As the Ravens get set for their preseason opener, Head Coach John Harbaugh gave a few indications on who fans will see (and not see) at M&T Bank on Saturday.
Quarterback Lamar Jackson will not play. Harbaugh also said fans won't see "any established starters."
"If a guy is a real young starter, maybe he'll get a few reps, but none of the established starters," Harbaugh said.
Harbaugh was specifically asked if rookie first-round wide receiver Zay Flowers is going to play.
"It's a possibility," Harbaugh said. "We would like to see him out there in terms of just having a sense of the game before the first regular-season game. We'll have to see how healthy he is and where we're at."
Cornerback Depth is Becoming an Issue
The Ravens live by the "you can never have too many cornerbacks" mantra, and it's being tested midway through training camp.
Veteran cornerback Rock Ya-Sin has been out of practice for a week due to a reported knee injury. His primary replacement, Jalyn Armour-Davis, did not practice Thursday for unknown reasons.
Pepe Williams returned to practice after missing a few days, then left early on. Arthur Maulet, signed just before the start of camp, is dealing with a hamstring issue. Treyvon Mullen will undergo likely season-ending toe surgery.
"It's an issue. There's no question. We've had those guys … they've kind of been in and out," Harbaugh said. "Pepe is coming back. It's not a new injury or anything like that, but he's got to bring it back and get up to speed. Then these little tweaky things that keep happening to the guys, they're annoying, there's no doubt about it, and the players are annoyed by it, too. Yes, we have to look at that for sure."
Marlon Humphrey will not play Saturday. That leaves veterans Brandon Stephens, Kevon Seymour and Daryl Worley, and rookies Kyu Kelly, Corey Mayfield Jr., Jordan Swann, and Jeremy Lucien as the corners currently practicing who could play Saturday.
Door Isn't Closed on Jadeveon Clowney … Or Others
Free agent defensive end Jadeveon Clowney reportedly left the Under Armour Performance Center with an offer in hand Wednesday.
A day later, Harbaugh said there's still a possibility that Clowney agrees to come to Baltimore, but he's not the only free agent the Ravens are keeping tabs on.
Baltimore also reportedly brought outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy in for a free-agent visit about three weeks ago.
"We have a chance, and we're looking at other guys, too, that have visited in the past," Harbaugh said. "So, I don't think the door is closed on any of those guys. He had a really good visit."
Jackson is Getting Less 'Bored' With Checkdowns
Jackson is a playmaker – plain and simple.
However, in Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken's new offense, he wants Jackson to get the ball out of his hands and to the team's abundance of playmakers. Sometimes that means taking a shorter throw instead of trying to extend plays to find someone downfield.
One thing that's stood out about Monken's offense in training camp is an increase in throws to running backs and shorter passes to wide receivers that allow them to get yards after catch.
Asked how he's seen Jackson get more comfortable in Monken's system, Quarterbacks Coach Tee Martin said, "anticipation of coverage, blitzes, his understanding of the concepts and playing within our system and not getting bored with being disciplined."
"Sometimes, it can be [a] bore to check it down to the back, but that's better than throwing a pick," Martin said. "We saw that last Saturday [when] we had nine of them [interceptions], but since then, we've only had one. And that just speaks to those guys making corrections and knowing, 'I kind of got out of the system a little bit. Let's get back within a system. Sometimes my competitive nature can take over, but this is not the time.' And that's where I've seen him grow. He's very competitive – very competitive – and he's so skilled, and sometimes, he can make those plays, but within the confines of what we're trying to do, situationally, and what we're asking of that play."
In other quarterback news, Martin said the Ravens worked with Tyler Huntley to improve his throwing mechanics, specifically with his base. They shortened his stride to narrow his base and quicken his release, with the aim of also improving his velocity and accuracy to all parts of the field.
"From a technique standpoint, he's come a long way," Martin said. "He took it upon himself to listen and take the individual work that we do onto the field, and we've seen a tremendous amount of growth in him. So, I'm happy about how far he's come from where we started."
Marshawn Lynch Visits Ravens Training Camp
Veteran quarterback Josh Johnson had a special visitor at training camp practice Thursday – former star running back Marshawn Lynch.
Lynch and Johnson are cousins, and Johnson said Lynch is planning to stay through Saturday's game.
The two hung out after practice and Lynch also chatted with Odell Beckham Jr., Melvin Gordon III, and met rookie Zay Flowers.
