Flacco connects with his receivers
QB makes good on promise; Ray Lewis keeping his cool before induction speech
Following through on a statement he made during the Ravens’ voluntary workout program in April, quarterback Joe Flacco worked out with a group of wide receivers and tight ends last week.
Wide receiver Willie Snead IV revealed Wednesday that several players and Flacco crossed Deer Park Road from the team’s headquarters in Owings Mills to Northwest Regional Park on two occasions to further develop their budding chemistry.
For a group that includes three new wideouts in Snead, Michael Crabtree and John Brown and a pair of rookie tight ends in Hayden Hurst and Mark Andrews, Snead said the players “got a lot of good work in.”
“I think it was just taking the stuff that we did during OTAs and minicamp and [putting] it together out there on the field just one-on-one with the quarterbacks,” Snead said on the eve of the start of training camp. “That type of time together is beneficial down the stretch, later in the season. Just being on the same page with different routes and knowing the receivers and the quarterback and what he’s thinking and what I’m thinking. It’s hard to do versus when there’s nobody out there, but just that timing and just building that relationship, we’ve only known each other for a few months. So that extra time was very beneficial, especially when you’re trying to do something special this season.”
Flacco, 33, endured one of his worst seasons in 2017, leading a passing offense that ranked 29th in the NFL at 189.4 yards per game, finishing with a career-worst 5.7 yards per attempt and tossing 18 touchdowns against 13 interceptions. The Ravens, who have missed the playoffs in three straight seasons, selected 2016 Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson with the final pick of the first round in April’s NFL draft.
Criticized often in the past for not organizing workouts in the offseason with his receivers, Flacco deciding to get together last week would seem to signal a shift in his philosophy. Snead, who pointed out that only a few boys playing football noticed the group of Ravens working on the same field with them, said he has been impressed by the quarterback’s willingness to adapt.
“I think Joe’s a person who’s very open to change, very open to new ideas, and I think that’s one of the things I’ve realized working with him the past couple months,” Snead said. No nerves for Lewis: Less than three weeks from his enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Ravens great Ray Lewis shrugged off the notion that he might be anxious about his induction speech almost as nonchalantly as he did opposing blockers in his prime.
“Nervousness? No,” the 13-time Pro Bowl selection and two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year said during a conference call Wednesday afternoon. “I would only be nervous if it was something I had to talk about that I didn’t know. I think this moment, for me, is one of those moments. It’s a moment that you dream for your entire life.”
Lewis was in attendance in Canton, Ohio, five years ago for the induction of Ravens left tackle Jonathan Ogden, Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Warren Sapp and Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Cris Carter. From those speeches, he said he learned: “All you have to do is come deliver something that I think a lot of people want to hear. So whether it becomes my greatest moment or not, I tell you this: It will have people and myself on a roller coaster that we will never forget.”
Lewis, 43, is part of an eight-man class that will raise membership in the Hall of Fame to 318. Snead ready to rebound: Snead toiled through his worst season as a pro in 2017, setting career lows in receptions (eight), yards (92) and touchdowns (zero). A threegame suspension for an alcohol-related incident to begin the year was compounded by a hamstring injury that sidelined him for two more games.
A free agent in the offseason, the wide receiver signed with the Ravens in April and declared that his health is no longer a problem as he prepares to take part in training camp.
“I feel great,” Snead, 25, said. “I definitely trained a lot since my time away. I trained down in Florida with my pops and we pushed to the limit because I know that training camp is going to be tough and I just want to put myself in the [best] situation. But right now, I feel great, my legs feel great, my body feels amazing. I’m just ready to have a great year.” End zone: Cornerback Jimmy Smith was noticeably absent from the team’s physically-unable-to-perform list, which means he could be available to practice despite tearing his left Achilles tendon Dec. 3. Strong safety Tony Jefferson marveled at his teammate’s healing ability, saying, “I don’t know how Jimmy does it. He just heals really fast. He was out there doing individual drills in minicamp off an Achilles? That’s kind of rare. That’s going to be huge having Jimmy back on this defense. He’s a huge part of this defense. Big, strong, lanky guy who can jam the best receivers.” … The team’s open practice at M&T Bank Stadium on Saturday will feature a fireworks and laser display, a post-practice autograph session for children ages 6 to 14, and a variety of other family friendly activities such as video games and a bounce house. Gates will open one hour before the practice is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Parking is available for $10 in Lots A, B, C, G and H and will open at 4 p.m. Only cold tailgating will be allowed. For more information, go to BaltimoreRavens.com/ TrainingCamp. … A pair of former Ravens in linebacker Edgar Jones (2007-2011) and defensive tackle Brandon McKinney (2008-2011) will join the team’s coaching staff for a significant portion of training camp as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship, which provides opportunities for coaches to work their way into a full-time NFL coaching position.