OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Baltimore Ravens have enjoyed mostly positive health updates through the first two weeks of training camp, but the sight of their newly-minted $140 million wide receiver on the ground, grabbing his left leg, threatened to curtail the good vibes.
It appears that the Ravens may have caught a break.
Zay Flowers, who collided with safety Jaylinn Hawkins during a seven-on-seven session on Saturday, stayed on the ground for a while and then limped off to the side, where he was met by members of the Ravens’ athletic training staff. He ultimately limped back inside the team facility with about an hour left in practice.
Ravens head coach Jesse Minter labeled Flowers as “day-to-day” with a quad contusion, which qualifies as the best-case scenario for the Ravens.
“Thankfully, I think he’ll be OK in the long-term,” Minter said.
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Flowers, a two-time Pro Bowl selection, signed a four-year, $140 contract extension earlier this week, making him the fourth-highest-paid wideout in the NFL. With a wide receiver corps that features Flowers, Rashod Bateman and a host of young and unproven pass catchers, the Ravens can ill afford to lose their top receiver.
There was a gasp amongst the 2,000 fans in attendance Saturday when Flowers went down. Several players, including Hawkins, quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry, checked in on Flowers, who was being put through different tests by the Ravens head athletic trainer Adrian Dixon. Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta also walked over to check on Flowers.
Flowers got to his feet and walked back to the training room with Dixon by his side.
“You certainly don’t like to see that, don’t want to see that,” Minter said. “You kind of hope for the best. That’s the reality of it. There’s stuff that happens sometimes with contact and non-contact with guys bumping into each other. We try to avoid that as much as we can, especially when we’re not in pads ”
The Ravens have their preseason opener on Aug. 15 against the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium. Flowers isn’t expected to play much, if at all, in the preseason.
Minter acknowledged that Flowers’ absence would give some of the team’s young receivers more opportunities to make plays and line up in different spots.
“That’s what camp is about — preparing yourself for a game where you may be missing a guy or whatever,” Minter said. “It’s a great opportunity for other guys to step into those roles, have different guys to run some of the routes that Zay is great at. But, I don’t expect him (to be) out for too long.”
‘If I’m trash, I’m trash’: On Minter’s honesty
Veteran cornerback Marlon Humphrey built a close relationship with former Ravens coach John Harbaugh during the nine years they were together. Humphrey admitted that he was taken by surprise when he learned about Harbaugh’s firing in January.
It, however, hasn’t taken him long to gain an appreciation for Minter and the new coaching staff. Minter was a Ravens defensive assistant from 2017 to 2020, but Humphrey acknowledged that he was curious how Minter would present himself in the head-coaching role.
“I’ve been very impressed and surprised at how he’s kind of progressed throughout the years,” Humphrey said. “I think when you come from, obviously, Harbaugh, a very alpha-type, leader-type guy, I was interested to see how much different team meetings would be. It’s been really good how Jesse has addressed the room and how he’s addressed just small situations.”
Humphrey, who is working to bounce back from one of his worst NFL seasons, approached Minter during Saturday’s practice with a request. He wants Minter to provide daily updates to him on what he’s doing well and poorly. Minter obliged.
“I mean, he’ll be honest,” Humphrey said. “That’s the thing: he’s very honest. He has told me I’m trash, and I appreciate that. If I’m trash, I’m trash. I just appreciate honesty. You can tell when a coach is being honest.”
Tomlin breaks the news
First-year Ravens running back coach Eddie Faulkner found out back in February that he had gotten a job on Minter’s Ravens’ staff in an unusual manner: Mike Tomlin told him.
Faulkner, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ running backs coach for the previous seven seasons, had a phone interview with Minter for the opening. After the interview, Minter called Tomlin, Faulkner’s former boss in Pittsburgh, to talk more about Faulkner. Tomlin has been a mentor for Minter since the two first met when Tomlin was a defensive backs coach at the University of Cincinnati.
Minter told Tomlin that his plan was to hire Faulkner. That prompted Tomlin to make a call to Faulkner and congratulate him.
“I’m like, ‘I hadn’t even heard that yet,’” said Faulkner. “That part of it was fun, and then very quickly after that, Jesse reached out and told me. I was super excited, and my family is excited to be here.”
Asked if it was weird to be coaching in Baltimore after the rivalry the Ravens and Steelers had, Faulkner said, “It didn’t take me long to adjust. I like the purple. Part of the reason I’m here is because I know what the roster looks like, and I know what that room is like.”
More camp notes
• Rookie third-round wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane added to his growing training camp highlight reel. He made a superb touchdown catch on a deep ball with cornerback Nate Wiggins draped all over him in coverage during one-on-one sessions. Later during full-team work, Lane made a one-handed catch on a back-shoulder throw with Keyon Martin on him. He later had a drop while working against safety Malaki Starks. Still, the Lane hype train isn’t slowing down.
• The defensive standout in the pass catcher-versus-defensive back one-on-ones was third-year cornerback T.J. Tampa, who forced two incompletions. On one of them, Tampa stepped in front of a Devontez Walker out route and nearly picked it off. Tampa, the former fourth-round pick, entered training camp as the No. 4 cornerback, but he’s pushing for a significant role.
• The offense had three pre-snap penalties during one stretch, with tackle Kendall Lamm, tight end Matt Hibner and center Jovaughn Gwyn all flagged. That prompted offensive coordinator Declan Doyle to huddle up his group for a few reminders.
• Thin at inside linebacker, the Ravens officially signed free agent Jamon Johnson, a Maryland native who played two games (starting one) with the Green Bay Packers last year. Johnson went to high school at Baltimore power Saint Frances, which is less than five miles from the Ravens’ M&T Bank Stadium. To make room for Johnson on the roster, the Ravens waived undrafted rookie defensive back Matthew McDoom.
• The Ravens had six total players not practicing Saturday: wide receiver Dayton Wade; inside linebackers Teddye Buchanan (physically unable to perform list, knee) and Carl Jones Jr.; and defensive linemen Calais Campbell, Aeneas Peebles and Travis Jones (PUP list, pectoral).
• The Ravens started practice outside, but were forced to finish it in their indoor facility when a major thunder storm rolled through.