7 things to watch during the Baltimore Ravens' Minicamp

USA Today

5 hours ago

7 things to watch during the Baltimore Ravens' Minicamp Baltimore is at the Under Armour Performance Center for minicamp and we're looking at 7 Ravens related storylines to watch
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.