OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Eddie Jackson knew plenty about the defense he was joining when he officially signed a one-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. He played with middle linebacker Roquan Smith for parts of five seasons in Chicago.
He was a college teammate of cornerback Marlon Humphrey at Alabama. He follows what other safeties around the league are doing, so he was certainly aware of Baltimore’s starting tandem of Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton . Advertisement But he’s learned even more after practicing with the team for two days of training camp.
And his biggest takeaway is just how much depth the Ravens have in their defensive backfield. “Man, it’s crazy,” Jackson said after Monday’s practice, conducted mostly in a rainstorm. “I feel like this is probably the deepest and (most) competitive DB room I’ve had since Alabama with Minkah (Fitzpatrick), Ronnie (Harrison) and Marlon.
Just to be back there with Kyle and Marcus and those guys being able to help me, you know, teach me things, answer any questions I have. Even with some of the younger guys — I’ve been looking to them for help just learning the playbook and things like that, so it’s definitely special.” The first week of training camp is typically a time for overreactions, so it’s wise to not get carried away with what has played out over two practices at the Under Armour Performance Center.
However, what’s already clear is that if health cooperates — rookie fourth-round cornerback T.J. Tampa is already sidelined for a few weeks following abdominal surgery — the Ravens will have some very difficult roster decisions to make in their secondary, and quite a few different looks they can throw at offenses.
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in-content-module-img img ").forEach((el) => { el.setAttribute("style", "pointer-events: none;");}) In Monday’s practice, Jackson had an interception that he returned for a touchdown as Hamilton and Humphrey, who was holding his helmet aloft, sprinted after their new teammate to celebrate.
About a half hour later, first-round cornerback Nate Wiggins intercepted an Emory Jones pass. On Sunday, veteran cornerback Arthur Maulet had the first interception of training camp. Humphrey, who looks leaner and healthier than he did during last season’s injury-plagued campaign, also got his hands on a few passes.
It would be pretty easy for first-year defensive coordinator Zach Orr to watch the practice tape and imagine the possibilities. The re-signing of Maulet and the drafting of Wiggins and Tampa have significantly improved the team’s cornerback depth behind projected starters Humphrey and Brandon Stephens . At safety, the recent signings of Jackson and Daryl Worley , along with Williams being healthy again, could turn a concern into one of the team’s strengths.
Advertisement “What you’ll see is personnel groups, with different guys in different spots,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “The basic personnel group with Arthur at nickel is a group, and you’ve got a group with Marlon at nickel. You’ve got a group with Kyle down there in that spot — Kyle could be over at the dime.
That’s the beauty of what we have an opportunity to do, and a lot of guys to play at a starter level and be on the field and mix it up a little bit and create problems for offenses.” It could also create problems for the team’s decision-makers ahead of cutdown day on Aug. 27, but those are what football folks like to call “good problems to have.
” And after years of seeing their defensive backfield get whittled away by injuries, the Ravens would happily sign up for the alternative. Defense dominates The defense is traditionally ahead of the offense this early in camp, and that’s been the case through two days here — which shouldn’t be surprising with quarterback Lamar Jackson missing the first two practices with an illness. Harbaugh didn’t provide much clarity on Jackson Monday, saying only that the quarterback is still sick and wasn’t available to practice.
These were the first three offensive plays of the full-team session: Wide receiver Zay Flowers was touched down for a loss by Trenton Simpson on an end around, a play that would have come back anyway because of a flag on the offensive line; Josh Johnson threw incomplete to wide receiver Rashod Bateman , who was well covered by Humphrey; Odafe Oweh beat left tackle Ronnie Stanley inside to stop Derrick Henry for a loss. The offense finally got positive yards on the fourth play when running back Justice Hill cut back inside for a modest gain. That early sequence set the tone for a practice in which the defense was flying around.
Eddie Jackson, Wiggins and rookie defensive end Tramel Walthour had interceptions — at least two of them would likely have been pick sixes if the play had been allowed to continue. In a roughly five-play span, Kyle Van Noy beat Patrick Mekari on the edge for a sack and a blitzing Simpson and Hamilton came in untouched for sacks. David Ojabo swatted away a Devin Leary pass.
Travis Jones beat guard Ben Cleveland inside and nearly close-lined Henry to make the stop. Justin Madubuike got the step on guard Andrew Vorhees to register a tackle for loss. Advertisement The offense picked up its level, but it was the defense’s day.
Not that the offense’s struggles were on Johnson, but getting Lamar Jackson back would obviously level the playing field. Other thoughts, observations • It started to downpour about a half hour into practice, but the team stayed on the field to finish the workout rather than head into the indoor facility. The rain did make things more difficult to execute.
In special teams work, Jordan Stout couldn’t hold on to a snap, forcing kicker Justin Tucker to scoop up the loose ball and throw it away. There was a fumbled exchange between center Tyler Linderbaum and Johnson. There were also a few drops and a handful of pre-snap penalties.
Vorhees, guard TyKeem Doss , tight ends Charlie Kolar and Isaiah Likely , and wide receiver Sean Ryan all had to run laps because of pre-snap infractions. Harbaugh felt it was a good opportunity to practice in the rain and prepare for conditions that the team could see on game days. • To make room for Worley, the Ravens waived defensive back Tre Swilling , who spent part of last season on the team’s practice squad.
Like undrafted rookie Jordan Toles , who was waived Monday with Baltimore needing a roster spot after the Jackson move became official, Swilling made a handful of plays during the team’s various offseason workouts. That the Ravens waived him during the first week of training camp is a good reflection of how deep they are in the defensive backfield. • Oweh said after Monday’s workout that he had minor surgery in the offseason, but he didn’t specify what he got repaired.
Oweh certainly hasn’t appeared hindered in any way. Through two practices, he’s been one of the most impactful players. He’s had several rushes that would have likely resulted in sacks if pass rushers were allowed to make contact with the quarterback.
He’s also blown up a few running plays. Oweh’s development is a crucial factor for this year’s Ravens. If he’s able to stay healthy, be more consistent and turn some of his pressures into sacks, the concerns about the team’s pass rush and its failure to replace Jadeveon Clowney will fade pretty quickly.
• The offensive play of the day was turned in by rookie fifth-round running back Rasheen Ali . Leary made a perfect deep throw down the far sideline. Not only did Ali outduel Simpson, who was in good position, to make the catch, but he also made sure to get two feet in before tumbling out of bounds.
Bateman also made two highlight-reel plays, making an adjustment to haul in an underthrown Johnson pass just before it hit the ground and also extending to make a nifty catch in traffic with cornerback Trayvon Mullen in tight coverage. A little rain didn’t slow down @R_bateman2 ❗ pic.twitter.
com/Q8adD8X3kD — Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) July 22, 2024 • Wiggins’ interception against Emory Jones, an undrafted rookie, was a nice response after the first-rounder was penalized earlier in practice for grabbing wide receiver Tylan Wallace on a deep pass and also allowed a sideline completion to Nelson Agholor . Wiggins, though, certainly looks the part. Ravens coaches have been very happy with what they’ve seen from the Clemson rookie throughout the offseason.
They’ll find ways to get him on the field as early as possible. • Another cornerback who has gotten off to a nice start is third-year pro Jalyn Armour-Davis . He’s had pass breakups in each of the first two practices and has been tight in coverage on several other incompletions.
This is a huge camp and preseason for Armour-Davis, the 2022 fourth-round pick out of Alabama. There aren’t too many jobs to win in the secondary, so it’s imperative that Armour-Davis avoids the health issues that have plagued him early in his NFL career. Even a relatively short-term injury would be challenging for Armour-Davis to overcome in his quest to make the team.
(Photo of Kyle Hamilton and Marlon Humphrey: Michael Owens / Getty Images).
