With the Ravens set to begin the 20th training camp in franchise history in less than two weeks, expectations are high for John Harbaugh’s team as they eye their seventh trip to the postseason in eight years.
As veterans report to Owings Mills on July 29th and the first full-squad workout takes place the following day, we’ll examine each position group entering the summer.
July 20: Quarterbacks
July 21: Defensive line
July 22: Running backs
July 23: Linebackers
July 24: Wide receivers
July 25: Tight ends
July 26: Cornerbacks
July 27: Offensive line
July 28: Safeties
July 29: Specialists
Below is a look at the Baltimore quarterbacks:
QUARTERBACKS
LOCK: Joe Flacco, Matt Schaub
BUBBLE: None
LONG SHOT: Bryn Renner, Jerry Lovelocke
Synopsis: The Ravens once again reap the benefits of having a franchise quarterback as Joe Flacco enters his eighth season. The signing of Schaub gives the Ravens their first established veteran behind Flacco since Marc Bulger was the backup during the 2010 season. Baltimore hasn’t carried three quarterbacks on its 53-man roster since the 2009 season, a trend that figures to continue this year with neither Renner nor Lovelocke being standout talents. His regular-season numbers never wow you, but Flacco fits into the exclusive group of quarterbacks capable of winning a championship that so many teams are lacking every year.
One to watch: Flacco is playing under his fourth offensive coordinator in four years and is essentially in a contract year with the sides needing to renegotiate his contract after the 2015 season. It will be interesting to see how new offensive coordinator Marc Trestman impacts the veteran signal-caller, but there’s no reason to think Flacco won’t continue to get the job done at just 30 years of age.
One on notice: The 34-year-old Schaub’s lone season in Oakland only fueled concerns about his future after a disappointing end to his long run in Houston 2013. Truthfully, he did not impress during spring practices, consistently lacking arm strength and accuracy with his throws. His contract is guaranteed for 2015, but he’ll need a better summer to instill confidence that the Ravens won’t be in major trouble if Flacco even goes down for a relatively short period of time.
Sleeper: Lovelocke, an Edmondson graduate, is 6-foot-4 and has good arm strength and mobility, which could make him a candidate for the practice squad if he can develop his raw skills over the summer. Either way, it’s fun to root for a local kid after he had a good career at Prairie View A&M.
Luke Jones
Luke Jones is the Ravens and Orioles beat reporter for WNST BaltimorePositive.com and is a PFWA member. His mind is consumed with useless sports knowledge, pro wrestling promos, and movie quotes, but he often forgets where he put his phone. Luke's favorite sports memories include being one of the thousands of kids who waited for Cal Ripken's autograph after Orioles games in the summer of 1995, attending the Super Bowl XXXV victory parade with his dad in the pouring rain, and watching the Terps advance to the Final Four at the Carrier Dome in 2002. Follow him on social media @BaltimoreLuke or email him at Luke@wnst.net.
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