5 Takeaways From Day 1 of 2026 Ravens Training Camp

Day one of the Baltimore Ravens 2026 training camp is in the books.

Head coach Jesse Minter’s first full day concluded in less than an hour and 30 minutes – a sharp departure over former head coach John Harbaugh’s long practices. The emphasis on efficiency, effectiveness and player health was on full display. Practice was quick and detailed. There weren’t any long, drawn-out practice periods of over 10 minutes.

Fans entered “The Castle” by buses from Owings Mills’ Metro Centre and some parked at the facility itself. They received trading cards and team rosters that doubled as fans. Activities for the fans included a fan zone, where they could play Mario Kart, throw a football through tires or kick it through the uprights, food trucks and other events.

With all things considered, here are five takeaways from Baltimore’s first day of camp.

Declan Doyle’s Offense Looks Quick

New Ravens offensive coordinator Declan Doyle made his presence felt throughout the first day of camp. The 30-year-old’s high-energy display was emphasized by his eagerness to follow the offense and constantly correct mistakes. Additionally, Doyle would go on to demonstrate how to sell a play action or where players needed to align themselves within the confines of his offense.

Doyle’s offense featured a multitude of 12 personnel formations and a mix of creative motions. Wide receiver Zay Flowers rushed the ball on a reverse, Baltimore ran a screen to the running back and a tunnel screen to receivers and found ways to accentuate their offensive stars. The offense seemed to move quicker to the ball in years past – trading time of possession for game flow.

Nnamdi Madubuike’s Presence Was Missed

Having defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike back following a season-ending neck injury last season is huge for the Ravens. 2025 was set to be another strong season for Madubuike, following a 6.5-sack performance in 2024. He already had two sacks in two games in 2025, but missed the remainder of the year with an injury that was thought to be career-threatening.

He had surgery on his neck and continued to rehab during the offseason. Madubuike posted workout videos, but the team didn’t give updates. Then, he was cleared for play on Wednesday morning and removed from the physically unable to perform list. According to ESPN’s Mina Kimes, Baltimore’s four-man rush was ranked 28th in pressure rate, 29th in sack rate and 30th in pass rush win rate in 2025.

He trotted on the field to cheers with the understanding from fans that he was dearly missed.

Lamar Jackson’s Bounce Back Will Be Televised

The Ravens needed quarterback Lamar Jackson to be healthy last year. He missed four games and still put together a season where he tossed the ball 8.4 yards per attempt and had a league-high 13.3 yards per completion. Jackson’s passer rating was the fourth-highest of his career and yet – it wasn’t good enough to get the Ravens over the hump.

Jackson’s has a rebuilt offensive line with right guard John Simpson returning to the Ravens in free agency and Ethan Pocic signing earlier in July, along with the addition of left guard Olaivavega Ioane. Baltimore additionally drafted two receivers in the fourth round (Ja’Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt), along with tight ends Matthew Hibner and Josh Cuevas in the fourth and fifth rounds respectively. Baltimore added running back Adam Randall in the fifth round.

Jackson has a new coordinator in the aforementioned Doyle. Everything on the surface looks like a net positive for the 29-year-old quarterback with the eyes and bated breath of fans waiting eagerly to view the outcome of his 2026 season.

Mark Andrews’ Drops In Practice Are Overblown

Ravens tight end Mark Andrews has had some tough drops and fumbles over the years, namely in 2024. He had a fumble earlier in the game and a dropped two-point conversion in a 2024 NFL Divisional Round playoff matchup against the Buffalo Bills that would’ve tied the game. Baltimore went on to lose the game 27-25.

Andrews dropped two passes at Wednesday’s camp practice to the dismay of fans in the stands. The moans and the groans make sense because of the previous shortcomings and frustrations of a potential reoccurrence. There’s one thing that matters in football and it’s what one does in between the white lines. Practice matters, but it isn’t the be-all and end-all.

No Pads Means Inaccurate Reflection Of Play

Most people that are around the game of football understand that the game is played with helmets and pads and not in a t-shirt and shorts. That’s especially true for offensive and defensive linemen, who cannot rough each other up in the trenches without pads.

Holding calls were aplenty because of the amount of jerseys that were being tugged on while run and pass blocking defensive linemen. Offensive linemen were hard pressed in squaring up with their defenders and driving through their chest without shoulder pads.

The front seven, box safeties, tight ends and running backs need the pads to either deliver or protect themselves from blows. What is football if not played with helmets and pads? It’s glorified flag football or two-hand touch. The real battle begins when the pads are on and players can emulate the hitting that they would in an actual game. Until then, it’s an exercise in executing operational football without any variables.

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