Head Coach John Harbaugh gave an update on Pro Bowl cornerback Marlon Humphrey, who underwent foot surgery this week.
"He had the surgery. It went very well," Harbaugh said. "I would say that the timeline is pretty well-defined. I'm not going to give it to you, but it's not super-long. He's going to be back pretty early in the season.
"The good thing about the surgery is, he could have definitely played with it the way it was, but you do risk it getting worse. With the surgery that he got, it's taken care of. He comes back, he won't have to be concerned with it the rest of the season. It was Marlon's decision."
Veteran Cornerback Ronald Darby Made Strong First Impression
After being signed Thursday, veteran cornerback Ronald Darby joined practice on Friday and jumped right into 11-on-11 drills. Darby had season-ending knee surgery last October playing for the Broncos, but he looked 100 percent and made a strong first impression on Harbaugh.
"A really good fit in this defense," Harbaugh said. "He wanted to be here, and we wanted him here. He's a guy that we've kind of been keeping our eye on with the rehab from the knee. [He] came in and worked out, and he worked out really well. He looked really good and was in really good shape. That's a credit to him. He came out to practice today and looked like he's been practicing the whole camp."
The Ravens play two away preseason games next week – Monday against Washington and Saturday against Tampa Bay. Harbaugh said Darby may see preseason action and should definitely be up to speed by the regular-season opener 23 days away.
"He'll probably play a little bit (preseason) and get him ready; we'll see," Harbaugh said. "Week 1, he should be out there playing hard and doing a good job for us."
Zay Flowers' Work Ethic Has Been Impressive
Zay Flowers' ability to change direction quickly and gain separation from defenders has been obvious since he was drafted in April. However, the rookie wide receiver has displayed a relentless work ethic that the coaching staff believes will accelerate his development.
"What we saw in the draft process, he's shown and then some," Assistant Wide Receivers Coach Keith Williams said. "The one thing about him, he's a hard worker. His skillset is obviously there. The thing I was not surprised by, but impressed by was he's a worker. He's very smart and he wants to get better every day. He's hungry to be the kind of player we all think he can be. He brings that attitude to work every day."
Wide Receivers Coach Greg Lewis called Flowers, "a special talent."
"Everybody sees that," Lewis said. "When we can get him the ball, let's get him the ball, because he can do some special things."
The Competition for Final Wide Receiver Spot Remains Intense
Odell Beckham Jr., Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor and Devin Duvernay are leading the wide receiver group, and the Ravens are only expected to keep six wideouts on the 53-man roster. There's been intense competition for that No. 6 spot, and Tylan Wallace is coming off a strong performance and touchdown in the preseason opener, while Sean Ryan and Tarik Black have been standouts in practice. Ryan made a superb leaping catch in the end zone Friday, and Lewis says the competition is bringing out the best in many players.
"There's been a lot of competition in the receiver room and that's what you want," Lewis said. "May the best rise to the top. Sean is doing a great job. Tarik made a few plays today. It's awesome to see those guys competing for jobs, for roster spots in the NFL and letting their abilities show.
"You can't take anything for granted. You've got to come out every day like it's your last day, because it could be. Whether that's harsh or not, that's the reality of it. As a football player, all you want to know is where I stand. What are you going to do about it? I just try to be real with the guys, let them know what it is, and then it's up to them to take advantage of it."
Jadaveon Clowney Chooses No. 24
After signing with the Ravens on Friday, veteran pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney had to choose a jersey number.
Clowney decided on No. 24, which was last worn by former Ravens cornerback Marcus Peters, who is now with the Raiders.
Clowney had to think outside the box. He has worn No. 90 and 99 in the NFL, but David Ojabo wears No. 90 and Odafe Oweh wears No. 99. In fact, every number in the 90's has been taken on Baltimore's roster, and the No. 7 that Clowney wore in college at South Carolina is worn by wide receiver Rashod Bateman
