Ryan Mallett's start to training camp has been closely watched and scrutinized.
Baltimore's backup quarterback has taken all the first-team reps as quarterback Joe Flacco continues to recover from a back issue, and he had his sharpest practice of the summer Thursday morning.
Mallett was particularly impressive early in practice during seven-on-seven drills. He threw three-straight passes that were perfectly placed for big gains.
He first connected with tight end Larry Donnell on a strike over the middle of the field. He then found running back Terrance West on a wheel route out of the backfield by hitting him in full stride with a lofted pass. Mallett capped it off with a back-shoulder throw to receiver Jeremy Maclin down the sideline.
Mallett struggled on the first few days of camp, but he's had back-to-back strong practices.
"I think Ryan has played well," Head Coach John Harbaugh said. "He had really a not a good day [last week], and I saw a lot of stories about that. I see he's having some pretty good days, and I haven't really seen anything written about that. What's up with that?
"I think he's doing a good job and he's had some good days."
Here are some of the other news and notes from practice:
- Harbaugh gave several veterans the day off, which is common at this point of training camp. Terrell Suggs, Jimmy Smith, Brandon Carr, Mike Wallace, Benjamin Watson and Danny Woodhead all didn't practice. The Ravens also plan to rest other veterans on Friday.
- Wide receiver Breshad Perriman missed his second-straight practice because of a hamstring tweak that he suffered Tuesday. Harbaugh has not provided a timetable for his return, but said the third-year receiver is participating in the team's walk-throughs each day. Donnell suffered a finger/hand injury, Harbaugh said, but the team is waiting word on the exact extent of it.
- The Ravens tapered back the intensity for the second half of a hot practice. Rather than going full-speed like they have the last few days, they focused more on the mental approach of practice. The session ended a little earlier than previous days, but the special teamers had to stick around for additional work. The non-special teamers did have to get in some team sprints before heading into the locker room.
- An interesting moment in practice occurred when General Manager Ozzie Newsome and Assistant General Manager Eric DeCosta walked out to the field and grabbed Harbaugh. They all walked several feet behind the players and talked for about five minutes. Newsome doesn't typically pull Harbaugh away from the middle of practice, but there was something they clearly needed to discuss.
- Defensive lineman Carl Davis is having a strong camp. He forced his way into the backfield on a few occasions during running drills, and that's a good sign for the 2015 third-round pick.
- Rookie outside linebackers Tim Williams and Tyus Bowser continue to show their athleticism. Williams cut through the line with an impressive inside pass rush, and Bowser used his speed to fly around the edge and get to the quarterback. The Ravens have high hopes for both rookies, and they are showing plenty of potential.
- Tight end Nick Boyle had a nice leaping grab down the sideline in seven-on-seven drills. Boyle looks like the favorite to start at tight end, and plays like that are a big reason why.
