New pieces, lots of questions
How will Flacco look in his return from knee surgery? It has been eight months since Flacco stepped out of a huddle and directed the offense. Despite the weapons the Ravens added this offseason, the success of the offense will still depend heavily on the health and play of the team’s franchise quarterback.
Flacco said last week that his surgically repaired left knee feels 100 percent healthy and that he’s doing everything he needs to do physically to be ready for the season. However, he acknowledged that there are mental hurdles he still has to get over, including the first hit and the first time an offensive lineman is pushed back into his face. Flacco tore his ACL and MCL when reserve tackle James Hurst was driven back into the quarterback’s knee.
Flacco will obviously be rusty, so Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Marc Trestman will have to balance getting him the necessary repetitions without taking chances with his knee. It isn’t clear how much Flacco will play in the preseason, if at all. So it will be important for Flacco to use the practice repetitions to get onto the same page with Watson, Wallace and Breshad Perriman. Can rookie Ronnie Stanley provide immediate stability to Flacco’s blind side? Several recent highly picked offensive linemen have struggled mightily in their rookie seasons. The Ravens can’t afford Stanley having the same problems transitioning to the NFL that the Kansas City Chiefs’ Eric Fisher (first overall, 2013), the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Luke Joeckel (second, 2013), the Los Angeles Rams’ Greg Robinson (second, 2014) and the New York Giants’ Ereck Flowers (ninth, 2015) endured.
The Ravens cut Eugene Monroe in June, leaving them without a proven veteran at the position and paving the way for Stanley, the sixth overall pick out of Notre Dame, to become the first rookie in franchise history to start at left tackle in Week 1. Stanley (6 feet 6, 315 pounds) certainly looks the part and moves well for a big man. He looked fluid and comfortable at left tackle in minicamp, but he needs to get stronger.
Expecting Stanley to play at a Pro Bowl level from the start is probably unreasonable. But the Ravens need him to grow up fast. What can the Ravens expect from the rest of their rookie class? Stanley is the headliner and the only likely starter, but to rebound from their worst season in Harbaugh’s tenure, the Ravens are going to need immediate contributions from several rookies after last year’s class, headed by Perriman, struggled to make an impact.
Outside linebacker Kamalei Correa, defensive end Bronson Kaufusi and outside linebacker Matt Judon will be tasked with helping a pass rush that was nonexistent last season. Tavon Young and Maurice Canady need to be ready if the Ravens have another wave of injuries at cornerback.
Prolific Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds will get an opportunity to win the primary return job, and, along with fourthround pick Chris Moore, he’ll have to earn a role on a deep receiving corps. Kenneth Dixon should receive time immediately in the backfield, and Alex Lewis might well be the team’s top reserve offensive lineman. When will the Ravens be at full strength? There’s probably no NFL team that is dealing with more injury questions to prominent players than the Ravens.
The list of front-line players who are rehabilitating injuries or were recently removed from rehab programs include Flacco, running back Justin Forsett (arm), wide receivers Steve Smith Sr. (Achilles) and Perriman (knee), tight ends Crockett Gillmore (shoulder) and Dennis Pitta (hip), outside linebackers Terrell Suggs (Achilles) and Elvis Dumervil (foot), and cornerback Jimmy Smith (foot). Others working their way back are Kaufusi (back), wide receiver Michael Campanaro (calf ) and cornerback Will Davis (knee).
Flacco, Forsett, Gillmore, Pitta, Jimmy Smith, Campanaro (River Hill), Kaufusi and Davis have all been cleared to participate in Thursday’s practice. But on Saturday the Ravens placed Steve Smith, Perriman, Suggs, Dumervil, running back Trent Richardson (knee) and cornerback Jumal Rolle (Achilles) on the physically unable-to-perform list.
That means that they won’t be eligible to participate in practice until they are fully cleared. If they are still on the PUP list after training camp — and Rolle is expected to miss the entire season — they’ll be forced to sit out the season’s first six games.
Steve Smith, who tore his Achilles on Nov. 1, is unlikely to play in the preseason, and his return to the field will probably be much later this summer. Perriman had his knee scoped a little over a month ago and team officials remain hopeful he’ll be back at some point in training camp. Suggs, who tore an Achilles early in September, has been at the team facility for several weeks rehabbing and improving his conditioning. Dumervil had foot surgery early this offseason and is probably the player closest to returning among the six placed on the PUP list. What are the position competitions to watch? Harbaugh wants competition at every spot, but as far as starting positions go, the three most obvious openings are at left guard, weak-side linebacker and defensive end. John Urschel is the clear favorite to replace Kelechi Osemele at left guard. Zachary Orr, Arthur Brown and possibly Correa are the main candidates to play next to C.J. Mosley on the weak side. Lawrence Guy, Brent Urban and Kaufusi might platoon at defensive end.
At running back, Terrance West (Northwestern High, Towson University) and Lorenzo Taliaferro might be competing for one roster spot. Campanaro, Jeremy Butler, Chris Matthews, Kaelin Clay and Reynolds could be vying for one or two jobs at wide receiver. There also might be only one reserve safety spot available for Matt Elam and Terrence Brooks.