Skip to main content

Ravens Focused on Playoff Run As Training Camp Opens

Baltimore finished 8-9.
  • Author:
  • Updated:
    Original:

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — It was a long offseason for the Ravens after last year's disappointing finish.

The team is fully focused on a playoff run as training camp opens.

The Ravens entered the 2021 season with Super Bowl aspirations but finished 8-9 and ended a streak of three consecutive trips to the playoffs. The Ravens had 25 players on injured reserve.

Baltimore dealt with COVID issues and quarterback Lamar Jackson was limited to 12 games because of an illness and ankle injury.

“If that doesn’t give you a little bit of edge, I don’t know what will," Campbell said. "There’s a bad taste in your mouth the whole offseason. When you’re preparing and training, you kind of have that taste in your mouth the whole time. When you lose in the playoffs, you have a bad taste in your mouth, but you knew like, ‘OK, we were close.’ But, we didn’t even make the playoffs? It’s a little different. 

"It gives you a little bit more of an edge when you’re going through your training camp … Not just training camp, but the preseason workouts, and just trying to get ready for this moment. I think we’re in a good place, though. I think we know what we can be, and that’s what is most important."

The goal this year is to stay healthy.

The team placed six players — left tackle Ronnie Stanley, starting outside linebacker Tyus Bowser, starting cornerback Marcus Peters, the running back tandem of J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards and safety Ar'Darius Washington. — on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, which means it will be days or weeks before they can practice. However, that was expected because each of those players suffered season-ending injuries in 2021.

With the exception of Edwards, all of those players should be ready for the regular-season opener against the Jets. 

"The pieces are there, now it just comes down to our execution, and our development from now until the season starts, and then just go out there and earning our way," Campbel said. "We’re in a position where we know it’s going to be a lot of work; it’s not going to be easy and we’re going to have to roll up our sleeves and get dirty. 

"But, I look into guys’ eyes, and I see a whole lot of guys who are ready and willing. So, I’m excited.”

Tight end Mark Andrews said: "It’s kind of the start of getting down to the real business. We have a lot of goals and aspirations. For us, it’s being the most disciplined team, focusing on the details during this time, and being a hungry team – which we will be.”