Amid all the changing looks from the Ravens’ standout defense last season, there was at least one consistent element in their personnel: Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen would be on the field together.

The star inside linebackers were fixtures in coordinator Mike Macdonald’s schemes, which leaned on nickel packages (five defensive backs) to combat the spread-heavy looks that have grown across the NFL. The Ravens lined up in nickel personnel on 80.2% of their snaps last season, according to TruMedia, their highest rate since at least 2006 and likely their highest ever.

But with Queen’s free-agency departure and the Ravens’ secondary buildup this offseason, an even stronger passing game deterrent could be coming to Baltimore. Or coming back, to be more accurate.

Under former coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale, the Ravens were once among the league leaders in dime personnel (six defensive backs), which made use of their deep and versatile defensive backfield and helped paper over thin inside linebacker rooms. In 2019, led by cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey and Brandon Carr and safeties Earl Thomas and Chuck Clark, the Ravens played in dime 39.3% of the time — almost as often as they played in nickel (45.6%) — and finished third in the league in pass defense DVOA, according to Football Outsiders (now FTN).

Aside from end-of-half, stop-a-Hail-Mary situations when the Ravens flooded the field with defensive backs, their defense played just four dime snaps all of last season. Overall, 28 teams finished with more snaps in the grouping. That seems likely to change in 2024.

“I think we could see more of that,” coach John Harbaugh said Tuesday after the Ravens’ third training camp practice. “We’ve certainly got the guys for it back there that can play it. We’ve got a younger version of P.Q. now, so that’s probably where we’re at with it.”

The Ravens’ schematic evolution could depend as much on Queen’s replacement, Trenton Simpson, as it does on their emerging talents in the back end. Over his four years in Baltimore, Queen developed into a standout run defender, unselfish blitzer and much-improved cover man. The athletic Simpson is set to start next to Smith, and he should at least take the field on early downs.

But in obvious passing situations, the Ravens might get creative with how they line up around Smith. Coaches are confident in All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton’s ability to play almost anywhere, and he could see snaps at nickelback or dimeback — lined up in the slot, on either side of the offensive formation. Humphrey or fellow cornerback Arthur Maulet could mirror him on the other side. So could safety Ar’Darius Washington.

Out wide, the Ravens could start Brandon Stephens and first-round pick Nate Wiggins, another standout early in camp, or swap Humphrey in for either. At safety, they could go with Marcus Williams and Eddie Jackson or Washington. Such is the promise of the “positionless” football the Ravens aspire to.

“There are so many different packages,” Humphrey said Tuesday. “Teams just won’t know what we’re doing, who’s playing what. Anybody can line up anywhere, and that’s kind of the exciting thing about being in this secondary, is we just have to keep working day by day. [Pass game coordinator] Coach Chris [Hewitt] always says … some guy came up with the cotton gin, and he made one that you can move all the pieces and can put [them] wherever, and he uses that analogy of our secondary.

“I don’t know who that guy is, but long story short, he basically says, ‘Learn every position, so in a game, the best six DBs can play.’ You don’t ever want to be in a position where you have a guy that should be playing, but he can only play at one position.”

There are limits to dime packages. The New England Patriots, led by a talented and physical group of safeties, topped the NFL in usage rate last year, and played it on only a quarter of their snaps (25%). With its lighter personnel, the defense is especially vulnerable to strong running games. The Ravens allowed 5.7 yards per carry in 2019 when they had six defensive backs on the field, more than a yard higher than their overall season-long average (4.4).

A litmus test of its usefulness could come early for first-year coordinator Zach Orr. Four of the Ravens’ first five opponents — the Kansas City Chiefs, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals — have passing attacks that should rank among the league’s best. Only the Bills’ ground game was a true threat last year.

The Ravens are well positioned to slow them, even after significant losses in free agency. But how Orr builds his game plans will depend largely on who is in those game plans, exactly. More linebackers? Or more defensive backs?

As Hamilton said Tuesday, “We can never have somebody that’s on the field that’s a liability.”

Attendance

Quarterback Lamar Jackson missed his third straight practice with an illness Tuesday. Harbaugh didn’t have a timetable for his return. “It’s just a matter of when the doctors are going to clear him and he’s going to feel good enough,” he said.

Also sidelined were running back Keaton Mitchell (knee), inside linebacker Yvandy Rigby, rookie outside linebacker Adisa Isaac (hamstring) and rookie cornerback T.J. Tampa (sports hernia).

Stock report

• The defense’s depth again won out Tuesday, but wide receiver Rashod Bateman at least gave the offense moments of hope early in practice. In the first 11-on-11 period, he made a juggling catch down the right sideline for about 25 yards. Quarterback Josh Johnson’s throw beat tight coverage from Humphrey and Washington, who’d come over in support. In his next session with Johnson, Bateman caught a short pass over the middle on a crossing pattern, turned on the jets and looped around Smith for an impressive catch-and-run.
• Maulet had his second interception of camp, turning and leaping for a deep pass from Johnson that was intended for wide receiver Nelson Agholor down the right sideline. Even more impressive, both of Maulet’s turnovers have come in seven-on-seven action, which favors the offense.
• The Ravens’ passing struggles hit a low-water mark in seven-on-seven drills. Johnson went 1-for-4 in one session, with Humphrey defending wide receiver Zay Flowers well on a back-shoulder throw, Stephens blanketing Bateman on a deep shot, and Maulet nearly getting an interception on an apparent miscommunication between Johnson and Flowers. Next up was rookie quarterback Devin Leary, who went 1-for-3, including a pass to wide receiver Malik Cunningham that Wiggins expertly batted away from behind. Rookie Emory Jones followed with an 0-for-2 showing his next time up.
• Cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis had his third straight day with a pass breakup, getting in the way of a short play-action pass from Johnson to Bateman that took a second too long to develop. Maulet nearly came up with another interception.
• After allowing impressive back-shoulder catches to Bateman and tight end Isaiah Likely over the first two days of camp, Stephens gave tight end Mark Andrews almost no space on a similar play, forcing an incompletion down the left sideline.
• Outside linebacker Odafe Oweh, the Ravens’ most consistent edge rusher early in camp, got a brief lecture from Harbaugh after one pass rush repetition. “Had to pull the reins in on him a little bit,” Harbaugh said. “We don’t want to have any car crashes out there, but he’s doing a great job. He’s bringing it; he’s pretty much been in the backfield every play, so we appreciate it.”
• Outside linebacker David Ojabo had a promising two-play stretch, spinning free on a pass rush rep before setting the edge forcefully on a run play against fullback Patrick Ricard, leaving running back Owen Wright with almost nowhere to go.
• Tight end Scotty Washington, who joined the Ravens’ practice squad last year, had a handful of nice catches over the middle early in practice.
• A day after Tramel Walthour nearly had a pick-six, fellow undrafted rookie defensive lineman C.J. Ravenell nearly picked off a pass from Jones at the line of scrimmage.
• Leary and wide receiver Keith Kirkwood, whom the team signed in June, connected for one of the offense’s rare red-zone highlights. Kirkwood beat cornerback Trayvon Mullen in the corner of the end zone for a jump-ball catch and touchdown.