With the Ravens winding down their second week of voluntary organized team activities in Owings Mills, I’ve offered a dozen thoughts, each in 50 words or less:
1. Asked about Lamar Jackson’s absence from three of four OTAs open to reporters, John Harbaugh said, “It’s just this time of year. It’s a voluntary time. It’s really not something that we comment on.” It’s no secret that coaches want their players to take part regularly — especially franchise quarterbacks.
2. The attendance debate is nuanced as few would argue spring workouts in isolation are terribly consequential to the big picture, but dismissing them as meaningless disrespects the many participating. That said, quarterbacks are traditionally held to a higher standard than other veterans unless the absence stems from a contract-related matter.
3. This is a two-time NFL MVP with nothing left to prove in the regular season, so it’s hardly the end of the world. But there’s only one quarterback in his age bracket he’s chasing, and Patrick Mahomes has attended multiple OTAs after winning his third Super Bowl in five years.
4. If nothing else, Jackson’s absence provides extensive first-team reps for 38-year-old backup Josh Johnson, which should give the organization a better idea of his ability to handle the No. 2 quarterback job. Of course, no other quarterback is saving Baltimore’s season if anything happens to Jackson.
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5. Having accepted a pay cut and entering a contract year, Ronnie Stanley has attended every OTA and handled a full workload, drawing compliments from Harbaugh. “He’s working super hard. He’s getting tested. These guys like Odafe [Oweh] and these guys are bringing it.” This season is pivotal to Stanley’s future.
6. Brandon Stephens is also in the final season of his deal and still takes an occasional rep at safety, but he’ll finally be able to focus on one position after becoming a starting outside cornerback. That should only help his chances of fetching a good payday — in Baltimore or elsewhere.
7. Travis Jones has already been a solid part of the defensive line rotation, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him take a big step forward like Stephens — another former third-round pick — did last year. The 6-foot-4, 338-pound Jones moves very well for his size.
8. Rashod Bateman began Thursday’s 11-on-11 work catching a touchdown over Jalyn Armour-Davis in the red zone and has been practicing very well. Asked which receiver has been the most difficult to cover, first-round rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins chose Bateman before even Zay Flowers.
9. Though participating in individual periods, David Ojabo won’t take part in full-team work until “somewhere in training camp,” according to Harbaugh. The talented but raw edge rusher has missed so much development time since being drafted two years ago. This will obviously be an important summer for Ojabo.
10. After spending most of last season on the practice squad, Tre Swilling made multiple pass breakups during Thursday’s workout with starting safeties Kyle Hamilton and Marcus Williams not present. The 25-year-old Swilling is listed as a cornerback, but the Ravens are looking for some reliable safety depth.
811. Live contact isn’t permitted during spring workouts, so coaches don’t want to see collisions and players going to the ground, which happened a few times Thursday. Of course, reining in the competitive juices of those individuals fighting for their livelihood is sometimes easier said than done.
12. The Ravens work on special teams at the start of every practice, and I initially didn’t even realize they were working on kickoffs in the wake of the drastic rule changes made this offseason. It’ll be fascinating seeing how strategy develops with Kansas City already contemplating its options.
