Time ticking for players on bubble
Third-year wideout Scott trying to prove he belongs
With the Ravens halfway through padded practices in training camp, time is ticking and opportunities are dwindling for bubble players to make an impression on coaches.
That reality might have started to set in for third-year player Jaleel Scott, who is competing for one of the team’s final spots at wide receiver. Scott hasn’t stood out since open practices began, and he appears to be behind rookie wideouts Devin Duvernay and James Proche on the depth chart.
During Tuesday’s practice, Scott was unable to bring in several catchable passes during team drills. After another ball bounced off his hands and fell just out of reach, Scott ripped his helmet off in frustration and flung it several yards into a wooded area beyond one of the practice field end zones.
The 25-year-old remained by himself for a while before rejoining his teammates on the sideline. Wide receivers coach David Culley then came to speak to Scott. Later in practice, safety DeShon Elliott, who like Scott was drafted in 2018, spoke to him briefly before giving him a tap on the helmet.
It wasn’t all bad for Scott, who was able to rebound toward the end of practice, beating cornerback Marcus Peters on a go route in 11-on-11 drills for a touchdown catch. However, Scott appeared to injure himself and was on the ground for multiple minutes before walking to the sideline slowly with trainers. The extent of his injury is unclear.
After playing his way in the preseason onto the 53-man roster last year, Scott won’t have that luxury in 2020.
Powers struggles at center
Second-year offensive lineman Ben Powers is another player who needed a strong training camp to secure his spot on the 53-man roster. He didn’t help himself Tuesday, with a rough three-play sequence during team drills. Playing center, his first snap went way over the head of the quarterback. His second snap was once again high, but Robert Griffin III was able to corral it. His third snap again went over the head of Trace McSorley, and after the latest blunder, he was taken out. Offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris and several offensive linemen approached Powers to speak to him afterward.
Ehinger, Holden hold up at tackle
Starting left tackle Ronnie Stanley was one of several players who didn’t practice Tuesday. His absence opened up additional repetitions for Will Holden and Parker Ehinger. Neither player has an extensive history at tackle but both looked like they held up well in team drills. The Ravens are still searching for a swing tackle after veteran Andre Smith opted out.
New signing makes strong first impression
As players trotted onto the field for the start of practice, new Ravens punter Johnny Townsend could be spotted in a No. 6 jersey with the rest of the specialists. The team had the former Oakland Raiders punter in for a visit last week but didn’t officially announce his signing, along with wide receiver DeAndrew White, until nearly 45 minutes into practice.
About midway through practice, White, in a No. 18 jersey, joined his new teammates on the practice field. Despite his limited time with the team, he got in for a few team drills and 1-on-1 action, catching a few passes, one of which even drew praise from cornerback Marlon Humphrey, who played with White at Alabama for one season.
Several injuries put the team below the league-mandated 80-man roster count during padded practices and coach John Harbaugh hasn’t had his team conduct extensive live tackling in team drills. At this point, White is a long shot to make the team, but a good first impression certainly doesn’t hurt.