7 things to watch during the Baltimore Ravens' Minicamp
Baltimore is at the Under Armour Performance Center for two days of mandatory minicamp, and it's the last time this Super Bowl hopeful will be together until mid-July.
John Harbaugh's team had a revolving door of starters sporadically attend the nine voluntary OTA sessions, providing ample opportunities for reps and scheme implementation for select rookies and veterans looking to lock down a roster spot or earn their way off the bubble.
With the team set to hit the field for Day 1, we're looking at seven things to watch.
Lamar Jackson is back in the building
After missing the bulk of the OTAs, Jackson is back in Baltimore and took part in media day and a hype video on Monday.
Year 3 under Todd Monken
Piggybacking off the return of Jackson, the two days officially start year three under offensive coordinator Todd Monken in Baltimore.
Monken believes the best is yet to come for his All-Pro quarterback. While a guest on the Ravens-produced "The Lounge Podcast," Monken said Jackson was "just scratching the surface" of his enormous potential.
"The year that he had, I think he's still just scratching the surface of where he's headed," Monken said on "The Lounge Podcast." "It may not statistically show up that way, but I know he's only the scratching the surface."
"Lamar is an unbelievably humble superstar," Monken said. "That doesn't mean he's not competitive, doesn't want to be great. Lamar just wants to win. But he also knows that him playing well … your chances of winning go up exponentially if you have a great quarterback."
Last season, the 28-year-old Jackson set career highs in touchdown passes (41), passing yards (4,172), and quarterback rating (119.6) while throwing just four interceptions. Monken is entering his third season coaching Jackson and expects the quarterback's growth to continue and reach another level as he enters the prime of his career.
Roster battles
The Ravens won't have too many starting spots up for grabs, with left guard, linebacker, and safety being spots that'll see potential roster battles.
Andrew Vorhees lost his starting job to Patrick Mekari last year, but he's back and will battle again, and is the favorite to start at left guard. They re-signed veteran Ben Cleveland and drafted Emery Jones and Garrett Dellinger. Trenton Simpson will battle Teddye Buchanan and Jacob Hummel. At safety, Malaki Starks has the inside track as a rookie, but the Ravens like to employ three safeties, and Beau Brade could battle Sanoussi Kane for the spot vacated by Ar'Darius Washington.
Ravens contract discussions
The two days of practice can provide a backdrop for contract negotiations between Jackson -- who represents himself, aligned with his mother -- and the Ravens, who could use the cap relief. Staying away until the practices and games count is a viable tactic for a player with a $43.5 million cap hit that rises $30 million over the next two years. All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton is another player Baltimore would like to sign to a long-term deal, along with Tyler Linderbaum.
Rise of a new kicker
Justin Tucker is out, and for the first time since 2012, the Ravens will have a whole competition at the kicker position. Sixth-round pick Tyler Loop will battle undrafted free agent John Hoyland from Wyoming. It's a premium position, and one of the few question marks on a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
Rookie impact
Malaki Starks and Mike Green are the headliners, and with Ar'Darius Washington's Achilles injury, the first-round pick from Georgia will be the main attraction. Starks is a Swiss army knife that should hit the ground running, allowing for Kyle Hamilton to be even more versatile. Fourth-round inside linebacker Teddye Buchanan will battle Trenton Simpson for the starting weakside linebacker job. Sixth-round cornerbacks Bilhal Kone and Robert Longerbeam and sixth-round defensive lineman Aeneas Peebles will look to prove they deserve a role in Zach Orr's defensive rotation.
Ravens WR trio
DeAndre Hopkins was a full Participant in the OTA sessions. Still, the two-day minicamp provides the first opportunity for the future Hall of Famer to be in an intense scenario with Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Mark Andrews, and Isaiah Likely. The NFL's most explosive offense got even more lethal over the offseason.
Revamped secondary
We've examined a potential Jaire Alexander addition, but Baltimore truly will sort out any questions at cornerback. The Ravens are working to determine who will line up opposite Nate Wiggins after Marlon Humphrey earned All-Pro honors in the slot. Veteran cornerback Chidobe Awuzie is dealing with a minor ankle injury, and a potential absence could provide an opportunity for T.J. Tampa, Jalyn Armour-Davis, and Baltimore's 2025 sixth-round rookies, Bilhal Kone and Robert Longerbeam.
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New York Times
32 minutes ago
- New York Times
A Seahawks Super Bowl disaster and the unraveling of a would-be dynasty: ‘They took a dream'
The following excerpt from The Franchise: Seattle Seahawks: A Curated History of the Legion of Boom Era by Michael-Shawn Dugar is reprinted with the permission of Triumph Books. It has been lightly edited in spots for context and clarity. You can find more information and order a copy here. Marshawn Lynch imagined this moment countless times as a kid growing up in North Oakland: 'It's the end of the game … one more play … the quarterback hand the ball off to Marshawn … he jump in the end zone — touchdown! The Oakland Raiders win the Super Bowl!' Advertisement The final seconds of Super Bowl XLIX between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots nearly played out that way. With Seattle on the New England 5-yard line, trailing 28-24 with 1:06 remaining, NBC's Cris Collinsworth said, 'Now you have to stop Marshawn Lynch.' Then Wilson put the ball in Lynch's hands. 'Here he goes,' play-by-play man Al Michaels said as the running back plowed forward. 'Beast Mode! 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(Photo of Marshawn Lynch: Christian Petersen / Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
New York Times
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Ravens need veteran defensive backs to break trends as secondary injuries mount
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Jackson was sharp, particularly in the red zone, as he connected with Rashod Bateman for two long touchdowns. Zay Flowers and tight ends Mark Andrews and Charlie Kolar saw the ball often as well. Balled out — Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 10, 2025 • Andrews is one of the most respected players in the Ravens' locker room, and each practice brings more examples of why. In Saturday's session, he found himself one-on-one blocking rookie outside linebacker Mike Green on the edge. Andrews gave up some ground early, but he kept battling and did enough to keep Green from impacting the quarterback. The play earned immediate praise from coaches nearby and from Kolar, who met Andrews on the field to congratulate him. In the next period, Andrews caught a Jackson pass in traffic and was hit hard by rookie safety Malaki Starks, who broke on the ball. Andrews went right back to the huddle. On the next play, he caught another Jackson pass and lowered his shoulder into rookie linebacker Teddye Buchanan. All of this happened in a 10-minute span of Saturday's practice. Nobody on the Ravens practices harder than Andrews. • Running back Myles Gaskin, who practiced for the first time with the Ravens on Sunday after agreeing to terms a day earlier, had 846 all-purpose yards and seven touchdowns for the Miami Dolphins in 2021, so he isn't your prototypical camp body. However, that essentially will be what he is with the Ravens unless their injury issues at the running back position persist. Derrick Henry and Justice Hill are unlikely to play much, if at all, in the preseason. No. 3 back Keaton Mitchell is dealing with a minor groin injury. The Ravens will be cautious with him and make sure he's ready for the season opener on Sept. 7. Undrafted rookie Marcus Major was cleared to return to practice over the weekend after dealing with a concussion, but he's still wearing a non-contact jersey. The Ravens needed more than Rasheen Ali and D'Ernest Johnson as running back options for Saturday's game in Dallas. • In the first red zone period Saturday, second-year receiver Dayton Wade went up high right around the goal line to make a contested catch. He then won both of his one-on-ones, beating undrafted rookie Marquise Robinson cleanly on the second one. Veteran Anthony Miller had a strong one-on-one session, getting the best of Lowery and then making a one-handed catch with Starks in coverage. Undrafted rookie receiver Jahmal Banks had his best practice of the summer, using his 6-foot-3, 218-pound frame to haul in several catches. The Ravens' receivers can do the math. They know that with Wester's dynamic performance in the preseason opener and Devontez Walker's improvement from last year, there probably are no available receiving spots on the relatively soon-to-be 53-man roster. They are essentially playing for a practice squad spot in Baltimore or for 31 other teams, and they want to make plays to earn a job. That's why it has to be frustrating to get little to no opportunities, as was the case in the preseason opener when the Ravens completed five total passes. (Top photo of T.J. Tampa, Jaire Alexander: Patrick Smith / Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Updated 53-man roster prediction following Ravens' preseason win over the Colts
Baltimore defeated Indianapolis 24-16 in the preseason opener, and we're looking at an updated 53-man roster prediction with a few changes and some surprises After months of waiting, Baltimore returned to M&T Bank Stadium for an entertaining preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts. This is a loaded roster with few holes or opportunities to steal a starting spot or carve out a key role on offense or defense. With the Ravens set to begin preparation for Dallas, we're releasing another 53-man roster prediction with a few surprises. Random note: The Baltimore Ravens have granted outside linebacker David Ojabo an international roster exemption, opening up a spot for an extra player this offseason. According to "a qualifying international player is a person whose citizenship and principal place of residence are outside the United States and Canada, and who has a maximum of two years of United States high school experience." Ojabo, a 2022 second-round pick out of Michigan by the Ravens, was born in Nigeria but moved to Scotland in 2007. At 17, he moved to the United States and played basketball at Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey. Soon after, he switched to football and became teammates with Baltimore outside linebacker Odafe Oweh. Ojabo now enters a pivotal fourth season in the NFL, and while he will not count against a roster spot for now, he will still count on the 53-man roster once the season starts. QB: 2 Lamar Jackson Cooper Rush Lamar Jackson is an MVP candidate. Cooper Rush and Devin Leary looked out of sorts in the opener, but Rush is still among the NFL's most reliable backups. Baltimore could eventually look to bring in a third quarterback. RB: 5 Derrick Henry Justice Hill Keaton Mitchell Rasheen Ali Pat Ricard Baltimore has a solid four at running back, and Rasheen Ali made it difficult for the Ravens to release him. WR: 6 Zay Flowers DeAndre Hopkins Rashod Bateman LaJohntay Wester Devontez Walker Tylan Wallace The final six spots at wide receiver will look similar, with DeAndre Hopkins replacing Nelson Agholor, and LaJohntay Wester being added via the NFL draft. The Ravens drafted LaJohntay Wester and will look for Devontez Walker to take the next steps. TE: 3 Mark Andrews Isaiah Likely Charlie Kolar Baltimore goes chalk at tight end, bringing back its top three players from 2024, all of whom have expiring contracts. OL: 9 Tyler Linderbaum Daniel Faalele Andrew Vorhees Roger Rosengarten Ronnie Stanley Joe Noteboom Garrett Dellinger (Drafted Rookie) Corey Bullock Carson Vinson (Drafted Rookie) DL: 6 Justin Madubuike Broderick Washington Aeneas Peebles (Drafted Rookie) John Jenkins Travis Jones Brent Urban With Michael Pierce retired, Travis Jones has an opportunity for a breakout season. Edge Rusher: 5 Mike Green David Ojabo -- International Roster Exemption Odafe Oweh Kyle Van Noy Adisa Isaac Tavius Robinson Ojabo's roster exemption is the only thing keeping him on this team, while Tavius Robinson looks to make a big jump. LB: 4 Roquan Smith Trenton Simpson Jake Hummel Teddye Buchanan (Draft Pick) CB: 6 Nate Wiggins Jaire Alexander Chidobe Awuzie T.J. Tampa Marlon Humphrey Jalyn Armour-Davis The addition of Jaire Alexander forces Robert Longerbeam to the practice squad in his rookie season, and Jayln Armour-Davis benefits from the Bilhal Kone injury. Safety: 4 Sanoussi Kane Beau Brade Malaki Starks Kyle Hamilton Specialst: 3 Tyler Loop Jordan Stout Nick Moore
