Ravens on the brink of ... well, nobody knows
Of what?
Well, it's hard to say. The Ravens were buzzing after star wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. participated in a walk-through practice for the first time Thursday, but they're not good enough yet to be mentioned in the same class as the NFL's heavyweights. And they aren't bad enough to be in the same category with the duds.
Maybe the league wants it that way, with its emphasis on parity. Right now, the Ravens are just another NFL team. Even through all these humid summer days filled with meetings and 21/2-hour practices, it's hard to get a gauge on this team.
So it's hard to get a good evaluation of the Ravens at this point because so many key players missed practices with injuries. There were things to be learned. Quarterback Joe Flacco is healthy again, and might have had his best camp ever.
The arm was live and he has a new appreciation for the game of football after missing the last six games of 2015 with a serious knee injury.
Maybe the biggest surprise of camp was Pro Bowl outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, who returned to the practice field this week in good shape after an Achilles injury wiped out his 2015 season. In the past, Suggs has struggled with weight problems in the offseason, but he's running well after losing nearly 20 pounds since training camp opened.
Another plus is that even though a final verdict on this draft class won't come for two or three years, this new crop has athleticism and potential, led by offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley, wide receiver Chris Moore, linebacker Kamalei Correa and running back Kenneth Dixon.
The offseason additions of tight end Benjamin Watson and receiver Mike Wallace will help the passing game, and the Ravens have ample talent at running back with Justin Forsett, Terrance West, Buck Allen and Dixon, all of whom had strong camps.
But there are just as many concerns. Smith (Achilles) is back, but no one knows how well he'll play. Outside linebacker Elvis Dumervil has yet to practice after offseason foot surgery. There is still no indication when second-year receiver Breshad Perriman (knee) will step onto the practice field.
Those are things we don't know but there are some we do: The Ravens can't count on tight ends Crockett Gillmore and Dennis Pitta or wide receiver Michael Campanaro to stay healthy.
If they can't make it through training camp practices, it's highly unlikely they can play 10 games, much less 16.
They can contribute, but it puts coach John Harbaugh in a bind. Does he keep them on the roster to occupy a spot that could be used for depth on players such as linebackers Chris Carter and Victor Ochi or guard Vladimir Ducasse?
It's a tough decision, especially because the Ravens missed the playoffs two of the past three years. If Harbaugh is going to go down, at least it should be with players who play regularly.
We'll know more in a couple of weeks. Maybe by then, Harbaugh will have a better read on his roster.
Stanley has been solid, but he'll now have to go against Suggs every day in practice. Remember, rookies, even those drafted in the first round, are usually inconsistent.
That's already been evident with Correa. He started off strong in training camp, but since the coaching staff told him to calm down on some of those borderline cheap hits, he has disappeared.
Starting cornerback Shareece Wright has improved from a year ago, but fellow cornerback Jimmy Smith is still an enigma. Which Smith will show up, the one who played so poorly in the first two weeks of training camp or the one who brought his “A” game this week?
Smith's play is typical of the Ravens. There is talent there, but he has never put it all together. He is on the brink, too.
It's impossible to say yet which way this team will go. Chemistry is an important part of athletics, and the Ravens haven't put all the pieces together yet.
The Ravens are a work in progress, still teetering at the moment.
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