Health no longer an issue for playmaking Flacco
QB catches two passes; Wormley working for bigger role on defense
A back injury sidelined Joe Flacco until the final day of the preseason a year ago and might have contributed to one of his worst seasons as a professional. But that problem appears to be a distant memory for the Ravens quarterback.
Flacco has been moving around well in training camp this summer, and his mobility was on display in Monday morning’s practice at the team’s headquarters in Owings Mills when he caught two passes, including one that he pulled in with only his right hand. Both passes drew some of the loudest applause from the fans who attended the session and maybe some smiles from a coaching staff seeking to find ways to incorporate rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson into the offensive fold.
“I remember him coming out [of college] — a big guy, big arm,” offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said. “But then once you dug into the film, holy smokes. He’s really a good athlete, especially for his size, and then he showed that throughout his career. I’m so jacked up because this is the first time he’s been healthy — in what, a couple years — in camp, and you can see it. You can see it both on the field, and you can see it on the film. So he’s healthy. That’s a good thing. His athleticism shows up just a little bit, even in practices.”
Although the 6-foot-6, 245-pound Flacco has expressed his wariness about plays in which he is not under center — he once famously described the Wildcat formation as “a high school offense” in 2013 — he has taken part in several trick plays this preseason. The Ravens might deploy some of those plays in Thursday night’s Pro Football Hall of Fame Game against the Chicago Bears in Canton, Ohio, at 8 p.m., but Mornhinweg acknowledged that there is a delicate line between putting NFL defenses on their toes and revealing too much.
“There are two philosophies to the thing — and I’ve done it both ways — where you show very little, and so they don’t quite know what to prepare for, or you show them so much that they have a hard time preparing for it,” he said. “We’ve got five [preseason] games, and it’s hard not to show much and give the fellas a chance to have some success. So we’ve got to show a little bit here throughout this preseason. We’ve got the staff here. The offensive staff has a pretty good plan, and it’s not set in stone, so we can make adjustments for all five games.” Joe Flacco Wormley seeking bigger role: There were times when Chris Wormley’s rookie season seemed like a blur. But the secondyear defensive end said he “can remember Linebacker Za’Darius Smith, left, and cornerback Marlon Humphrey walk off the field. Some fans have confused rookie Myles Humphrey for the second-year cornerback. getting my[butt] kicked most days in camp.”
The 6-foot-5, 300-pound Wormley made five tackles in seven games, including two starts, but was a healthy scratch for the remaining nine games, including the first four. That is not the kind of production one would expect from the first of two third-round selections in the 2017 NFL draft, which has spurred him to prove himself to defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale and defensive line coach Joe Cullen.
“First and foremost, I want to dress every game and get more snaps and be productive and be a guy that Wink and Cullen can trust,” Wormley said, adding that his personal goals include totaling at least 25 tackles and his first career sack. “I just want to make a contribution to the team so that we can make it to the playoffs this year.” A different Humphrey: Despite standing 6-3 and 238 pounds, rookie linebacker/ defensive end Myles Humphrey has walked over to sign autographs for children after a practice and been mistaken for Marlon Humphrey, the 6-foot, 197-pound second-year cornerback.
Mistaken identity aside, Myles Humphrey — who grew up in nearby Upper Marlboro in Prince George’s County and graduated from Division II Shepherd as the program’s all-time leader in sacks (40) — has lined up at defensive end and inside and outside linebacker. That might seem like a lot for a first-year player, but he said he welcomes the mix of responsibilities.
“I’m just glad I can play multiple positions,” he said. “A lot of guys come in, and they only get a shot at one position. With me, they’re kind of giving mea chance to play on the edge — whether that’s as the SAM outside linebacker or a defensive end or an inside linebacker. So I feel like that’s pretty good for me. I’ve just got to make the most of my opportunities.” First fight of camp: Wormley and undrafted rookie running back Mark Thompson took part in the first fight of camp. Wormley took exception to a late block by Thompson and charged after him. Although Thompson’s helmet came off during the melee, no punches were thrown and cooler heads prevailed.
“I was trying to be a good D-lineman and run to the ball and get my pursuit like Wink and Coach Cullen want me to get, and he just gave me a couple extra shoves after the play,” Wormley said. “That’s something that as a man, you have to stand up for yourself. It wasn’t like I waslooking to throw a punch or anything like that. I just wanted to let him know that A, you’re a rookie, and B, don’t do that to me again.”
Said Thompson: “It’s an emotional game. Everyone’s trying to put forth their best effort. So things get a little emotional sometimes, and it’s a fast game, and if you’re not playing with emotion, then why are you out here?” Extra points: Martindale said the intensity level has ramped up in the past two practices in an effort to prepare the younger defensive players for the task of live tackling on Thursday night. “Usually, this first game is where you see the most missed tackles,” he said. “So we’re really making an emphasis on that, and it is getting more physical. I think that’s good for us.” … Special teams coordinator Jerry Rosburg confirmed what the depth chart has listed: Tim White will take the opening kick and punt returns against Chicago. “Tim is going to get the first shot,” the associate head coach said. “He’s earned that. So when we line up in Canton, Ohio, at 8 o’clock on Thursday night, [No.] 14 [White’s jersey number] is going to trot out there.” ... Former Ravens Dennis Pitta, Justin Forsett and Jarret Johnson will return to the team’s on-air radio broadcast team this season, 98 Rock/WBAL NewsRadio 1090 announced. Along with Todd Heap, the trio joined veteran play-by-play announcer Gerry Sandusky in the booth for four games apiece last season. Pitta and Johnson will be back in the booth, while Forsett will serve as the sideline reporter for road games. 98 Rock’s Kirk McEwen will handle sideline duties at home games. Longtime Ravens broadcaster Stan White, who served as a game analyst last season, will have a pre- and postgame role this season.