The NFL will prohibit teams from holding joint practices or training camps outside of their home facilities in 2020, according to multiple reports. The decision was announced in a memo circulated to teams Tuesday by Commissioner Roger Goodell.
As a result, the Ravens will not hold joint practices with any of their four preseason opponents. The Ravens had planned to host joint practices with the Carolina Panthers before the Baltimore-Carolina preseason game on Aug. 30, Joe Person of The Athletic reported.
In each of the past two years, the Ravens have participated in two joint practices. The Ravens practiced with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Philadelphia Eagles in 2019, and in 2018 with the Los Angeles Rams and Indianapolis Colts.
The Ravens will hold training camp at the Under Armour Performance Center as they have done every year since 2011. Restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic have made this a challenging offseason for the Ravens and every team. However, President Dick Cass said last month that he was optimistic training camp would begin at its typical time around the third week of July, although he did not anticipate fans being able to attend.
"Things would have to improve dramatically for us to even think about (having fans) at this point," Cass said on "The Lounge" podcast in May.
Only a very small crew of people have been permitted to work at the Ravens' facility since mid-March, but Cass said he had grown more confident that testing will be plentiful and effective enough by July for players and coaches to proceed with camp.
"If the infection rate is really low, as I expect it will be by late summer, and we have adequate testing, and people are careful when they leave the building, I think there's a really good shot that we'll be okay," Cass said. "We believe by the time of training camp we'll be able to test players and coaches, and those who meet together a lot, multiple times a week and be able get results fairly quickly."
