OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Lamar Jackson dropped back and slinged a pass across the middle to a sliding Rashod Bateman, who had gotten a step on Nate Wiggins. Jackson and Bateman also connected on a deep route down the left sideline, with Bateman cutting inside for what might have gone as a long touchdown.
And it’s possible neither was their best play of the day. During a 1-on-1 period, Bateman put a double move on Wiggins, got a step on the cornerback and Jackson dropped the ball perfectly in Bateman’s arms for what amounted to about a 40-yard touchdown catch.
That summed up the day for Jackson and the Ravens’ offense, which, save for their daily dose of false starts, looked particularly crisp in the passing game during a roughly two-hour workout in full pads on Aug. 10.
Bateman and Jackson have, for various reasons, missed significant time together during training camp in the past four years. But Bateman said their connection has continued to improve, and availability is a big part of that.
“You’ve got to be on the field to learn it,” Bateman said. “Hopefully, we keep growing there.”
Last season, Bateman had the most productive season of his career, with 45 catches for 756 yards and nine touchdowns — more than his previous three seasons combined.
The connection between Jackson and Bateman was apparent several times during the Aug. 10 practice. Even without veteran DeAndre Hopkins, who was given a vet day off, and tight end Isaiah Likely, who remains sidelined while recovering from foot surgery, the passing game delivered several highlights for the fans lining Field 3.
During a red zone period, Jackson threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Zay Flowers, with Flowers hitting the front pylon in the right corner of the end zone and then tumbling out of bounds right in front of the fans.
In that same period, tight end Charlie Kolar elevated for a tough touchdown catch in the back of the end zone over cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis. Kolar had a similar catch curiously ruled incomplete last week, and after looking at the official, and seeing him signal a touchdown, Kolar spiked the ball while still seated behind the end zone.
Not that there weren’t issues: The Ravens again had a couple of false starts in the opening full-team period, and for all the talk about trying to be unpredictable with cadence, this has been a consistent problem this summer. A day earlier, the Ravens’ second-team offense committed three false starts in a span of four plays, leading head coach John Harbaugh to call for a hockey-style line change and swap out the whole unit.
After Ronnie Stanley was booted for a false start — a common discipline these days — Odafe Oweh beat backup tackle Joseph Noteboom to force an incompletion, and the Ravens had another false start on the next play. Jackson spiked the ball in frustration after that play was ruled dead.
Overall, though, the Ravens’ offense had one of its better practices of the summer, and that had to be a relief after seeing a Jackson-less offense slog through four quarters and amass just 49 net passing yards in a 24-16 win against the Colts a few days earlier.
NOTEBOOK
HAMILTON, MITCHELL STILL SIDELINED: Safety Kyle Hamilton, who has been sidelined since the joint practice with the Colts on Aug. 5, and running back Keaton Mitchell both missed practice, as did backup linebacker William Kwenkeu. Cornerback Jaire Alexander and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins both sat out as well, though Harbaugh declared afterward that, “All those guys are OK.” Hopkins rode a sideline exercise bike for a bit in practice and met with the media afterward.
RAVENS SIGN RB GASKIN, LONGERBEAM GOES TO IR: The Ravens have signed veteran running back Myles Gaskin, 27, who played four years for the Miami Dolphins and played five games for the Minnesota Vikings last year. With Derrick Henry and Justice Hill expected sit out the preseason, and with Keaton Mitchell missing his second straight practice and Marcus Major coming off a concussion, the Ravens probably needed another running back just to get through the final two preseason games.
To make room on the 90-man camp roster for Gaskin, rookie cornerback Robert Longerbeam was moved to injured reserve, effectively ending his season.
ANOTHER PICK FOR LOWERY: Reuben Lowery saw the floater from Cooper Rush headed for receiver Malik Cunningham. Lowery quickly broke on the ball, stepped in front and picked off the pass, adding yet another chapter to a strong summer for the undrafted defensive back from Tennessee-Chattanooga. Earlier, Lowery had dived to get a hand in and break up a pass along the sideline.
The odds of any undrafted player making the initial 53-man roster are always long, and yet someone manages to do that nearly every year with the Ravens. Is Lowery that guy this year? To be sure, injuries to cornerbacks Longerbeam, Bilhal Kone and safety Ar’Darius Washington help the chances for Lowery, whom Harbaugh has noted has played all five secondary positions this summer.
For all the splash plays on defense — and to his credit he’s had plenty — special teams play will probably dictate whether Lowery can beat the odds and make the team, because that would be his primarily role during the regular season. The initial 53-man roster must be set Aug. 26.
CUNNINGHAM AT QB? The Ravens unveiled a look with wide receiver and former Louisville quartberback Malik Cunningham at quarterback, but the object was to have Cunningham throw an interception. Wait, what? Harbaugh explained that the team was practicing a situation in which the defense had the lead late in a game and picked off a pass, with the emphasis on just getting to the ground and not worrying about a return.
Cunningham, though, wasn’t buying it at first. On his first snap, he threw a touchdown pass to Tylan Wallace, which didn’t seem to amuse coaches. On the next play, Cunningham threw a pass over the middle that was picked off by linebacker Roquan Smith.
LOOP NEARLY PERFECT: Rookie kicker Tyler Loop has no more competition in camp with John Hoyland waived, and Loop went 12-for-13 in kicks on Aug. 10. Several kicks were extra-point tries or short field goals. Loop’s longest kick was a 45-yarder that he hooked wide left.
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