Baltimore Ravens

The Cowboys' lack of interest in Henry was peculiar considering that the team opted not to retain its top running back from 2023 in Tony Pollard, who is set to succeed Henry as the top running back on Tennessee's depth chart. Perhaps Dallas is looking for a younger, cheaper option in the backfield. The Ravens took advantage of Dallas' inaction and signed the three-time 1,500-yard rusher to a two-year contract worth up to $20 million. Henry's power running should mesh well in Baltimore with the speed of quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Keaton Mitchell, the latter of whom is recovering from a torn ACL.

Unlike other running backs returning from knee injuries such as Nick Chubb and Jonathon Brooks, there haven't been reports that Mitchell will return to practice in the upcoming week. Nevertheless, he remains in line to return in early November, a timeline that was originally laid out during the preseason. It's not clear what role Mitchell will return to however, as Derrick Henry has been dominant of late and Justice Hill has served as an effective change-of-pace back, particularly as a pass catcher.

Tucker has struggled from distance in recent seasons, converting only 10 of 21 attempts from 50 yards or longer since the start of the 2022 season. He also missed from 46 yards in a Week 3 win, and Harbaugh stated after the game that Tucker is dealing with a technique issue that is causing him to push the ball wide right. Given his track record as one of the most accurate kickers in league history, it's no surprise that the Ravens are remaining loyal to Tucker.

Likely stepped into a larger role at the tail end of the 2023 regular season after Andrews underwent surgery to repair damage to his left fibula and ankle. Over the last six games of the regular season, Likely caught 21 passes on 28 targets for 322 yards and five touchdowns. Patra notes that Likely is in a spot to see more offensive snaps in 2024 due to his ability to play the slot and the Ravens deploying more two tight end sets in the red zone due to the addition of running back Derrick Henry during free agency.

Andrews said he felt "really good" after the practice and emphasized his excitement for the opportunity to face the defending champions in an AFC Championship Game rematch to start the 2024 season. Andrews was able to attend a team meeting approximately one hour after the accident, but the incident was apparently very serious and resulted in two vehicles sustaining heavy damage according to Baltimore County police.

Mitchell tore his ACL in December of 2023 and will remain on the PUP list to begin the new campaign. He flashed plenty of explosiveness in his rookie season before the injury, as he averaged 8.4 yards per attempt and recorded seven rushes of more than 20 yards on only 47 carries. Mitchell should carve out a significant role -- potentially serving as a change of pace to Derrick Henry -- once he returns to full health.

Likely has shown substantial receiving acumen at tight end, but it will be tough for him to carve out consistent playing time at that position as long as Mark Andrews is healthy. The most logical next position for Likely would be wide receiver, where Baltimore's depth chart is unsettled behind 2023 first-round draft pick Zay Flowers. Likely had four games with at least four catches in 2023, so the 6-foot-4 tight end has the potential to fill in effectively at wide receiver if he can gain more comfort at the position.

Bateman was the bright spot on a day that saw Jackson and the Ravens' offense struggle to finish off drives. Bateman caught four passes for 61 yards, with his best catch coming on a contested 24-yard completion over the middle that converted a long third down. His connection with Jackson during practice is a good sign for the Ravens' offense, and Bateman should see an uptick in targets with opposing defenses homing in on second-year wide receiver Zay Flowers and All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews.

Andrews missed the last six games of the regular season after undergoing surgery to repair damage to his left fibula and ankle. Likely stepped up during that span, accumulating 21 catches on 28 targets for 322 yards and five touchdowns, and he followed that up with four catches for 50 yards and one touchdown across the Ravens' two playoff games. Given the Ravens lost Odell Beckham and Devin Duvernay in free agency, Likely's prowess as a pass catcher should allow him to see the field more alongside Andrews with the aim to have the tight end duo create matchup problems for opposing defenses.

After struggling to stay on the field over his first two years in the league due to injuries, Bateman was healthier in 2023, playing 16 regular-season games and finishing with 32 catches on 56 targets for 367 yards and one touchdown. The Ravens inked the 2021 first-round pick to an extension despite Bateman being rumored to be on the trading block, and Zrebiec relays that Bateman's goals for training camp are to stay healthy and work on his chemistry with quarterback Lamar Jackson. Bateman is currently slated as the No. 2 wide receiver behind Zay Flowers and ahead of veteran Nelson Agholor and 2024 fourth-round pick Devontez Walker.

The Ravens, who allowed a league-low 16.5 points per game last regular season, are naturally already loaded with talent, and Jackson augments what is already a formidable starting safety duo of Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton. The addition of Jackson, who's been slowed by foot injuries the last two seasons, gives Baltimore the luxury of another starting-caliber defender that will serve as a rotational piece but can likely step in without any drop-off in case of injuries.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Mitchell is on schedule in his recovery from a torn ACL he sustained in December, though it's still no guarantee he'll be ready for the start of the season. Once healthy, he's slated to be used as a change-of-pace back behind Derrick Henry after averaging 8.4 yards per carry with two touchdowns as a rookie in 2023.

Bateman has been a disappointment in three seasons since the Ravens drafted him in the first round in 2021. His 515 regular-season yards as a rookie still represent Bateman's career-high total, and he has just four receiving touchdowns in 34 career regular-season games. Andrews believes Bateman, who signed a two-year extension in the offseason, will finally live up to his pre-draft potential in 2024.

The endorsement is certainly a weighty one, considering Newton's own impressive body of work as both a passer and rusher over 11 seasons. However, the 2011 first overall pick cites Jackson's big-play ability and elite speed as the difference-maker and concedes he never had the ability to run away from defenders with the same degree of success as Jackson.

The Pro Bowl cornerback signed an extension in 2020 that still has three seasons remaining on it, but his salary cap hit for each of those seasons is north of $22 million. That might be acceptable for Baltimore if he were still an elite contributor, but Humphrey has missed significant time with injuries in two of the last three campaigns, and after racking up double-digit passes defended in each of his first five NFL campaigns, he's managed only 12 in 27 regular-season games since 2022. If Humphrey can't stay on the field and make an impact, he could be released in 2025, when his dead cap hit would shrink to about $16.7 million.

Cunningham was signed off the Patriots' practice squad by the Ravens back in December and began taking practice reps at wide receiver in addition to quarterback when he arrived in Baltimore. Cunningham played four snaps and ran two routes without a target in Week 18 against the Steelers as well, and he was asked by coaches earlier this offseason to fully concentrate on playing receiver for the foreseeable future. Cunningham's athleticism has emerged over time, with head coach John Harbaugh praising his speed, quickness and ability to understand the receiver position from a quarterback's perspective during OTAs and minicamp.

Wallace made the team in 2023 on the back of a strong training camp and preseason. He finds himself in a similar spot in 2024, and Wallace has once again stepped up in offseason practices, as he led the team's wide receivers in catches during minicamp practices. Wallace has also been getting reps on special teams as a return man, and his contributions in that phase of the game could help him secure one of the final spots on Baltimore's 53-man roster heading into Week 1.

Likely has stepped up whenever Mark Andrews has missed time due to injury the past two seasons, but Likely's continued development has potentially earned him a bigger role moving forward, even when Andrews is healthy. Employing more formations with multiple tight ends would allow the Ravens to block effectively for Lamar Jackson and new running back Derrick Henry, while Likely's ability to separate from defenders and secure difficult catches is reminiscent of a wide receiver.

Jackson met with coach John Harbaugh following the Ravens' loss in the AFC Championship Game about how to further improve the team's offense. The goal is to allow Jackson to get into the right play regardless of the look from the defense, something that hasn't been possible in the past. Harbaugh said the implementation of the new system is a work in progress, but it went well overall this spring.

The second-year wideout already impressed plenty as a rookie while recording 77 receptions for 858 receiving yards and five touchdowns across 16 regular-season games. However, Flowers appears ready to take another big step forward if his offseason is any indication, with Hensley reporting the Boston College product looked the part of a No. 1 receiver in the Ravens' mandatory minicamp and that Flowers has also earned plenty of accolades from Jackson. "I can't really describe our chemistry -- I believe it's great; I can say that," Jackson said. "Just being around him down in Florida, running every route on the route tree and just trying to build. It's working out for us."

Tucker noted after Thursday's OTA that he'd taken time to watch plenty of kickoff plays from XFL and UFL games over the last two years to get a better sense of the format the NFL will be replicating beginning this season. Tucker observed kickers appeared to be "involved in 20-to-25 percent of the tackles", leading him to conclude he needed to do some bulking up despite admittedly not typically being a devotee of the weight room.

Head coach John Harbaugh emphasized he had no concerns about Jackson's decision to not attend four of the Ravens' first five OTAs, and there certainly aren't any contractual issues at play after the reigning NFL MVP signed a massive $260 million extension last offseason. Meanwhile, the absence does give Johnson a chance he wouldn't otherwise have to get first-team reps, certainly a benefit considering the 38-year-old last threw a regular-season pass in 2022. He is the only veteran safety net behind Jackson on the depth chart.

The reigning NFL MVP has been absent from four of the Ravens' first five OTAs, including Thursday's session. Despite this, and the fact Jackson has traditionally been a regular in the offseason program in past years, Harbaugh noted "it's voluntary time" at this point of the offseason and added he couldn't "speak for anybody that's not here."

Cunningham got reps as both a quarterback and a wide receiver as a rookie with the Patriots in 2023, but the Ravens plan to move him to wide receiver full-time in 2024 after scooping him up off waivers late last season. He'll be facing an uphill battle to secure a roster spot in a wide receiver room that added Devontez Walker in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft to a group that already included 2023 first-round draft pick Zay Flowers, 2021 first-round pick Rashod Bateman and veteran Nelson Agholor.

Orr added that "my goal for [Hamilton] is to one day win [the] defensive MVP...he has that type of talent, he has that type of work ethic." In just his second season, Hamilton posted 81 tackles, including 3.0 sacks, 13 passes defended, four interceptions and one forced fumble over 15 games, which earned the 2022 first-round pick a spot on the NFL All-Pro First Team. He'll lead a Baltimore defense that allowed a league-best 16.5 points per game in 2023.

After being projected as a second-round pick in multiple mocks, Walker fell to the Ravens in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, 113th overall. Baumgardner believes that Walker's 6-foot-1, 193-pound frame and 4.36 40-yard dash speed gives quarterback Lamar Jackson a big-play receiver who can adjust to off-target throws on the fly. In his final season at North Carolina, Walker recorded 41 catches for 699 yards and seven touchdowns.

Henry is the clear-cut RB1 for the Ravens, with Justice Hill projected to serve as the primary backup. Henry has registered 280-plus carries in four of the last five seasons, and he failed to reach that mark in 2021 due to a broken bone in his right foot. Since 2018, the veteran running back has led the league with 1,744 carries for 8,268 yards and 80 touchdowns. After spending the first eight seasons of his career with Tennessee, Henry will serve as a formidable one-two punch in the running game alongside quarterback Lamar Jackson in Baltimore.

Jackson has rushed for at least 695 yards in each of his six NFL seasons, but the reigning NFL MVP believes he can still improve his elusiveness and has shed a few pounds heading into OTAs. Jackson reportedly claimed to be 205 pounds after playing at 215 pounds in 2023 and 230 pounds in 2022. Playing at a slimmer weight could also help Jackson reduce stress on his joints and stay healthy, which he managed to do in 2023 after missing five games apiece in 2021 and 2022.

In Mitchell's absence, Hill's biggest competition for the second spot on the running back depth chart will come from rookie fifth-round draft pick Rasheen Ali, but Ali is currently dealing with a biceps injury. Hill displayed promising versatility in 2023, rushing for 387 yards and three touchdowns while adding 206 yards and another score. Considering that Baltimore has often taken a committee approach to its backfield in recent years along with the fact that Henry is now 30 years old, Hill would likely be poised for a prominent role as long as he maintains the top backup spot.

Mitchell won't be back in time for training camp as he continues to recover from a torn ACL suffered in mid-December. Prior to the injury, Mitchell averaged an eye-popping 8.4 yards per carry as a rookie. While Mitchell is unavailable, Justice Hill and 2024 fifth-round draft pick Rasheen Ali are expected to work as the top complementary options to Derrick Henry. Ali is recovering from a biceps injury but is expected back by training camp.

Simpson logged only 49 defensive snaps as a rookie while backing up Queen, who logged 133 tackles and made the Pro Bowl before signing with Pittsburgh in the offseason. Simpson looked effective in his limited opportunities, and Baltimore's 2023 third-round draft pick will now get an opportunity to play a larger role, as Simpson is expected to start following Queen's departure.

Rosenthal's opinion is naturally just that at this point, but his reasoning is arguably sound. Likely proved he could be a valuable component of the Ravens' passing game late last season when Andrews was injured, posting a 21-322-5 line over six games from Week 12-18. As such, Rosenthal suggests Likely's presence is more important to Baltimore's base offense than projected No. 3 receiver Nelson Agholor, leading to the writer's prediction that the team will run two-tight-end sets the majority of the time in 2024.

The 2021 first-round pick has struggled with injuries over his first three seasons, playing in only 34 of a possible 50 regular-season games during that span. However, Rosenthal notes the fact the Ravens have been unequivocally supportive of Bateman throughout the offseason and even inked him to a two-year extension, which supports the notion he's ticketed for a starting role.

Baltimore saw its 2023 season come to a disappointing end on Jan. 28th at M&T Bank Stadium in the AFC Championship Game, when the Ravens fell by a 17-10 score. Jackson threw for 272 yards and added another 54 on the ground, but he completed only 20 of 37 attempts, took four sacks and was picked off once. The Ravens and Jackson head into the 2024 season with Super Bowl aspirations once again after adding talented veteran running back Derrick Henry this offseason.

Per the report, the Ravens were shocked to see Wiggins fall down to their pick on draft night. General manager Eric DeCosta said after the draft that Wiggins is "a guy that can be a true shutdown-type corner," and he was adamant on taking the Clemson product if available. Wiggins will have his hands full at the NFL level, particularly in the AFC North against wide receivers like Ja'Marr Chase, Amari Cooper and George Pickens.

Per Hensley, there had been growing speculation that Baltimore would trade Bateman during the 2024 NFL Draft, just as the team did with fellow wide receiver Marquise Brown two years ago. Instead, the Ravens will now have the 2021 first-round pick on their books through the 2026 campaign. Bateman has underwhelmed thus far in his young career while struggling to stay healthy, suiting up for only 34 games and posting 1,167 receiving yards through three seasons.

The NFL confirmed as much in a statement Thursday, noting their investigators had concluded there was "insufficient evidence" to confirm Flowers had engaged in any conduct that would be punishable under the league's policy. The conclusion of the investigation means Flowers is cleared to participate in all offseason team activities immediately.

According to ESPN's Jamison Hensley, Van Noy's contract is worth up to $9 million. Van Noy's pass-rushing acumen is even more valued after the team allowed Jadeveon Clowney, who had 9.5 sacks for the Ravens in a resurgent 2023, to head into the open market this offseason.

The Cowboys' lack of interest in Henry was peculiar considering that the team opted not to retain its top running back from 2023 in Tony Pollard, who is set to succeed Henry as the top running back on Tennessee's depth chart. Perhaps Dallas is looking for a younger, cheaper option in the backfield. The Ravens took advantage of Dallas' inaction and signed the three-time 1,500-yard rusher to a two-year contract worth up to $20 million. Henry's power running should mesh well in Baltimore with the speed of quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Keaton Mitchell, the latter of whom is recovering from a torn ACL.