With quarterback Lamar Jackson returned to health, Ravens training camp reps have increased in excitement — and significance.
The wide receivers are finally catching passes from the player who will be delivering them the ball in games. For some, that’s an improvement. For others, well, reconnecting has been a bit of a struggle.
The defense is facing a greater challenge. Jackson’s better at exposing its weaknesses — but a big play against him means much more.
With the reigning MVP back, here’s who is trending up and down.
Risers
RT Roger Rosengarten: The rise in Rosengarten’s stock correlates with an elevation in his reps. For the first time in camp, Rosengarten spent the majority of his time with the starters Thursday. He handled the Ravens’ aggressive defensive line well through his starting reps at right tackle, showing less of the struggle he had early with Justin Madubuike and Odafe Oweh. Rosengarten is in a good position to make a case to be a prominent part of the offensive line rotation.
OLB / ILB Malik Harrison: Josh Johnson threw right to him, but the interception briefly shined a light on what Harrison has done this training camp. Healthy again, Harrison seems to bring the same qualities he did last season — dependability and versatility. Although it can be easy to overlook him without the crazy highlights, coach John Harbaugh emphasized how important Harrison can be to this team. He can play multiple positions, and you know you have someone trustworthy out there if he’s on the field.
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LB Trenton Simpson: Teammates and coaches have spoken highly of Simpson’s gifts, and Simpson has backed up the praise. He’s been hitting hard and jumping into the mix while continuously asking questions. He’s here to make a statement, and it’s certainly been heard — Jackson said that, while he’s not sure the defense should be hitting so hard (and Simpson was among those guys), its aggressiveness is exciting to him.
RB Justice Hill: When Derrick Henry signed with the Ravens, he instantly became the face of their run game. But Hill is still here and he’s still going to be a part of things. The Ravens didn’t practice too many runs until Friday, so Hill featured more prominently than Henry as he caught passes downfield and on sweeps. Once they started running more, Henry took the stage, but Hill got his fair share of carries. Don’t count him out this season. “This is going to be — by far — one of his best years,” running backs coach Willie Taggart said.
RB Owen Wright: With Keaton Mitchell sidelined, the Ravens need another running back behind Henry and Hill. They drafted Rasheen Ali, but Wright is making a case for himself. He’s caught passes, hit holes and shown burst. Taggart commended his growth from last season and said that, now that Wright has a grasp of the system, he sees a guy who’s playing with confidence. Could Wright be another undrafted surprise like Mitchell?
Fallers
WR Rashod Bateman: While Jackson was absent, Bateman’s stock shot up. Now that Jackson’s back, it has taken a dip. Like last season, it’s not all Bateman’s fault. He’s still fast. He’s still running his routes. He’s still catching passes — that are catchable. Also like last season, Bateman and Jackson seem to have trouble getting on the same page. Jackson has overshot Bateman multiple times on deep balls and even on midfield passes. At one point, the two seemed to be on completely different pages prior to the snap before figuring it out at the last minute. Saturday featured the best day for the duo, and hopefully for Bateman it marks a turning point. Wide receivers coach Greg Lewis mentioned Saturday how good it was to see them connecting.
WR Deonte Harty: After missing organized team activities and minicamp, Harty is again stringing together absences. Harbaugh said they’re not concerned about his injury and that they’re being careful. But this isn’t a typical case of a veteran being able to miss a few days and slide back in. Harty is known for being a returner, and this year features a huge change to kickoffs. Ravens special teams coordinator Chris Horton had great things to say about Harty when he was practicing, but repetition is key when it comes to getting this new play down.
OL Ben Cleveland: Based on reps, it seems Cleveland’s bid for a starting position is all but over. In fact, a member of last year’s practice squad, Tashawn Manning, got to run out with Tyler Linderbaum and Ronnie Stanley at times. Cleveland has been taking reps at center, which means there’s a chance he could contribute at multiple positions, but he seems to be slotted into a backup role.
WR Devontez Walker: There’s nothing like practice reps, Lewis said. Walker has been putting in a lot of work in the film room, but he’s missed multiple practices, allowing other wide receivers a chance to shine. Undrafted rookie Dayton Wade and Sean Ryan have had standout practices.
CB Trayvon Mullen: Also the unfortunate victim of injury, Mullen is losing ground in a tight race. The defensive backs room is full of talent. And much of that talent has been on display. Mullen wasn’t at the top of the list to start with, but now he can’t make a case for one of those coveted positions.
CBs Damarion “Pepe” Williams and Ka’dar Hollman: Neither has looked bad. But they also haven’t stood out in a camp full of plays by defensive backs. Rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins has shown his speed. Cornerback Arthur Maulet has continued to show an affinity for the pass rush. Jalyn Armour-Davis has made big tackles. Even Bump Cooper Jr. has had a highlight with an interception.
