Saturday's non-padded practice had some highs mixed with some hiccups.
After much of practice had been played under blue skies, the Ravens had to move inside about 90 minutes in because lightning entered the vicinity of the Under Armour Performance Center. Before then, wide receiver Zay Flowers, who'd played well in training camp and recently signed a multi-year contract extension, exited practice with a quad contusion after colliding with safety Jaylinn Hawkins (Head Coach Jesse Minter said Flowers is day to day and shouldn't miss much time).
Similarly, the offense had its fair share of ups and downs.
One highlight came from a familiar source, as wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane's list of impressive catches got a little longer. In a one-on-one drill early in practice, he made a one-handed catch along the left sideline on a vertical route despite being blanketed by cornerback Nate Wiggins. During 11-on-11, Lane made another one-handed catch, this time along the right sideline with his right hand while being guarded by cornerback Keyon Martin.
What made the catch sweeter for Lane is that he'd dropped a pass earlier in practice during seven-on-seven – it was a bullet over the middle of the field that bounced straight off Lane's hands and hit the grass. The next time Lane hit the grass, he'd created another highlight.
As the rain started, Lane also made a shoestring catch over the middle with two hands that could've gone for a touchdown if it was an actual game.
Head Coach Jesse Minter seemed pleased with Lane's sample size of head-turning plays getting larger.
"You're far enough in where there's consistency now," Minter said. "So there's consistency of making really contested, nice catches, being a really friendly target for the quarterback, and he's doing it, man. He's doing it every day."
"I think every time he makes a play, that trust grows."
However, not all was sweet for the offense on Saturday. Here are other notes from Saturday's practice:
- The offense's struggles mostly involved procedural issues. During 11-on-11, newly signed offensive tackle Kendall Lamm was called for a false start, and tight end Matt Hibner got flagged for the same penalty not too long after. Then, with Jovaughn Gwyn at center, quarterback Tyler Huntley clapped furiously trying to get Gwyn to snap the ball, but he did so too late. Minter blew his whistle and huddled the offense. There was only one more false start the rest of practice.
- Safety Kyle Hamilton was a menace in the backfield. Early in practice, he broke up a screen pass intended for Flowers, but he was called offside. In the indoor facility, Hamilton knocked away a screen pass intended for Derrick Henry (he was onside that time).
- In one-on-ones, tight end Josh Cuevas shook safety Keondre Jackson with a stutter step and made an easy catch over the middle.
- Moments later, wide receiver Devontez Walker blew past cornerback Amani Oruwariye down the right sideline, but Oruwariye caught up and knocked away a deep pass at the goal line.
- Safety K'Von Wallace knocked a pass out of wide receiver Xavier Guillory's hands, while inside linebacker Dominic DeLuca made a diving pass breakup on a short pass that elicited hoots and hollers from the defense.
- Offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley and defensive lineman C.J. Okoye both returned to practice after leaving Thursday's practice early.
- Defensive lineman Calais Campbell didn't practice. Wide receiver Dayton Wade, linebacker Carl Jones Jr., and defensive lineman Aeneas Peebles didn't practice for the second straight day.
- Newly signed inside linebacker Jamon Johnson took the field for the first time on Saturday. He wore No. 47.
Minter said that Sunday's practice, which is scheduled for 10 a.m., will be padded. The weather is supposed to be mostly sunny with the high temperature expected to be in the low-90s.
