News

The Ravens’ three-day minicamp kicks off Tuesday, bringing on the next stage of the offseason program.

Here are five top storylines to watch:

Return Of Eugene Monroe

This may be the biggest news of the week. The Ravens’ veteran left tackle tweeted that he’s cleared to play and he’s back in town after attending speaking engagements for medical marijuana during Organized Team Activities (OTAs). The first step is to see if Monroe does, in fact, take the field following offseason surgery. If he does suit up, it will be interesting to see where, and how often, he plays. The Ravens have given all the first-team left tackle reps to No. 6 pick Ronnie Stanley with Monroe sidelined. Will Monroe step into that role once he’s back? Will he and the rookie share the spot? Will Stanley bump inside to guard?

More Veterans Arrive

With minicamp being mandatory, expect more veterans to arrive at the Under Armour Performance Center. Guard Marshal Yanda and outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil are two veterans who, not surprisingly, sat out OTAs. They should be back to gel with and lead some of the younger players at their positions. Outside linebacker Terrell Suggs (Achilles), wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. (Achilles), cornerback Jimmy Smith (foot) and quarterback Joe Flacco (knee) are also expected to be in attendance, although they are still rehabbing their injuries.

Wide Receivers Who Step Up

While the latest news on Breshad Perriman is positive, he’ll still miss some time. Veteran addition Mike Wallace will be in the spotlight as the team’s true speedster this summer. Other wide receivers will also get more chances to shine, including fourth-round pick Chris Moore (a big-play threat in college), Jeremy Butler and Chris Matthews. Keenan Reynolds will continue to learn his new position and Michael Campanaro (calf) will hopefully be back on the field.

The Emergence Of Suggs

Head Coach John Harbaugh said Suggs has been at the Under Armour Performance Center working out, yet he hasn’t been seen around the practice fields. Suggs could make an appearance during minicamp, and the media will be quick to put him through the eye test. Suggs has come back from an Achilles injury before, so he knows what kind of shape he needs to get in to be ready by the season opener. The media and fans haven’t heard from him since suffering the injury last September.

Offensive Improvement

The Ravens will have their third week of practice together, and it’s time for the offense to start looking better. It’s not uncommon for the defense to dominate 11-on-11 drills during offseason practices, as the offense has to perfect more pinpoint timing. During last Tuesday’s OTAs practice, quarterback Ryan Mallett was often on the run from pressure and threw several interceptions. However, the Ravens offense has a lot of talent and that should be on display more often this week.