Ravens coach John Harbaugh called it an “improvement” week.
“This is the opportunity week in camp, to really build the base under your football team,” he added. “I feel like the guys did that.”
Some better than others, of course.
In all, Baltimore had five practices open to reporters after its preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts, though one of them was a walk-through, so the sample size was a bit more limited.
Here’s a look at whose stock has risen and fallen over the past week as the Ravens get set to play their second preseason game Saturday night against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium.
Brian Wacker, reporter
Stock up: WR Rashod Bateman. The 2021 first-round draft back is coming off career highs in receiving yards and touchdowns, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that he has looked excellent throughout training camp. Still, he stood out in particular this past week.
On Sunday, while quarterback Lamar Jackson was on the run from a chasing Odafe Oweh, Bateman broke open on the sideline for a completion. Later in the same practice, he stutter-stepped Nate Wiggins and blew by the cornerback for a long touchdown during the one-on-one period. He again broke free to sync up with Jackson when the initial play broke down.
One of the best separators and top deep threats in the NFL last season, Bateman’s piece de resistance of the week came in the final open practice of the week, as he hauled in several passes. First it was a slant, then an out, then a hitch. Later, he raced by corner Chidobe Awuzie and safety Sanoussi Kane with Jackson hitting him in stride for a 40-yard touchdown.
Always a smooth route runner with all-field skills, the biggest concern about Bateman has been a supposed lack of chemistry with Jackson. But the two have been poetry in motion so far.
Stock down: CB Nate Wiggins. The second-year cornerback has been mostly impressive this summer, but he’s still had some hiccups. Early in the week, Devontez Walker blew past him on a go route for a long completion. Later in the week, he allowed a 35-yard scoring strike to DeAndre Hopkins when, despite being in position, he was unable to get a hand on the pass. Then there was the aforementioned completion to Bateman.
It’s nit-picking, especially since corners are told not to get overly aggressive during training camp and Wiggins also had some nice pass breakups over the course of the week. But he still gave up some big plays.
Sam Cohn, reporter
Stock up: S Desmond Igbinosun. It would take a few dominoes to fall his way for this bubble safety to squeak into the 53-man roster. The Ravens’ secondary is fraught with injury risk, a truism around the league, but Igbinosun isn’t cowering to the odds stacked against him. Against the second- and third-team offenses, he’s been disruptive.
Igbinosun, an undrafted rookie safety from Rutgers, has a nose for the football and has shown he’s capable in coverage. Earlier in camp, he intercepted Cooper Rush on a deflected pass tip drill. The “stock up” nomination this week is a credit to the handful of pass breakups he’s had over the middle of the field.
Stock down: CB Chidobe Awuzie. The other side of Brian’s pick for a strong week by Bateman came most often at the detriment of Awuzie. With fellow cornerback Jaire Alexander absent much of the week for undisclosed reasons, Awuzie has taken more first-team defense reps shuffling through with Marlon Humphrey and Wiggins. Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr dismissed any depth chart talk of whether Awuzie or Alexander is first off the bench at cornerback because “both of those guys know they’re going to play.”
On Wednesday, Awuzie got burnt on a vertical route up the left sideline. That’s when Jackson found Bateman about 40 yards upfield resulting in an easy touchdown. Bateman’s separation skills were on full display at other points throughout team drills, much to Awuzie’s dismay. The 30-year-old veteran has had a solid camp thus far and figures to be a consistent member of the Ravens’ secondary, but this week seemed to be his toughest stretch on the wrong end of Bateman’s best days.
Mike Preston, columnist
Stock up: WR Devontez Walker. Walker continues to come up with big play after big play, especially earlier this week. The second-year receiver out of North Carolina runs good routes and is able to get separation coming out of his breaks or after the catch. In training camp, he might be the leader in yards after the catch behind slot receiver Zay Flowers. There isn’t a lot of room for receivers on the roster, but the Ravens might need to make one for Walker.
Stock down: RT Roger Rosengarten. The second-year offensive tackle isn’t having a bad training camp, but expectations were higher for the 2024 second-round pick. Even against the Colts last week in the first preseason game, Rosengarten wasn’t as dominant as he was during his rookie year. He still performs well run blocking, but is way too high in pass protection. He has been slow getting to the outside, and appears to be stepping out with the right foot instead of stepping back, allowing rushers to turn the corner on him.
He’ll get better in the coming weeks, but his game is slightly off-kilter.
Josh Tolentino, columnist
Stock up: OLB Mike Green. Green continues to build momentum with the second-round pick producing back-to-back impressive weeks. A photo captured of Green collapsing the pocket during the preseason opener against Indianapolis went viral because of the insane amount of bend displayed by the 6-foot-3, 250-pound pass rusher.
Green was spotted at the conclusion of Wednesday’s practice going through his pass rush moves with Michael McCrary, the franchise’s single-season sack leader (14 1/2 in 1998). A couple of days earlier, assistant position coach Matt Robinson labeled Green as his biggest surprise from training camp.
“Mike Green really pops out on tape,” Robinson said. “He plays with a relentless mindset. He’s tenacious at the point of attack. I think you guys have seen it in games, his ability to affect the play pretty much every time he’s in there. He’s gonna set a violent edge, get pressure on the quarterback. … I really like where he’s at right now.”
Stock down: CB Robert Longerbeam. Coach John Harbaugh has remained tight-lipped about Longerbeam’s knee injury, but the issue was serious enough that the Ravens placed the sixth-round pick on season-ending injured reserve this past week. Suddenly, the team’s depth at defensive back has taken a massive hit with Longerbeam joining fellow rookie cornerback Bilhal Kone on IR.
Longerbeam, who hadn’t practiced since July 31, tallied 45 tackles, 11 passes defensed and two interceptions last season at Rutgers.
Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at [email protected], 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. Contact Sam Cohn at [email protected], 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. Contact Mike Preston at [email protected], 410-332-6467 and x.com/MikePrestonSun.