Quarterback Joe Flacco has come under some heat in the media recently for not getting together with his wide receivers to hold private workouts before voluntary offseason activities begin in mid April.
Some quarterbacks around the league are known for organizing private throwing sessions with their offensive teammates, but Flacco has not met with his receiving corps this offseason. In the past, Flacco has consistently attended the Ravens' voluntary offseason program to get practice time with his receivers.
Tight end Dennis Pitta and wide receiver Jacoby Jones have both said Flacco talked with them about getting together, and wide receiver Torrey Smith explained why the meetings have yet to take place.
"You all [in the media] keep talking about this and [criticizing] Joe like he doesn't want to get together or something like that," Smith said Saturday at his charity basketball game.
"We've been trying to figure it out, but people have to realize, [Kyle Juszczyk] is in school, Marlon [Brown] is in school. Steve [Smith] is still being a parent down there [Carolina]. [Dennis] Pitta is fine. Aaron [Mellette] isn't all the way back yet. If we really go out there and throw, it's going to be, Steve, Pitta and Jacoby. That's it."
Finding a time for everyone to meet in the offseason is a challenge because players use the time to visit family and take vacations, and they also live all over the country. If the group had met up earlier in the offseason, they would have done so before Offensive Coordinator Gary Kubiak had finished the new playbook.
The Ravens still have three weeks before they start voluntary conditioning at the Under Armour Performance Center, and Smith expects the group to get together before then.
"We have to try and get everyone on the same page, but it will definitely happen in the next two weeks."
