CAMP NOTES: Self-Inflicted Wounds Strike Again

False Starts Remain a Problem

The Ravens offense had another up-and-down practice on Monday, continuing to commit false starts with a few other offensive penalties thrown into the mix.

John Harbaugh said that the offense didn’t change their approach to cadence to simplify the process when pads came on despite the early struggles.

“You have to do it from the get-go,” said Harbaugh, “You have to push through it, you have to practice it, and you’ve got to practice it under the toughest conditions – heat, pads, whatever it is, and try to get really good at it.”

But the penalties were only one part of the offense’s woes on Monday. Lamar Jackson had an uncharacteristically sloppy day in the Ravens’ first padded practice of training camp with frequent pressure from interior rushers and second-level blitzers.

Of course, a sloppy day for Jackson still didn’t involve any interceptions. Instead, a handful of his passes were behind their intended target with a number of quick releases as he evaded oncoming rushers. A few of those throws came off his back foot towards the ever-reliable Justice Hill, who had a nice day.

The two-time MVP also wouldn’t be denied his usual big plays, including a seam shot to Mark Andrews and a completion on a dig route to Devontez Walker. The Ravens also managed to properly execute a screen play with Derrick Henry taking a swing pass and adding plenty of yardage after the catch.

Jackson was more consistent during 7-on-7 work, hitting DeAndre Hopkins and Mark Andrews on post routes for big gains. He also found Isaiah Likely and Walker on short crossers on back-to-back passes with both pass-catchers securing the ball against tight coverage and attempted punch-outs from Marlon Humphrey and T.J. Tampa, respectively. A few plays later, Charlie Kolar reeled in a tough contested catch against Roquan Smith in the end zone, though Smith wanted a flag and the referee curiously ruled it incomplete.

Flag on the play but the catch was tooooo fire not to share @Lj_era8 @DeAndreHopkins pic.twitter.com/QzZap0PToW

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) July 28, 2025

Backup quarterback Cooper Rush was even more erratic, especially in 11-on-11 work towards the end of practice. Overall, he has settled into the Ravens offense well with a greater willingness than Josh Johnson to push the ball down the field. However, some of the inaccuracy from Jackson and Rush can be frustrating on half-speed plays when neither pressure nor coverage should be a limiting factor.

The best throw of the day may have come from second-year QB Devin Leary, who lofted an excellent back shoulder throw to undrafted rookie WR Jahmal Banks. Banks didn’t need to commit offensive pass interference to make the grab but was flagged for it anyway in a recurring theme for the Ravens offense on Monday.

In addition to a few pre-snap penalties, there were multiple flags for offensive holding, one of which brought back an excellent Keaton Mitchell touchdown run. Hopkins was flagged for OPI on a terrific one-handed grab that would have been the highlight of the day if the veteran receiver didn’t have his other hand enmeshed in Nate Wiggins’ face mask.

It was the kind of day that showed the potential of Baltimore’s 2025 offense while also highlighting their need to cut down on self-inflicted mistakes. Todd Monken preached patience on Saturday, but he was fired up on the sidelines on Monday. The message from him and Harbaugh is clear: the cadence drills will continue until the offense improves.

Zay Flowers: Faster Than Ever?

Zay Flowers spent the offseason getting back to 100% after injuring his knee late last season. But that wasn’t enough. One of the fastest players in the NFL decided that he needed to get faster.

“I was running hills,” said Flowers of his offseason workout regimen. “I trained with my trainer on specific stuff that I wanted to get done, and we got it done. I felt like I got faster. I got stronger. I felt better than I did before I got hurt.”

Flowers hasn’t lit up the field during the open portions of training camp yet, but his teammates and coaches have noticed a difference.

“Zay has done a great job of coming back from last year,” said wide receivers coach Greg Lewis. “He does look explosive. We see it on the numbers in all the metrics that we get of [deceleration and acceleration].”

Last offseason, Flowers worked to diversify his route tree, resulting in a thousand-yard season and his first Pro Bowl nod. Now, he’s chasing perfection as he refines his game.

“I feel like I could run every route in a route tree. I feel like I just got to detail the routes and just detail the little things. I feel like I could run everything, if I’m being honest.”

Having two professional route-runners in Hopkins and Bateman has given Flowers plenty to study. He’s also taking notes on how his veteran teammates lead the receiver room as he develops as a leader in his own right.

“He has embraced it,” said Lewis of Flowers’ leadership role. “He’s become more vocal in meetings, asking questions and then talking to the other guys.” Lewis also noted that Flowers’ volume in the Ravens offense under Monken – in terms of snaps, targets, production, and different roles – allows him to understand the nuances and communicate them to others.

“He’s not shying away from being a leader, which I commend him for that,” added Lewis.

One more great Lewis quote on his star wideout:

“Zay is a matchup problem anywhere on the field. If you can get him the ball, something special is going to happen.”

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