Sammy Watkins Back at Voluntary Practice for Ravens, Skirmish Erupts
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Sammy Watkins was among 70 players that participated in the Ravens' voluntary workouts on June 2.
Watkins, who missed last week's sessions, looked smooth with his route running but had a couple of dropped passes.
"I've played in numerous offenses, but this one is very complex. There is a lot of motion, a lot of moving around," Watkins said. "Honestly, I'm learning from the young guys right now. They're putting me in certain spots and I'm learning certain routes from them."
In addition to Watkins, offensive lineman Kevin Zeitler and tight end Mark Andrews were back on the field after missing last week's practices.
Wide receiver Rashod Bateman, a first-round pick in this year's draft, was also back after being held out of practice last week as a precaution against an injury. Bateman did not appear hampered and caught a deft pass in the end zone from Lamar Jackson.
Several players were held out because of knee injuries, most notably Ronnie Stanley and Nick Boyle.
The other notable absences were defensive ends Calais Campbell and Derek Wolfe, nose tackle Brandon Williams, cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Marlon Humphrey, and safety DeShon Elliott.
First Skirmish
Ravens offensive lineman Patrick Mekari got into a scuffle with defensive tackle Justin Madubuike midway through the practice. Mekari appeared to have pushed Madubuike, who responded by ripping off the guard's helmet.
The skirmish was broken up quickly and there were no other incidents. Ravens coach John Harbaugh later brought Mekari and Madubuike together, but both players still appeared to be upset by the altercation.
Passing Progress
Jackson, Trace McSorley and Tyler Huntley were mostly solid with their passes. Jackson was particulate sharp, showing solid touch and accuracy.
Deon Cain, James Proche, Devin Duvernay and Jaylon Moore flashed in team drills with several key receptions.
However, tight end Eli Wolf had at least three drops and Miles Boykin also mishandled a pass near the sideline.
Defense Shines
The Ravens young group of defenders were aggressive and often found their way into the backfield.
Jackson was intercepted in the end zone by Jordan Richards during a red-zone drill. Linebacker Patrick Queen was aggressive in the middle of the field.
Rare Miss
Justin Tucker slipped and missed a 51-yard field goal attempt near the end of practice. Tucker converted a 57-yard kick on the next play, despite slipping again.
