Mandatory minicamp concluded Thursday morning with a pass-heavy practice.
Quarterback Joe Flacco had one more chance to build rapport with his new targets before the team's five-week break leading into training camp, and the passing game looks like it's in a good place for this point of the year.
Practice was all 7-on-7 drills, so Flacco didn't have to worry about getting any pressure, and he spread passes around to all his targets throughout the day.
Wide receiver Breshad Perriman had a particularly strong day in the red-zone. He caught a bullet from Flacco for a touchdown and came back a few plays later to snag a touchdown pass across the middle. The success in the red-zone is a sign that Perriman is developing his route running to become more than just a vertical deep threat.
Perriman was arguably the team's best player during offseason workouts, and his performance Thursday capped off the last few months.
Newcomer Jeremy Maclin also got more involved compared to his debut practice Wednesday. On one particularly impressive play, Maclin found the soft spot in zone coverage and abruptly brought his route to a halt. Flacco was hesitating in the pocket and delivered the touchdown pass to Maclin as soon as he broke off his route.
Maclin still has plenty of time to develop chemistry with Flacco and learn the terminology of the offense, but that play was a good early sign of what he can bring to the group.
Here were some of the other noteworthy items from the day:
- Practice included a good amount of special-teams work. The Ravens put an emphasis on special teams, especially for young players, and that point was drilled home by Special Teams Coordinator Jerry Rosburg.
- Tight end Darren Waller saw a heavy dose of targets. Head Coach John Harbaugh said the tight end made a "major jump" during the three days of practice, and he figures to be a critical piece of the tight ends group going into training camp.
- Cornerback Maurice Canady was another star of offseason workouts, and he had a couple pass breakups in practice. He's pushing for time as the nickel corner after the injury to Tavon Young, and he consistently seems to put himself around the football.
- Second-year receiver Keenan Reynolds made a highlight-reel grab over the middle as he tipped a pass to himself and then caught it one handed. If he continues to make plays like that in training camp, he'll have a strong case to make the 53-man roster this season.
- Running back Danny Woodhead again saw a ton of targets from Flacco. The Ravens believe Woodhead gives them a much-needed element of the passing game, and it sure looks like he's going to catch his share of passes out of the backfield.
- Rookie linebacker Tyus Bowser is much more than just a pass rusher. The Ravens are putting him in a variety of situations, and he seems to move well in coverage.
- Rookie safety Chuck Clark broke up a pass and drew big cheers from the veterans in the secondary. Clark made a nice break on the play and dove to deflect the ball, and Lardarius Webb was particularly fired up for the rookie.
- Safety Tony Jefferson was universally praised throughout the offseason, and he came up with an interception in the end zone during the final practice. To add an exclamation point to the interception, Jefferson cruised 100 yards into the other end zone to really sell the pick-six.
