Quarterback Lamar Jackson’s arrival ahead of the second day of organized team activity drew the most attention, and it’s hardly surprising. However, it was also a welcome sight for Ravens officials to have Patrick Queen jog onto the field on Monday and be there for the start of practice because they know this hasn’t been the easiest offseason for the fourth-year linebacker.
Queen, selected #28 in the 2020 NFL Draft, is entering the last guaranteed year of his rookie contract. This was the offseason to consider a lucrative overtime for Queen, who has 321 tackles, 10 sacks, four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and three interceptions in his first three seasons while starting in all 50 regular-season games.
Instead, the Ravens told Queen they would turn down his option to a fifth year, leaving him eligible for free agency next March. They also picked his possible replacement in the third round, picking Clemson’s Trenton Simpson, who is considered one of the top inside linebackers in the 2023 draft.
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The Ravens say they’re still willing to sign Queen for an extension and they’ve shown time and time again they’ll spend their money on their own, especially on the defensive side of the ball. However, when Baltimore named Roquan Smith the highest-paid off-ball linebacker in the sport ($20 million a year) in January, it was immediately hard to imagine Queen getting the contract he wanted. Paying two inside linebackers big bucks would be extremely difficult, especially with Jackson’s new contract on the books.
Queen has not spoken to reporters about developments this offseason. When the Ravens fielded Simpsons last month, Queen responded with just one word on Twitter: “Gosh,” he wrote. He also raised some eyebrows early in the offseason when he seemingly deleted his social media accounts about anything Ravens-related amid questions about his future in Baltimore.
The Ravens, on the other hand, consider Queen an important part of what they hope to be a top-ranked defense in 2023. Queen’s showing up for voluntary training sessions this week certainly suggests he’s in full swing now, although it’s taken him some time this offseason to reach that conclusion.
“I really enjoy working with this guy,” Smith said of Queen after Wednesday’s practice. “I think at the end of the day he’s a pro. He’s out here to get better with the boys. He’s just trying to make this year his best year yet. I’m looking forward to just being next to him, playing with him and improving each other.”
Queen had plenty of good streaks and his game started to improve last season before Smith came on November 1 via a trade. But Queen probably played the best football of his young career following the Smith acquisition. Assuming Queen stays healthy, there’s no reason not to continue.
Queen is in a really good position as he plays alongside arguably the best midfielder in football and with a defense that loves to use his speed. He’s capable of making really good money this year, whether he’s from Baltimore or another team. His showing up this week suggests he understands that reality.
Improved health situation
This time last year, the Ravens had no idea if running backs JK Dobbins (knee) and Gus Edwards (knee), left tackle Ronnie Stanley (ankle), outside linebackers Tyus Bowser (Achilles) and David Ojabo (Achilles) and the cornerback were in action Marcus Peters (knee) would be fit again for the start of the regular season. All suffered serious injuries sustained either during the 2022 season or during the off-season.
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Dobbins made his Week 3 debut but his return was short-lived. A month later, he was temporarily banned for six weeks as he required further knee surgery. Edwards didn’t play his first game until late October. Stanley returned in week 5. Bowser returned in early November while Ojabo only played two games all season. Peters, meanwhile, was the first returnee and played in Week 2. But he didn’t look healthy for most of the year.
It’s not an excuse. It was just the reality. The injuries that decimated the Ravens in 2021 also took a huge toll in their 2022 season.
If you’re looking for another reason to feel comfortable with the current Ravens, then don’t delve into the many transmission injury issues that last year’s team faced. The mere sight of wide receiver Rashod Bateman, who was out for most of last season with foot surgery, is proof of that.
When asked about injuries after Wednesday’s practice, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh mentioned that veteran receiver Mike Thomas has injured his shoulder and may need labrum surgery, which would obviously result in a lengthy absence.
Obviously, there are questions about wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who didn’t play last year due to a knee injury. And some Ravens, including Edwards and full-back Patrick Ricard, appear to be still in rehab and not training yet. But it’s May. They are hardly of concern at this point. Injuries happen to any team, but they hurt even worse when compounded by health issues from previous years.
10 random thoughts, observations
1. There will be ample time to watch and discuss as Jackson picks up on Todd Monken’s offense. It’s obviously too early to draw any conclusions. Right now, Jackson is certainly saying the right things — “I like it so far,” he said Wednesday — and looks the part. I’ve said and written this before, but over the past two years there have been times when Jackson has looked like he’s carrying the burden of the world on his shoulders. Don’t get me wrong: it’s not that he looked miserable or unhappy. But whatever the reason, he just hasn’t always displayed the enthusiasm he always exuded early in his career. It’s obviously just one day but by Wednesday his smile was back and he seemed genuinely excited about the potential on offense.
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2. Notable absences from Wednesday’s voluntary practice included Dobbins, Beckham, wide receiver James Proche II, tight end Mark Andrews, Stanley, right guard Kevin Zeitler, Bowser and defensive backs Marlon Humphrey, Kyle Hamilton and Damarion Williams. Edwards and Ricard did not participate but were on the field. Harbaugh said he is in contact with Beckham and Andrews and agrees with their decision to remain in Arizona, where they train. He also said Hamilton was struggling with a certain “constraint”, which explained his absence.
3. Safety Chuck Clark, who joined the New York Jets in March after six seasons in Baltimore, angered some Ravens fans earlier this week when he responded to a question about the trade by reporters: “I was ready to get out of there.” Clark went on to say that he felt disrespected by the Ravens. Look, sometimes the football business gets in the way and it creates uncomfortable feelings. In the final break of the season, Clark believed he would get a new contract from Baltimore as he had already beaten a team-friendly deal. The Ravens made it clear to his agent that they were open to the idea. The Ravens love Clark, a Day 3 draft pick who won a roster spot on special teams and then became a starter and defensive signal caller for four years. However, two unexpected opportunities arose for Baltimore to cement their secure position. Marcus Williams’ free-agent market wasn’t as big as expected, prompting the Ravens, who originally hadn’t planned a run at the former New Orleans Saint, to jump in. Hamilton then dropped out and was available to them in 2022 at number 14, becoming the classic Baltimore selection with the best player available. The Ravens are keen to improve their team and they felt Marcus Williams and Hamilton did just that. You can’t blame them for that. But you can’t blame Clark for not being happy with how it all turned out either. He had a home in Baltimore and a growing family. Within months, he no longer believed he would stay there for many more years and knew that 2022 would almost certainly be his last season as Raven. That would be hard for anyone to digest. Clark is one of the greatest late-round draft deciders in team history. He was a solid performer on the field and a responsible team leader in the dressing room. Although he was clearly annoyed with team decision-makers last year and called for a swap after Hamilton’s election, Clark showed himself at the voluntary training sessions and has been a great teammate throughout. He’s a total pro and his comments this week don’t change that.
4. One thing to know about the recently enacted rule allowing a team to dress a third emergency quarterback that does not count toward the gameday squad cap is that the designated emergency caller is still in the 53-man roster. squad must be. That makes an interesting decision for the Ravens, who for the most part have preferred to keep only two quarterbacks in the regular-season roster. Would the Ravens be willing to leave both Tyler Huntley and Josh Johnson behind Jackson at the expense of a player in another position they would rather keep? We will know the answer in a few months. Just because, as Harbaugh said, the Ravens endorsed the rule doesn’t necessarily mean they will take advantage of it. They’ve already shown they’re comfortable with just two quarterbacks.
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5. Now for a new rule that Harbaugh and the Ravens didn’t advocate: Kick returners can now signal a fair catch within their own 25-yard line and are rewarded with a touchback and placement of the ball at the 25-yard line. The new rule doesn’t make kick returns obsolete, but it certainly limits them. It also raises questions about how much the new rule could affect Baltimore’s roster construction. The Ravens are known for having a handful of spots towards the back of their 53-man roster for their better special team players who would likely not make the team due to their offensive or defensive roles. That practice may still persist, but if you don’t have to worry as much about returning and covering kickoffs, you probably don’t need to keep as many special-team-only players.
6. Harbaugh made it pretty clear on Wednesday that the team views recently signed Sam Mustipher as a backup candidate for center and that he’s not actually in the starting line-up at left-back. The Ravens could bring more competition there, but for now, Ben Cleveland and John Simpson have to be happy about the chance they want to get this summer.
7. Mustipher made 40 career starts with the Chicago Bears. Defensive tackle Angelo Blackson, who signed with the Ravens on Wednesday, has made 42 starts in his career. It doesn’t feel like either veteran would be a fixture on the Ravens roster, but they are veteran players competing for backup roles. It’s hard to argue with cheap and experienced depth.
8th. With Dobbins not participating in any of the volunteer activities and Edwards not yet approved to practice, it’s surprising the Ravens didn’t bring a veteran running back with them. Justice Hill and undrafted rookies Keaton Mitchell and Owen Wright are the only defenders attending practice. Baltimore has been hit pretty hard by injuries at that position in recent years, so even with Dobbins and Edwards in training, one could argue for the addition of another ball carrier. That doesn’t mean signing Kareem Hunt, Ezekiel Elliott or Leonard Fournette. There are other cheaper options such as B. Kenyan Drake.
9. I get questions every day about the status of the contract negotiations between the Ravens and first-round receiver Zay Flowers. With the slotted system, incremental updates are not required in these situations. They all get done when they need done. Flowers in particular should not be a problem. The two picks in front of him in 20th and 21st place, both receivers, have signed. The nine first-round picks after him have all signed. I don’t know the exact hold here. Sometimes it is the contract language or the guaranteed amount. Other times, it’s not a central theme for the team, or the agent plays it slowly because he or she wants to show their client that he or she works hard for them. Whatever the case, there is no need to worry. The Ravens’ two first-round picks last year, Hamilton and Tyler Linderbaum, both signed in June, so the team isn’t behind here.
10 The Ravens still have an open roster spot to add a player, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t areas where they could make more room. For example, finding substitutes for summer training for five quarterbacks will be nearly impossible. Thirteen receivers also seems overkill, although Thomas is due to have shoulder surgery and something could be done at his place. The Ravens also have five undrafted rookie offensive linemen. Once they have all of their veterans in the building, it will be easier to ditch some of the back-end roster people to make room for other additions.
(Photo by Patrick Queen: Paul Rutherford / USA Today)