Things Get Chippy as the Pads Go On

In another practice where Lamar Jackson was sidelined by that same illness, things were sloppy and a bit subdued.

Coach Harbaugh provides a status update on Lamar Jackson pic.twitter.com/nsNIf3CLiM

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) July 26, 2024

The backup quarterbacks all had their moments. Josh Johnson had a nice throw where he hit Rashod Bateman in stride. Devin Leary capped the practice with a nice touchdown pass to Devontez Walker, with Nate Wiggins in coverage. The quarterbacks just seemed underwhelming and there wasn’t any rhythm for the offense.

Johnson’s biggest problem is a lack of touch – he likes to bullet the ball into spots for no reason. Leary has a good arm but was very inconsistent and lacks the veteran awareness that Johnson has.

The running backs were worth commenting upon. Local product Owen Wright was impressive. He showed some skills as a pass catcher. Rasheen Ali also showed to be capable in this capacity. Derrick Henry is the number one back, obviously, yet the backfield tandems are still to be developed. There’s no more Gus Edwards. Keaton Mitchell is on the PUP list. Baltimore knows what to expect from Justice Hill and the Ravens love him. I suspect that when we get closer to worrying about roster math the running back spot is going to be one of the most debated positions.

This was the first padded practice, and as such the battle in the trenches got interesting. Odafe Oweh looked strong and fast off the ball – him showing off in the Summer is nothing new though. Tavius Robinson had great effort off the snap and created some pressure. Overall, the defense seemed ready to ramp things up a little. There was a slight disturbance of the peace but while a cluster of players got riled up it never crossed into a true training camp fight.

On the Radar players of the day

• Bump Cooper Jr.: He turned a bobbled pass into an interception in stylish fashion. He played aggressively when he got reps. He gets positive grades for his tenacity and his ball skills.
• Isaiah Likely: The tight end is a star and he knows it. He scored a touchdown and threw the football up in celebration. He had another nice grab running towards the sidelines and showed some of his famous shake and bake.
• Andrew Vorhees: Vorhees simply looks the part. He’s in perfect shape and he’s moving well upfront. He seems healthy and like he knows what he’s doing.

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