7/29: Training Camp Practice Highlights

The Ravens held their final practice Monday before getting their first break of training camp.

The team also got a nice surprise after practice, as a pair of ice cream trucks drove onto the field to provide a post-practice snack. Players flocked to the trucks, but only the defense got to enjoy the treats because they won the practice. The offense has to wait for another day.

Here were some of the other highlights:

• Pro Bowl defensive tackle Haloti Ngata walked off the field gingerly with a trainer at one point during practice, but Harbaugh said that it's nothing serious.

• Offensive tackle Kelechi Osemele was back on the practice field Monday after sitting out the last few days with a minor leg strain. The Ravens are easing him back into action, as he was a limited participant during practice. Wide receivers LaQuan Williams and Tommy Streeter, and offensive linemen Ryan Jensen and Ramon Harewood all did not practice.

• Quarterback Joe Flacco was noticeably frustrated at points during practice, as the defense won the day. At one point, Flacco walked off the field and threw his helmet on the turf in frustration. The helmet toss came after a drill where the offense stalled out, and he threw a fourth-down pass intended for Torrey Smith way off the mark.  

• Rookie linebacker Arthur Brown has shown off his impressive closing speed at points during training camp. On one play, the second-round pick chased down quarterback Tyrod Taylor in the open field. That's not an easy task.

• Deonte Thompson had probably the catch of the day when he flashed great speed to get behind cornerback Corey Graham and pull in a diving catch. Flacco lofted a deep ball over the middle, and Thompson turned on the jets to make the catch. The second-year receiver might be the fastest player on the team, and he'll have a big impact on the offense if he can make plays like that in September.

• Jacoby Jones had a few nice catches and showed off his hands on a couple of occasions. One of the catches of the afternoon came on a fade route in the corner of the end zone from Flacco. Jones beat cornerback Jimmy Smith on the play, and then kept his two feet in bounds as he hauled in the touchdown snag.

•  Fullback Kyle Juszczyk is coming along as a blocker. The rookie opened a big hole for running back Bernard Pierce on a counter play, and overall he seems to be making the adjustment to the full-go practices.

•  Visanthe Shiancoe worked with Flacco one-on-one after practice. The veteran tight end is still learning the offense and getting plugged into the system. He spent most of practice watching from the sidelines, but did have a drop when he got into seven-on-seven drills. With Shiancoe still getting adjusted, veteran Billy Bajema has been running with Ed Dickson and the first-team offense.

•  Dickson said that he needs to step up for the offense Sunday, and he did that with a nice leaping catch over the middle of the field. Dickson showed  off his athleticism by leaping over linebacker Josh Bynes and then had great concentration to pull in the tough catch. 

•  First-year linebacker Nigel Carr makes his presence known during practice. He's loud and energetic, and brings plenty of enthusiasm to the defense, much like his predecessor at middle linebacker.