With the Ravens concluding the 2021 preseason and players off for the weekend before continuing preparations for Week 1, I’ve offered a dozen thoughts, each in 50 words or less:
1. We rarely gain definitive summer answers to offseason questions, but I can’t recall many Week 1 unknowns comparable to the current state of the offense after Lamar Jackson’s late start, the extended camp absences at wide receiver and on the offensive line, and J.K. Dobbins’ season-ending knee injury. We’ll see.
2. The running game will still excel as long as Jackson’s healthy, but Dobbins brought a greater ceiling and margin for error that would have been helpful as this offense tries to hit its stride early. His loss only reinforces what we already knew about the passing game needing to grow.
3. Recent signs have pointed to Ben Powers being the Week 1 left guard, but I’m reminded how the 2019 competition played out when Powers and Jermaine Eluemunor appeared more likely to win the job until Bradley Bozeman prevailed late in summer. Don’t write off Tyre Phillips or Ben Cleveland yet.
4. We’ve noted how little attention Tyus Bowser has received this summer, so it was interesting to see one respected football analytics website identify him as a breakout pass rusher candidate. An increased workload could augment or hurt what were impressive pressure and quarterback hit rates last season.
5. Ben Mason was the first Ravens fifth-round pick to be cut after his rookie preseason since Robert Myers in 2015, but I don’t understand the polarizing viewpoints. Can’t we acknowledge the pick being both a whiff and not that big of a deal without getting bent out of shape?
6. The reported addition of Josh Bynes to the practice squad is a smart move in the wake of the L.J. Fort injury. Though I’m not sure how much game action the 32-year-old will see, his football intellect will be a great asset in helping Patrick Queen and Malik Harrison develop.
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7. Outside linebackers coach Drew Wilkins said it best describing expectations for Odafe Oweh and Daelin Hayes. “We want them to play fast early on. There are going to be mistakes and we’ll learn from those mistakes, but play fast and don’t let that same mistake beat you twice.”
8. Hayes provided refreshing honesty describing his first NFL training camp. “That was the hardest six weeks of my life.” The fifth-round pick made clear he enjoyed the experience, however. Reporters see very little of players due to the pandemic protocols, but Hayes and Oweh really seem like impressive young men.
9. Wilkins and secondary coach Chris Hewitt are excellent defensive assistants primed to move up the coaching ladder working with Wink Martindale. Wilkins said, “He’s so open to everyone’s ideas. He’s an unbelievable leader in the sense that he wants everybody’s opinion, and he demands excellence from everybody’s work.”
10. Asked about the progress of Ja’Wuan James rehabbing the Achilles tendon injury that landed him on the non-football injury list, John Harbaugh again didn’t rule out a return later this season. Even if a long shot, that would be quite helpful considering the lack of offensive tackle depth.
11. Looking no further than Gus Edwards and Ty’Son Williams, you have to be impressed with the many players the Ravens have graduated from their practice squad to meaningful 53-man roster roles. Hitting on early-round picks is a must, but finding diamonds in the rough really boosts long-term salary cap health.
12. It’s strange to think rosters were mostly settled by Thursday, which used to be the day of the last preseason contest. Eliminating the fourth exhibition game and moving up final cuts was a great call. I’ll be enjoying the first big college football Saturday. Rest up for Week 1.
