Yahoo Sports Senior NFL Reporter Charles Robinson is out on the road covering training camps. Today’s stop: the Baltimore Ravens.
About the QB
I was curious about the wide receiver group that Lamar Jackson is working with, but there doesn’t seem to be much concern from the staff. Coaches think Zay Flowers will take a step forward and there is still belief that Rashod Bateman can finally put his injuries behind him and be a key piece. But as it stands, the plan is for more of the offense to flow through RB Derrick Henry and the the tight ends.
Rookie to watch
Dinged shoulder aside (and it turned out to be minor), the staff is pumped about the early trajectory of first-round corner Nate Wiggins. He’s been everything the Ravens expected in terms of speed and aggression to close and disrupt at the point of catch. We’ll see about his durability, but the skill is already undeniable.
Keeping my eye on
I wouldn’t be surprised to see plenty of offensive wrinkles that try to use running back Derrick Henry creatively with tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely, giving defenses a handful of big athletes who can move. Henry is why the staff isn’t sweating the wide receiver spot … because Henry is going to eat a lot of the offense.
Fantasy thought
Even if Mark Andrews plays all season, the Ravens can envision tight end Isaiah Likely being a 60-catch contributor in 2024. Lamar Jackson and Likely have been building a strong rapport and putting in ample 1-on-1 time. It was also interesting to see Jackson look for Likely consistently in goal-to-go work. Don’t sleep on Likely as a TE2 option.
What I saw that was interesting
At one point when Lamar Jackson and Isaiah Likely were working 1-on-1, Likely good-naturedly flipped Jackson the bird when a deep ball was inches out of reach. After the moment of levity, the two went into a detailed conversation about the route, body language and hand-signaling. It was a telling snapshot. They’re working hard together.
Wild card
Inside linebacker Trenton Simpson has stepped into the role of the departed Patrick Queen and handled his role well so far. To the point that the staff thinks Queen won’t be missed at all. Simpson’s energy has been clear from the day he stepped into the starting role, and he’s also been making defensive calls. For this defense to function at a peak level, his consistency will be a huge factor.
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