Here’s a look at the highlights from the Ravens’ practice Monday, the team’s first session since its preseason win Saturday over the Dallas Cowboys. The Ravens practiced in shells and shorts.
Attendance
Running back Keaton Mitchell, sidelined recently by a hamstring injury, returned to practice as a limited participant. He took part in individual drills before heading to another field as he continued to work on his conditioning.
Safety Kyle Hamilton also returned to practice, though he was limited as well. Hamilton left practice about midway through the two-hour session.
The Ravens were missing three of their projected top six cornerbacks — Jaire Alexander, Chidobe Awuzie and Jalyn Armour-Davis — but coach John Harbaugh indicated that he had no concerns about their availability for the Sept. 7 season opener.
Alexander, who hasn’t practiced since Aug. 9, had to “kind of take care of that knee,” Harbaugh said. Awuzie underwent surgery on his right knee for a torn PCL late last season. “You do some things to kind of help it, from a health standpoint. It’s something he’s been dealing with for a few years now, so it’s not anything we didn’t expect, probably, that might’ve been something to help, but you have to take a couple of days after you do that before you can practice.”
Armour-Davis played against Dallas and is dealing with an illness, said Harbaugh, who was not asked about Awuzie’s status.
“Nothing serious in terms of season issues or even for the opener,” Harbaugh said.
Rookie offensive lineman Emery Jones Jr. (shoulder) remains sidelined and is expected to start the season on the non-football-injury/illness list. The third-round pick would miss at least the Ravens’ first four games but wouldn’t count against the team’s 53-man roster.
Outside linebacker Adisa Isaac is expected to undergo surgery on his elbow after suffering ligament damage against Dallas. Harbaugh said he could return “maybe midway in the season.”
Also missing Monday were fullback Patrick Ricard, tight end Isaiah Likely, wide receivers DeAndre Hopkins and Dayton Wade, outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy and undrafted rookie inside linebacker William Kwenkeu. Hopkins is managing a minor knee injury, Harbaugh said.
Likely’s timetable for a return to action is unclear. He suffered a small fracture in his foot in late July that required surgery, and Harbaugh declined to say whether Likely was on track to play in Week 1. If the Ravens expect Likely to remain limited throughout September — a full recovery is expected to take about six to eight weeks — they could place him on IR, which would sideline him until at least Week 5.
“Since it’s Week 1, I’m probably not going to share that as easily as some of these other ones [injuries], just because [I] might want to keep them guessing a little bit on that one,” Harbaugh said. “But it was always going to be in that range, the first few weeks [of the season]. So that one might be a little harder to pin down. It might be harder to pin me down on that one.”
Lamar watch
Quarterback Lamar Jackson was sharp as the Ravens worked through a range of situational team drills, including hurry-up periods in 11-on-11 action and a couple of planned scrambles in seven-on-seven work. Unofficially, he finished 21-for-27 in 11-on-11 periods and 6-for-9 in seven-on-seven periods.
Jackson’s biggest completion came in 11-on-11 action after rolling to his right and unleashing a deep shot to wide receiver Zay Flowers, who was at least 5 yards clear of safety Sanoussi Kane on a diagonal route headed for the left sideline. Jackson also went 5-for-7 in a blitz-heavy hurry-up drill near the end of practice, helping to lead the offense to the edge of the red zone with time to spare.
Jackson missed wide receiver Rashod Bateman deep a couple of times, however. Kane broke up an 11-on-11 pass up the seam, with cornerback Marlon Humphrey also in good position to defend Bateman. Later, in seven-on-seven work, Jackson underthrew Bateman on a long ball, allowing cornerback T.J. Tampa to get back in position for a stop. There were also two other incompletions on Jackson-to-Bateman targets, a surprising day for one of camp’s strongest partnerships.
Kicker watch
Rookie Tyler Loop, who went 5-for-6 on field goals against Dallas, did not attempt any in team drills.
End zone
- Safety Beau Brade, who’s fighting for a roster spot, was one of the top performers in practice. He intercepted a pass from quarterback Cooper Rush in an 11-on-11 period, jumping a hitch route by wide receiver Malik Cunningham and beating him to the ball. Brade nearly had a second interception in seven-on-seven work as he contested a pass from quarterback Devin Leary to wide receiver Keith Kirkwood.
- Inside linebacker Trenton Simpson had an interception — or was it a forced and recovered fumble? — after ripping a pass away from Charlie Kolar just after the normally sure-handed tight end appeared to bring in the ball near the left sideline on a quick hitter.
- Outside linebacker Tavius Robinson continued his strong camp, batting down a pass at the line of scrimmage as the first-team offense looked to advance past its own 1-yard line in an 11-on-11 drill. Robinson later had a pressure on Jackson that forced an incompletion.
- Tight end Mark Andrews had a chippy moment with undrafted rookie defensive back Reuben Lowery in 11-on-11 action. After Lowery contested a short catch by Andrews, the two crossed paths again as they retreated to their respective huddles. Andrews appeared to take exception to Lowery getting in his way and offered a slight bump.
- With the Ravens matching up projected starters against reserves for stretches of practice, rookie safety Malaki Starks broke up a pass from Leary to tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden.
- Harbaugh indicated that the Ravens’ established starters would not play in Saturday’s preseason finale against the Washington Commanders. This week, he said, they would split their focus between the end of camp and preparing for the Buffalo Bills in Week 1. “Guys are fighting for jobs and for opportunities,” he said. “But then also, we’ll be practicing for the start of the regular season, too.”
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