By Ronald Toothe
Editor’s note: A lot of news happened today at Baltimore Ravens training camp. We’re on it. In the meantime check out this awesome article
The Baltimore Ravens began training camp this week along with the rest of the NFL. Hopes are high as the team sets their sights on bringing a third Lombardi trophy to Charm City. Despite being one of the most talented rosters in football, however, there are still plenty of improvements to be made en route. Today, let’s break down some of the most important facets of this year’s training camp.
More consistency from Marquise Brown
The Ravens selected Marquise Brown in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, and while you certainly can’t call him a bust, the team will be looking for that true breakout from him in year three. Hollywood finished last season incredibly strong down the stretch and will look to build on that in this year’s camp.
The additions of Rashod Bateman and Sammy Watkins will surely allow more 1-on-1 situations for Brown, which is where he thrives. Cincinnati Bengals safety Jesse Bates made headlines last year in saying
“We know where Lamar wants to go, either No. 15 or No. 89.”
Defenses no longer have the luxury of solely keying in on those two players in 2021. With threats like Bateman and Watkins on the outside, Brown will have ample opportunity to carve up defenses out of the slot. Knowing Lamar Jackson’s love of throwing down the middle of the field, Brown may be on track for his best season yet.
Odafe Oweh making an immediate impact for the Baltimore Ravens
The drafting of Odafe Oweh was a selection that initially divided the Ravens Flock. On one hand, Oweh is a physical freak with all the tools to be an elite pass rusher in the NFL. On the other, his stat line at Penn State didn’t necessarily reflect said physical tools. All reports out of Baltimore so far indicate that the Ravens are excited for Oweh to be an immediate presence. Pass rush is arguably the Ravens’ biggest question mark, so that presence will be needed.
Oweh will have his chance to prove the Ravens right in drafting him from day one. With Ronnie Stanley returning from injury, Oweh will have one of the best tackles in football to line up against. There’s no better way to make an immediate impact than to hold your own against the class of the league. If Oweh is to be a significant piece of the Ravens defense in 2021, it all starts now. This same premise can be applied to fellow rookie Daelin Hayes, albeit with much lower immediate expectations.
J.K. Dobbins becoming an elite NFL running back
It was announced just ahead of camp that running back Gus Edwards was placed on the Covid-19 list. This means that Edwards is forced to miss at least the first 10 days of camp. Behind Dobbins and Edwards is Justice Hill, who’s proven little so far in terms of being a consistent backup. All of this combined means that Dobbins will be the workhorse of the first-team offense in camp.
In 2020 Dobbins was a force down the stretch, averaging well over four YPC over the final eight games (with 8 touchdowns). The flashes have shown that he’s more than capable of being a three-down bell cow in this offense. Especially considering how much stronger Dobbins got as more carries came his way.
Gus Edwards will still play a major factor come the start of the season, but these preseason reps are valuable. In addition to those 10 days, he’ll also need adequate time to return to the proper conditioning before splitting carries. Dobbins may just show the coaching staff during that stretch that he’s the one deserving of the lion’s share of the workload. In this Ravens offense, that may only be 17-20 carries a game. However, Dobbins showed clearly last year that even in a limited role, he can be the best playmaker on the field not named Jackson.
Wrap up
The best time of the year is quickly approaching for us Ravens fans. The boys are back in the building, and we’ll be sipping pumpkin beers on Sundays before we know it. Despite these training camp “things to watch”, the Ravens will still be among the AFC elites in 2021.
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Lamar Jackson and company have said time and time again that it’s Super Bowl or bust, and the same can be said for the rest of the Ravens Flock. Buckle up guys and girls, the fun is just getting started.
