Baltimore Beatdown

Rookie tight end drew positive crowd reaction during one-on-one drills by shaking cornerback Keondre Jackson with a nice stutter-step move. The source noted this is the kind of athletic move you don't typically expect to see a tight end execute, and praised Cuevas for showing swagger and confidence trying things out.

Rookie pass-catcher has done more than any member of the receiver group to make a name for himself in training camp. Lane put in a strong practice with multiple contested catches, beat cornerback Keyon Martin along the sideline, and made a nice grab over the shoulder on a deep shot while shadowed by Nate Wiggins. Coach Minter praised Lane's 'businesslike approach' to learning and acknowledged that his upbeat personality masks how serious he is about preparation.

Suffered a quad contusion during 7-on-7 drills after colliding with safety Jaylinn Hawkins; head coach Jesse Minter confirmed day-to-day status. The source expects the Ravens to operate with abundance of caution for the remainder of preseason and likely keep Flowers sidelined to preserve health, which will favor rookie pass-catchers in preseason snaps.

2024 fourth-round pick Devontez Walker is expected to see increased opportunities with Zay Flowers sidelined. Head coach Jesse Minter noted that Flowers' absence will lead to an uptick in opportunities for the rest of the team's receiving corps, 'particularly' Walker, who will have a chance to step into expanded roles and run some of the routes that Flowers typically executes.

Rookie Elijah Sarratt is looking to carve out a role in offensive coordinator Declan Doyle's new scheme. With Zay Flowers sidelined, Sarratt has an increased opportunity to develop and earn playing time in the Ravens' receiving corps.

Rookie Ja'Kobi Lane is looking to carve out a role in offensive coordinator Declan Doyle's new scheme and has impressed in practice. Lane had a highlight-filled practice on Saturday, beating cornerback Nate Wiggins on a go route in 1-on-1 work and reeling in a back shoulder pass from Lamar Jackson in 7-on-7's with one hand despite tight coverage from Keyon Martin. With Zay Flowers sidelined, Lane has an increased opportunity to develop and earn playing time.

Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle is expected to expand Rashod Bateman's role after he primarily served as a deep threat in his career. With Zay Flowers sidelined, Bateman could step into the Ravens' WR1 spot with much more varied deployment in terms of alignments, motion, and route concepts. Bateman said he feels re-energized by Doyle's system and his place in it, which includes much more work out of the slot. Historically, among 180 WRs to run 500+ routes since 2021, Bateman has lined up in the slot on just 10.3% of his snaps (third-lowest mark), consistently taking 80% or more of his snaps elsewhere. Bateman told reporters: 'I'm moving around all over the place. I feel like in the past I've been kind of a one-dimensional receiver.' He called the expanded role a 'blessing.'

Star wide receiver Zay Flowers, who just signed a four-year, $140 million contract extension (making him the NFL's fourth-highest-paid WR at $35MM APY), suffered a quad contusion in a collision with safety Jaylinn Hawkins during Saturday's training camp practice. Head coach Jesse Minter said Flowers is 'day-to-day' and will likely miss some practice time. Flowers is extremely unlikely to play in next weekend's preseason matchup against the Eagles. Over the last two seasons, Flowers has been the focal point of the Ravens' passing game, averaging 6.9 targets, 4.7 receptions, and 66.8 yards per game in back-to-back Pro Bowl campaigns.

An incoming mid-round rookie tight end; the source questions what impact he can provide right away for the Ravens after they lost Isaiah Likely, Charlie Kolar, and Pat Ricard.

An incoming mid-round rookie tight end; the source questions what impact he can provide right away for the Ravens after they lost Isaiah Likely, Charlie Kolar, and Pat Ricard.

Can he bounce back after a big dip in production last season? Andrews has shown some signs of athletic decline amidst injuries in recent years, raising questions about his ability to return to form for the Ravens in 2026.

Could compete with Adam Randall for the No. 3 running back role in 2026, with Randall potentially usurping him for the position.

A fifth-round pick in 2026, the Clemson product is a sleeper to emerge as a contributor given his versatility and pass-catching prowess; could usurp Rasheen Ali for the No. 3 role to begin the season and have a role on special teams.

Remains a solid backup and third down running back but could be pushed by either Rasheen Ali or Adam Randall for playing time in 2026.

Continues to defeat father time and churn out elite seasons; should be super productive again as the workhorse in the Ravens' backfield in 2026.

The ideal backup for Jackson with a proven track record of winning games as a spot-starter; quickly proved last year that he was a better No. 2 option than Cooper Rush.

Remains an elite quarterback with a great chance to return to his MVP-caliber ways after an injury-riddled 2025 campaign; could thrive in Declan Doyle's new-look offensive system with some new playmakers around him.

Tight end Mark Andrews was involved in a physical blocking encounter with edge rusher Trey Hendrickson that resulted in both players butting heads, illustrating the intensity and physicality of Thursday's practice.

Quarterback Lamar Jackson spiked his helmet in frustration after one rough sequence for the offense during Thursday's intense, physical practice, reflecting the competitive nature of the session.

Rookie running back Adam Randall received all three of the offense's touches during live tackling drills at the end of practice, demonstrating early opportunity and trust in the 6-foot-4, 232-pound prospect; he was brought down twice and scored a touchdown catch from Skyler Thompson.

Star wide receiver Zay Flowers signed a four-year, $140 million extension with the Ravens, cementing his status as a core offensive weapon and primary pass-catching target in the 2026 offense.

Two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson is once again being underrated by the rest of the league heading into the 2026 season, suggesting his fantasy value and market expectations are misaligned with his elite pedigree and proven production.

Signed a four-year, $140 million extension making him the fourth-highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL with $35 million APY. While the headline APY matches Justin Jefferson's, Flowers' deal represents a lower percentage of the salary cap ($301.2M in 2025 vs. $255.4M when Jefferson signed in 2024). Combined with $30 million remaining on his rookie contract, Flowers' six-year average is $28.3 per year—characterized as a bargain for a player of his caliber.

The Flowers extension signals confidence in Lamar Jackson's long-term future with the Ravens. Multiple analysts note the deal anchors Jackson's future contract negotiations and suggests Jackson will remain with Baltimore long-term, as evidenced by Flowers' willingness to sign the extension.

Frank Platko notes Flowers has ascended in every season since being drafted in 2023 and at age 25 his best football is still ahead of him. While he has flaws in ball security and touchdown production, his productivity and playmaking ability rank him in the top half of NFL wide receivers. As Lamar Jackson's go-to target and center of the passing attack, his value to the Ravens is significant; the contract may appear as an overpay now but will likely look better as the WR market resets.

Dustin Cox expects Flowers to have a strong season in Declan Doyle's new offense, noting that the deal will look even better if Flowers delivers the type of season many analysts are imagining. Flowers' shiftiness and ability to change direction are unmatched, and his rapport with Lamar Jackson has generated many big plays when plays break down.

Clear favorite target of Lamar Jackson with consecutive 1,000-yard Pro Bowl seasons in three Ravens seasons. Zach Canter ranks him as a definite top 15 wide receiver in the NFL, probably top 10, and views the extension as a no-brainer that signals confidence in Jackson's long-term future with the team.

Signed 4-year, $140 million extension at $35MM per year, making him the fourth-highest-paid receiver in the league. Nikhil Mehta had long projected exactly this $35MM per-year deal and views it as a no-brainer given Flowers' status as arguably the most successful drafted receiver in Ravens franchise history, his 1-of-1 agility skillset, undeniable chemistry with Lamar Jackson, and personality/work ethic alignment with team values.

Jackson's March 2023 trade request is verified fact; however, the timing and eventual result strongly support the inference that it functioned as a leverage-producing negotiation tactic after talks had stalled. No outside team produced an offer Baltimore declined to match, and hours before the 2023 draft's first round, Jackson agreed to his record-setting extension. The source distinguishes between the verified trade request and the speculative private motivation behind it.

In 2023, Jackson signed a five-year, $260 million extension that briefly made him the NFL's highest-paid player by annual value, with substantial guarantees and no-trade and no-tag provisions. The source argues this outcome contradicts claims that self-representation without a traditional agent damaged his negotiating position, noting the contract secured must be reconciled with any assertion that Jackson failed in negotiations.

The source projects Jackson's next contract negotiation will yield a four-year extension near $300 million in new money, potentially including a signing bonus around $100 million, based on the quarterback market and projected salary cap. This is framed as a projection, not a reported demand, with the market to determine accuracy.

The Ravens selected 6-foot-2 Elijah Sarratt with a back-to-back pick alongside Ja'Kobi Lane to add size and contested catch ability to their WR room, signaling the team's priority to upgrade their receiving corps with larger, more physical targets.

Despite college film showing strong high-pointing ability, Lane's slim frame and play strength are legitimate concerns; his size limits his route-running, and he must prove he can not just go up and get the football but come down with it through contact—a critical test given that Ravens safety Malaki Starks was loading up to deliver a hit that could have jarred the ball loose on his highlight play; the source emphasizes that flashing in camp is only the first step; Lane must carry performance through preseason into the regular season to earn regular-season playing time as a rookie.

The Ravens used a first-round pick (6-foot-4 frame) on Lane to add size and contested catch ability to their WR room, and he flashed both traits on the second day of training camp with leaping grabs in 7-on-7 work, including a catch over Marlon Humphrey; the source notes he has earned early trust from MVP QB Lamar Jackson, who is adjusting play-calling to Lane's strengths by throwing high balls knowing Lane will make tough catches in the middle of the field.

Burrow is an exceptional quarterback and belongs in any discussion of the league's elite, but durability is part of quarterback value. From his 2020 debut through the 2025 regular season, Burrow missed roughly one-third of Cincinnati's games because of injury, demonstrating a significant availability disadvantage compared to Jackson's injury history.

Jackson's durability record through 2025 shows he missed less than 10 percent of Baltimore's regular-season games because of injury over his career and has not undergone surgery. This availability advantage is often overlooked in quarterback debates despite his open-field style being regularly presented as a durability liability, even though his actual injury history has been less severe than that of several celebrated pocket passers.

Film analysis shows Jackson manipulates second-level defenders with his eyes and legs, resets throwing platforms without surrendering vision downfield, and turns simulated pressure into favorable space. Under Monken, he showed greater patience through full-field concepts and more willingness to win from inside the structure. Warren Sharp's charting showed Jackson leading quarterbacks from the start of 2024 in touchdown passes traveling more than 10 yards through the air, while also ranking first in red-zone passing efficiency and EPA per attempt on throws released within 2.5 seconds.

Jackson's postseason record is 3-5 with a postseason passer rating of 84.6, far below his regular-season standard. Across eight playoff games, he has thrown 10 touchdown passes and seven interceptions, taken 29 sacks, and committed additional fumbles; his elimination-game ball security has been materially worse than his regular-season norm. However, in his four most recent playoff games through 2024, Jackson completed 70 percent of his passes, produced seven passing touchdowns against two interceptions, and posted two of the best postseason performances of his career, showing improvement.

Under Todd Monken in 2023, Jackson thrived in an expanded route tree, spacing, and progression game that increased his responsibility as a passer while Baltimore remained committed to the run. Monken's system showed Jackson could master different offensive schemes; Jackson led the Ravens to the No. 1 seed in the AFC and earned 49 of 50 MVP votes, demonstrating both systems thrived because of Jackson.

Jackson ended the 2025 season tied with Aaron Rodgers for the highest qualifying career passer rating in NFL history at 102.2; in 2024, he produced a 119.6 passer rating from the pocket. He shares the record of four qualifying perfect-passer-rating games with Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger and is the first quarterback to throw at least 40 touchdown passes with fewer than five interceptions in a season, demonstrating his passing production is not simply the byproduct of scrambling.