The Biggest Overreaction Ravens Fans Should Avoid After Week 2 of Training Camp

Through the first couple of weeks of training camp, there has been no shortage of storylines surrounding the Baltimore Ravens, from the impactful players they've had return from injury to franchise-record extensions being handed out.

On the field, there have been several impressive performers who have been turning heads and getting off to strong starts in an effort to stake early claims to key roles and roster spots.

However, it's still too early to make any definitive declarations about any one player, position group, or camp battle. With that in mind, here are some overreactions Ravens fans should avoid less than a fortnight into training camp.

Ja'Kobi Lane will usurp Rashod Bateman for No. 2 WR spot

The unquestioned brightest standout of Ravens training camp thus far has been the third-round rookie out of USC, who has been making play after play, day after day.

He entered his first camp as one of the prime candidates competing for the No. 3 receiver spot on the depth chart of an offense under Declan Doyle that is slated to incorporate more 11-personnel. But his hype train has built up so much steam and momentum that some are wondering whether he is a legitimate challenger to take the starting spot opposite two-time Pro Bowler Zay Flowers.

As impressive as his performances in practice have been, displaying the same acrobatic playmaking ability, catch radius and strong hands that he did in college, Lane has still yet to even play in his first preseason game or even take part in a joint practice against another team. Meanwhile, Bateman has 64 career games and 47 starts under his belt and has also had a strong start to camp, showing that his connection with quarterback Lamar Jackson is as strong as ever and that he's a playmaker in his own right.

There's no denying that Lane could carve out a nice role for himself in the offense if he keeps up his current torrid pace of stacking strong practices and carries it over when they start playing and competing against opposing teams. However, to say that he's shown enough in just a few padded practices and no game action to overtake someone like Bateman, who is excited about and feels like a great fit for this scheme, is overly optimistic and premature.

Interior defensive line will be at full strength to open regular season

Jul 29, 2021; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens defensive end Calais Campbell (93) practices at the Under Amour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

On paper, the Ravens have the potential to field one of the most talented and deepest defensive trench units in the league. In the offseason, they reunited with six-time Pro Bowl defensive end Calais Campbell, and before they took the field for their first practice, two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike was cleared to resume football activities.

However, even though no one in the unit suffered any new injuries, Madubuike is being eased back into action at an understandably cautious snail-like pace, and 2025 breakout nose tackle Travis Jones has yet to practice as he is still on the Physically Unable to Perform list nearly two weeks into camp.

Those two are central and integral figures to the Ravens' success on defense, both as interior pass rushers and run stuffers in different ways, with Madubuike being more of a penetrator into the backfield while Jones is a space eater who takes and gobbles up double teams. If neither is full-go or fully ramped up by the time the regular-season opener comes around, it means the Ravens will have to rely more heavily on a host of players who they hoped would be playing rotational roles.

Campbell will be 40 by the time they hit the road to take on the Indianapolis Colts; there's 37-year-old nose tackle John Jenkins, Broderick Washington coming off Achilles surgery that caused him to miss the final 14 games last season and a few inexperienced youngsters. The interior defensive line that the Ravens trot out onto the field in Week 1 could look very different and be much more formidable a month or two into the season, hopefully sooner.

Adam Randall will have a significant role on offense

The fifth-round rookie running back was selected by team owner Steve Bisciotti personally, and thus far through camp, it's looking like a smart move. Randall has been showcasing his versatility, especially as a pass catcher out of the backfield, which shouldn't come as a surprise given that he is a converted wide receiver who didn't switch positions until his final year in college at Clemson.

"He has really good versatility. He is good out of the backfield, obviously, with his receiver background," head coach Jesse Minter said Thursday. "He is a big body, so he is learning — continuing to learn — to run behind his pads and use that size to his advantage. But, I am really pleased with how he has done. I think he has a lot of versatility. He has done some nice things on special teams as well. So, [he will] just continue to progress, but [I] like where he is at."

All that being said, even if Randall absolutely balls out in the preseason, he's still likely only battling for the No. 3 spot on the depth chart behind five-time Pro Bowler Derrick Henry and fellow veteran Justice Hill. With Henry as the unquestioned starter, slated to receive the bulk of the carries and snaps at the position given that his role in the passing game could increase, Hill remains one of the best pass-catching and protecting players at the position in the league, making him the favorite to retain his role as the preferred third-down backfield option.

Randall's main competition for what will likely be a limited role on offense with sporadic touches, barring injury or in the event of blowouts, is third-year pro Rasheen Ali.

While the 2024 fifth-rounder hasn't received as much fanfare thus far in camp, according to reports, he's having a strong camp as well, popping several chunk runs since the pads came on. The most likely scenario is that both players make the team and primarily play on special teams, serving on multiple units, including as the primary kick returners.

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