Ravens prepare for the most anticipated training camp of a decade

Crows are preparing for the most anticipated training camp of a decade

Folks, football is here. Hallelujah!

Ravens veterans are going to the training camp today, but this is not just a training camp.

Jake McDonnell of Ebony Bird has described it as "the most anticipated training camp in ten years".

1) The pivotal season of the John Harbaugh / Joe Flacco era

It's been 10 years since the Ravens hired John Harbaugh, the most successful head coach of the History of the Ravens. Then they turned around and recruited quarterback Joe Flacco in the first round. They have been the undisputed leaders in Baltimore since arriving. Both had immediate success in the playoffs that lasted five years, the pinnacle being the Super Bowl XLVII. The last five years have been more tenuous, with the team only qualifying once for the playoffs.

"After three consecutive seasons of non-playoffs, 2018 sets in as a pivotal year for the Ravens," writes Childs Walker of the Baltimore Sun. Chief executive Ozzie Newsome, the biggest constant in franchise history, is on the way out, coach John Harbaugh and quarterback Joe Flacco could join him, depending on their performance this season. Fans interest has also reached a tenuous point, as evidenced by the thousands of empty home seats in 2017 and the decline of the seasonal permit market

Let's look at the continuation of an era that has started when Harbaugh and Flacco arrived? In 2008? or a drastic turn towards a less certain future?

2) The inevitable controversy of the quarterback (although Flacco is the clear starter), and palpable excitement at watching the ultra-athletic Lamar Jackson.

The Ravens There was no controversy with the quarterback as Flacco played his first game as a rookie in 2008. His Super Bowl MVP performance has consolidated him as a quarterback -back of the franchise, but he would be the first to say that he did not respect standards that he established, in part because of knee and back injuries. The presence of first-round quarterback Lamar Jackson changes the story, and no matter how things go, "we have not seen this interesting quarterback scenario in at least a decade," says Walker . [Buffalo Bills] at M & T Bank Stadium on September 9, there will be a lot of pressure on Flacco, "McDonnell wrote." There will be additional pressure if Jackson has a good performance in the pre-season. Even though coaching staff has repeatedly told the media that Flacco would be the starter this season, that does not mean plans will not change. If Flacco fights week 1, the songs "we want Jackson" will begin. How will Harbaugh react with this gigantic elephant in the room (or in this case, the stadium)? It's a scenario that the staff at Flacco and Harbaugh never had to deal with on this scale.

WNST's Luke Jones: "I'm often asked if Jackson could start beating Flacco again this year, but I only see him a record 4-7 and are out of the playoff race. Assuming that Flacco and the attack did not play well in this scenario, Jackson's game would be a no-brainer. "

Walker:" Jackson will give us a reason to watch Ravens pre-season games. He is the most intriguing offensive prospect that the team has written for a long time, perhaps never. … Harbaugh made it clear that he planned to use Jackson this season, either in special game packages tailored to his skills or in tandem with Flacco. It is conceivable that he manages the work in a transparent way, he will be the projected starter of the team for 2019. It is also possible that he will have enough trouble to become a two or two-year project. three years. "

Yahoo Sports & # 39; Frank Schwab:" The truth is, the Ravens are a boring football team and have been for a few years. Not bad. Just boring. The Ravens attack has become horrible to watch. … what do you do when you are a successful franchise – the Ravens have had only one losing season since 2007 – but do fans still give you something? You will take the most exciting player in the NFL project. Choosing Jackson was not the only change that the Ravens did or considered, but it will be who will set the franchise in the years to come. "

3) A feeling of" winning one for Ozzie "

Newsome, the only general manager the Ravens have ever known, has announced that it will be his last season at the helm. the team after this year, but his new role is still unknown.His successor, Eric DeCosta, said the scouts wanted to send Newsome with a final high draft clbad, and the rest of the organization will probably want the same with a successful season.

Gaining a sense of Ozzie here, which sounds silly, but the Ravens were able to run the last time that they won a Super Bowl, " writes Will Brinson of CBS Sports.

4) A brand new cast of

Newsome has promised a new ballroom and he has delivered with three new veterans (Michael Crabtree, John Brown, Willie Snead IV) and two new mid-round recruits (Jaleel S coot, Jordan Lasley) The Ravens GM also added two tight innings in the first round Hayden Hurst and third round Mark Andrews.

"Ravens fans must be thrilled that the Baltimore front office has brought a whole new set of characters for Flacco to launch [because] a season ago, and its receivers have the lowest positive player rate ranked AND the highest rate of negatively ranked games, "wrote Pro Football Focus's" Cam Mellor. "There's only one way to go for this body of receivers in 2018, and it's over. "

" Even without Jackson under center, the Ravens have enough damage in North AFC, "added Brinson." Crabtree, Snead and Brown could be the best trio of grandparents that Flacco has had in a few years, which says something (wrong about their previous receivers). "

5) Wink Martindale takes the defense, trying to take Ravens' defense wants to redeem the fourth and twelfth crush, which is why the players and the coaches have focused on the end of the off-season. To help erase the bitter taste, the Ravens named Don "Wink" Martindale to lead the group after Dean Pees left. The players talked about how much they appreciate the freedom that Martindale has given them to adjust on the fly, and they hope that will be the difference.