Ravens set to begin first mandatory minicamps
Now that the mayhem of the 2008 NFL Draft is behind us and all the "experts" have given grades to each team's draft class, actual football is finally here.
So far, the Baltimore Ravens have had two optional OTA's (Organized Team Activities), but this weekend's mandatory minicamps will mark the first time that new head coach John Harbaugh will monitor all Ravens players, from All-pro linebacker Ray Lewis to 1st round pick Joe Flacco.
The three minicamps, which will be held Friday, May 9 to Sunday, May 11, will have a number of key storylines - most notably the start of Flacco's pro career.
The Delaware product and Baltimore's "quarterback of the future" will have all eyes and cameras on him when he takes his first reps in the Purple and Black. Many outside the Ravens organization have questioned Baltimore's move to trade up and take Flacco with the No. 18 pick overall because of his small-school pedigree and lack of big game experience, but Flacco is determined to prove his worth on the playing field.
Standing right next to the Ravens' top pick will be fellow QB's Kyle Boller and Troy Smith, who each hope to take control of the starting job themselves. There seem to be a lot of similarities between Boller and Flacco; both were highly-touted college quarterbacks with rocket arms that the Ravens traded up to grab in the 1st Round.
Ravens fans hope that the comparisons between the two will stop there, as Boller has not panned out as hoped so far. Smith, a former Heisman Trophy winner at Ohio State, got some starting experience under his belt last year, and has impressed coaches with the improvements he has made, but is still largely untested. Harbaugh has called the starting quarterback position up for grabs, and the first-year coach will have ample opportunity to evaluate the QB's over the next few months.
How Harbaugh handles this team during the first mandatory practices of his head coaching career will be another issue to keep an eye on. This is a squad with a huge veteran presence, and it will be interesting to see how strict and demanding Harbaugh is this weekend, and what kind of "statement" he feels he needs to make early on.
Here is the schedule* for this weekend's minicamps:
FRIDAY, MAY 9
Practice 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Practice 6:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, MAY 10
Practice 10:20 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Practice 3:15 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, MAY 11
Practice 10:20 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
* Practices are not open to the public
RELATED LINKS
Finding A Spot To Stand [BaltimoreRavens.com]
Ravens Mini-camp Interview Quotes [BaltimoreRavens.com]
Small town, big-time arm [The Baltimore Sun]
If QBs falter, who'll get blame? [The Baltimore Sun]
Boller 'happy' for Flacco, but will still fight for job [The Baltimore Sun]
Leave a comment