For the first time in Ravens history, they will have two sets of joint practices in one training camp.
The Ravens kick off a pair of joint practices with the Indianapolis Colts starting today at 1:20 p.m. after having a couple days with the Los Angeles Rams a little more than a week ago.
The Rams practices went off without a hitch and both teams came away better from it. Now the Ravens will try to do the same with the Colts.
Here are five things to watch over the next two days:
Andrew Luck, T.Y. Hilton Will Challenge Ravens Secondary
After sitting out all last season because of multiple shoulder surgeries, Luck is back on the field. He was one of the NFL's sharpest quarterbacks before the injury, throwing for 4,240 yards and 31 touchdowns in 2016 and 4,761 yards and 40 touchdowns in 2014.
Pair Luck with speedy wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, who last year came up 34 yards short of hitting 1,000 for a fifth straight season, and the Ravens will be facing one of the NFL's best vertical passing combinations.
This will provide a good opportunity for Baltimore's secondary to measure up.
Good Battle in the Trenches
The Colts have loaded up on offensive line talent in recent years, which will help sharpen the Ravens' defensive front and run defense overall.
Anthony Costanzo, a first-round pick in 2011, was one of the league's top left tackles last year, per Pro Football Focus. Center Ryan Kelly was a first-round pick in 2016. Rookie left guard Quenton Nelson was the sixth-overall pick in this year's draft.
At right tackle, the Colts deploy veteran Austin Howard, who started all 16 games last year in Baltimore.
The Ravens defensive linemen haven't had to face Marshal Yanda for much of training camp and are going against possible first-year starting center Matt Skura, so this will be a step up in competition.
A Look at What Could Have Been
It was a roller-coaster start to free agency when the Ravens agreed to terms on a four-year, reported $29 million deal with wide receiver Ryan Grant only to have it voided because of a medical issue.
The next day, Baltimore signed Michael Crabtree, who had just been released by the Oakland Raiders. About a week later, Grant inked a one-year deal with the Colts, who have penciled him into a starting role opposite Hilton.
The Ravens also reportedly had serious interest in free-agent tight end Eric Ebron, but he signed a two-year, reported $15 million deal with the Colts. Baltimore then drafted Hayden Hurst and Mark Andrews in the first and third rounds, respectively, about a month later.
All the moves will have ripple effects on each team this season and for years down the road.
No Fighting
As more teams have shared practice fields together, there have been more headline-grabbing fights. The Washington Redskins and New York Jets especially got after it earlier this week.
The Ravens have a track record of competing hard, yet also getting along with the teams they have practiced with. There were no major scuffles when facing off with the San Francisco 49ers in 2014 or Philadelphia Eagles in 2015. A couple weeks ago, the Ravens and Rams kept it clean, even with Crabtree and Aqib Talib on the field together.
There's no such bad blood between the Ravens and Colts, and no fighting expected.
"We expect it to be very professional," Head Coach John Harbaugh said. "We expect it to be all about football. We expect to go in there and take the opportunity to improve as a football team."
Ravens' Starting Roster Spots
As the Ravens roll toward their third preseason game, they want to start zeroing in on their starting lineups. The two major competitions remaining are at right tackle and inside linebacker.
James Hurst and rookie Orlando Brown Jr. will be put under the microscope in Indianapolis. It's Hurst's hometown. Meanwhile, Patrick Onwuasor and Kenny Young will get a hard look next to C.J. Mosley. Matt Skura is also out to prove that he can be the team's starting center.
