.”
Especially as soon as Jackson and the remainder of the Ravens’ offense arrives.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com