 |  |
 |
| Tuesday, July 15 Updated: August 19, 12:26 PM ET Ravens: Training camp report Pro Football Weekly |
||||||||||||||||||
In Pro Football Weekly's third and final installment of training-camp reports, we look at the good (biggest positive), the bad (biggest disappointment) and the ugly (injury update) factors surrounding every team halfway through the 2003 preseason. We also set our sights on a rookie to watch on each team, for whatever the reason. Parts 1 and 2 are below. Aug. 19 Biggest positive: Two jump out. One, right inside linebacker Ray Lewis looks to be all the way back from the shoulder injury that ended his 2002 season early. Two, quarterbacks Chris Redman and Kyle Boller have fared relatively well. Redman has a better grasp of the offense, but he doesn't have Boller's athleticism. Boller is showing off the skills that convinced the Ravens to give up their 2004 first-round pick to get him. In his first preseason game, Boller completed 10-of-21 passes for 124 yards with a touchdown. Boller's arm and feet are assets, but his accuracy and complete grasp of the Ravens' offense are areas he must work on. Redman is the Ravens' starter for the time being. Biggest disappointment: The team was disappointed with seventh-round pick Antwoine Sanders. How disappointed? The safety was expected to compete for a roster spot, but the team cut him last week after reaching an injury settlement with him. Injury update: How much time have you got? Rookie tight end Trent Smith (broken leg) and reserve wide receiver Javin Hunter (ruptured Achilles) are out for the season. Linebacker Bernardo Harris (broken leg) is out for at least the start of the season and could be sidelined even longer. Other injuries of concern are punter Dave Zastudil (hamstring), cornerback Tom Knight (hamstring), center Mike Flynn (knee) and tight end Todd Heap (back spasms). Offensive right tackle Orlando Brown missed the preseason opener with what offensive line coach Jim Colletto described as a quad injury, but it is not thought to be serious. Rookie to watch: All eyes are on Boller. Rookie quarterbacks, especially ones pushing to be starters, always get lots of attention. But rookie left outside linebacker Terrell Suggs should also attract your attention. With Cornell Brown nursing a hamstring injury, Suggs has been getting reps as the first-team strong-side linebacker. Suggs will give the Ravens' pass rush a big boost on third downs. However, it remains to be seen how he handles the other responsibilities that come with the position, such as battling the tight end. There is a lot of dirty work to do at this position, and Suggs must do it well to have the type of impact that's expected of him.
Part 2, Aug. 12 Veteran to watch: Why Ray Lewis, of course. The Ravens were competitive when the veteran middle linebacker missed much of last season with a partially dislocated shoulder. If he can stay healthy this season, the Ravens could contend for the division title. At his best, he's a first-rate leader and intimidator. Wouldn't you love to be a fly on the wall when Lewis and new Ravens linebackers coach Mike Singletary talk about their craft? Player on the verge: The time is now for cornerback Chris McAlister to become one of the game's top lock-down cornerbacks. He is in the next tier down from the game's best, which includes Redskins cornerback Champ Bailey and the Eagles' Troy Vincent. McAlister thrives in press coverage, something the Ravens figure to play a lot of this season. Having veteran Corey Fuller playing opposite of him will help. Strongest position: Linebacker, where Lewis is a future Hall of Famer and right outside linebacker Peter Boulware is one of the league's best at his position. Left inside linebacker Ed Hartwell is underrated. First-round pick Terrell Suggs and veteran Cornell Brown will compete for the left outside spot. Suggs is a good bet to capture the starting spot at some point during the season, but he must be competent in coverage and vs. the run to win the job from the savvy and tough Brown. Suggs and Boulware give the Ravens a potentially great tandem of edge-rushers. Losing Bernardo Harris (out 4-6 weeks with a fractured fibula) does hurt the unit's depth. Weakest position: The defensive line, which lacks impact players. Anthony Weaver, the unit's best player, is solid but unspectacular. The other defensive end, Adalius Thomas, is not an ideal 3-4 end. Nose tackle Kelly Gregg clogs the middle, but he is not in the same class as the Falcons' Ellis Johnson or the Steelers' Casey Hampton. Part 1, July 18 Most significant changes: The Ravens added WR Frank Sanders, WR Marcus Robinson, DB Corey Fuller and ORT Orlando Brown in free agency. Each player strengthens an area of weakness. Reasons for optimism: The young Ravens hung tough in 2002 despite losing MLB Ray Lewis to a partially dislocated shoulder for much of the season. The defense is quite good, and the offense should be a little better than it was last season. Causes for concern: Can Lewis' shoulder hold up? Also, can Chris Redman or Kyle Boller give the Ravens enough at quarterback? If Sanders and Robinson don't pan out, No. 1 WR Travis Taylor and TE Todd Heap again will draw too much attention from defenses. Training-camp battles to watch: Veteran Cornell Brown will battle rookie Terrell Suggs for the starting nod at strong-side linebacker. Suggs has gaudy college statistics and potential on his side, but the popular Brown has experience and toughness going for him. It will also be interesting to see what the Ravens decide to do with Fuller and Gary Baxter; one will start at free safety, while the other stays at cornerback. Don't be surprised if: The Ravens take advantage of a favorable early schedule to break out to an early lead in the division race.
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
Material from Pro Football Weekly.
