Training camp has begun for the Ravens rookies, but a handful of players weren’t yet ready to practice as of Thursday afternoon.
According to the NFL’s daily transaction sheet, Baltimore placed wide receivers Marquise Brown and Jaylen Smith, outside linebacker Jaylon Ferguson, and defensive tackle Daylon Mack on the non-football injury list and guard Patrick Mekari on the physically unable to perform list. Though the Ravens haven’t commented on the reasons for any of these designations, these lists are used for players who had a preexisting ailment or did not pass the infamous conditioning test that’s victimized many veterans and rookies in previous summers.
Each player still counts against the 90-man preseason roster limit and is eligible to return to practice at any point. Baltimore’s first full-squad workout is next Thursday, a day after veteran players must report to the team facility in Owings Mills.
Brown, the 25th overall pick of April’s draft, being on the list isn’t a major surprise as he continues working his way back to full strength from Lisfranc surgery on his left foot in January. On the first night of the draft, general manager Eric DeCosta said he “conservatively” expected the speedy receiver to be back on the field for training camp, but head coach John Harbaugh acknowledged in mid-June that Brown wasn’t yet running full speed on flat ground.
“My expectation is the opening of training camp,” said Harbaugh during mandatory minicamp last month. “I don’t think you can say that for certain because you just don’t know how things are going to progress and where he’s going to be. But, from what I’m told, there have been no setbacks.”
Brown originally injured his foot playing for Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship game last Dec. 1 and returned a month later to play in the College Football Playoff semifinal game a month later, but his injury is classified as “non-football” since it occurred outside of the Ravens’ football activities. In contrast, Mekari was placed on the active PUP list after his back flared up during spring workouts in Owings Mills.
Since Ferguson, Mack, and Smith all took part in organized team activities and mandatory minicamp without any reported injuries, their placement on the NFI list could be the result of not passing the conditioning test. Harbaugh’s training camps have long been known for this challenging obstacle at the outset as several former Ravens players noted on social media Thursday evening. In most cases, failing the conditioning test is much more of a short-term blip than a red flag that sticks with a player.
Ferguson, a third-round pick from Louisiana Tech, is expected to compete for playing time in a pass-rush rotation in desperate need of contributors opposite veteran Matthew Judon. A fifth-round selection from Texas A&M, Mack will be competing for reserve snaps on the defensive line.
Hardest conditioning test in the league! https://t.co/P2midBMT6k
— Mike Wallace (@Wallace17_daKid) July 18, 2019
Facts. Its probably the toughest in the league!! https://t.co/l5zuo53dDZ
— Justin Forsett (@JForsett) July 18, 2019
Bruh I failed it 2 out of 3 years. That Bih so hard.
— FABIAN WASHINGTON (@FABEWASH31) July 18, 2019
