OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens were backed up near their own goal line with less than two minutes left and were trying to drive the length of the field. Lamar Jackson dropped back, and with Travis Jones bearing down on him, he floated a pass that tight end Mark Andrews hauled in with a diving, fully-extended grab in front of Marcus Williams for a gain of about 15.
That proved to be the play of the day during a July 30 training camp practice in which the Ravens emphasized poor field position. It also proved to be Andrews’ most productive day of the summer.
In an earlier drill, Andrews caught a slant from Jackson that would have gained at least 20 yards, and receiver Zay Flowers was in position for a block that would have netted even more. Andrews ended up racing the length of the field down the right sideline while fans in the nearby bleachers cheered.
It’s no coincidence that Andrews enjoyed his best day of camp with Jackson back at full strength, as their connection has been almost telepathic since they arrived as rookies together in 2018.
Jackson missed four of the first five practices, and cut the other one short, because of illness, and Andrews had a fairly quiet start to camp as backup quarterbacks Josh Johnson, Devin Leary and Emory Jones struggled to find much rhythm with the offense. But with Jackson back, Andrews again moved to the fore and showed that he remains one of Jackson’s most trusted and reliable targets.
That drill that included Andrews’ diving catch ultimately ended when Jackson threw behind Andrews near midfield on a third-and-2 play, and while the third-teamers ran the same drill, Jackson and Andrews huddled behind the end zone and appeared to be reviewing the route or the play.
Several periods in the practice featured the offense backed up near its own goal line, and Jackson at times turned to All-Pro running back Derrick Henry to gain some vital field position.
In a 7-on-7 period, Jackson leaned on wide receiver Zay Flowers, who made three straight catches, but Rashod Bateman was absent after leaving practice a day earlier with what head coach John Harbaugh described as “soreness.”
Both Jackson and Bateman have talked of the importance of their chemistry in elevating the passing game, but Bateman’s absence July 30 continued a trend in which the duo can’t seem to get on the field together.
Bateman was perhaps the best offensive player in the first week of camp, when Jackson was sidelined with illness. He made tough, contested catches, including a sliding grab in a downpour behind Brandon Stephens.
But with Jackson feeling better and operating the offense, Bateman sat out.
In Bateman’s rookie year, Jackson missed the first 10 days of training camp with COVID-19, and a day after he took the field, Bateman was sidelined with a groin injury that ultimately kept him out the rest of training camp and the first six games.
Bateman also missed six of the 12 games Jackson played in 2022 with a foot injury, and that cut into Bateman’s OTA and training camp time in 2023 as well. This past spring, one or the other was often absent from voluntary workouts.
The Ravens are expecting big things from Bateman, their 2021 top draft pick who was given a contract extension this offseason. He has averaged 389 yards in his three NFL seasons, with four touchdowns. With Odell Beckham Jr. gone, and with no top draft choice used on a receiver, Bateman has a chance to become a dominant force in the offense.
In the near term, the Ravens just hope to get him and Jackson on the field together.
“Would you love for them to be out there every day? Of course,” offensive coordinator Todd Monken said. “… Every day they’re together, we’re going to get better.”
NOTEBOOK
SEVEN ABSENT: In addition to Bateman and three on the PUP/NFI lists, other absences included kick returner/wide receiver Deonte Harty, cornerback Trayvon Mullen (shoulder), outside linebacker Joe Evans, inside linebacker Yvandy Rigby, wide receiver Devontez Walker and defensive lineman Rayshad Nichols. Harty, Evans and Nichols have each missed the past two days, and Rigby has yet to practice since training camp began.
Cornerback T.J. Tampa (sports hernia) and running back Keaton Mitchell (knee) remain on the PUP list, and outside linebacker Adisa Isaac (hamstring) remains on the NFI list.
DEFENSIVE BACKS DELIVER AGAIN: The depth of the Ravens’ secondary has been on display throughout training camp, and two who shined July 30 were Jalyn Armour-Davis and Arthur Maulet. In an early 3-on-3 drill, Armour-Davis had good position to break up a deep pass intended for Isaiah Washington. Later, Armour-Davis blanketed Sean Ryan on a deep pass from Josh Johnson that fell incomplete.
Maulet has been one of the defensive standouts of camp so far. In a red zone drill, he made a nice play to break up a pass to Nelson Agholor in the back of the end zone, and added a little celebration at the end. He’s playing with some swagger and confidence.
Rookie Nate Wiggins was around the ball a lot again, and Ar’Darius Washington had a nice play as he came untouched and would have dropped running back Rasheen Ali for about a 3-yard loss during a run-game drill.
In a rarity this training camp, the secondary registered no interceptions. The only pick of the day came from inside linebacker Chris Board, who corralled a pass from Josh Johnson that glanced off the hands of receiver Dayton Wade. Board had clear sailing for what would have been about a 35-yard touchdown return.
LIKELY, HAMILTON MATCH UP AGAIN: Tight end Isaiah Likely earlier this week noted how he and safety Kyle Hamilton will often review their reps together, and Likely says that helps make both better. They had some more great matchups in the July 30 practice. In a 1-on-1 drill, Likely beat Hamilton to secure a completion on their first rep, but later, Hamilton stayed right with Likely down the left sideline and forced an incompletion.
Then in a red zone drill, Likely caught about a 7-yard touchdown that left Hamilton talking to pass game coordinator Chris Hewitt and shaking his head for a bit while the second team ran the drill. It’s clear Hamilton sets an extremely high standard for himself.
HAMM PLACED ON INJURED RESERVE: The Ravens placed second-year outside linebacker Malik Hamm on injured reserve with a knee injury apparently sustained a day earlier. Hamm, a Baltimore native and graduate of City College high school, spent all of last season on injured reserve with an ankle injury and was hoping to factor in the Ravens’ edge rush picture.
To take Hamm’s spot on the 90-man roster, the Ravens signed linebacker Quincy Roche, a sixth-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021 who had played collegiately at Temple and then Miami. Roche never made the Steelers as a rookie, but ultimately played 14 games for the New York Giants that year, with 38 tackles and 2.5 sacks. Last season, he spent time on the Minnesota Vikings practice squad.
Roche is a native of Randallstown, Md., and attended New Town High School about a mile from the Ravens training complex.
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