The question marks surrounding the Ravens? offense extend much deeper than who will be the starting quarterback this season, as the team must find answers to a receiving corps that was riddled with problems last year.
The Ravens ranked last out of 32 teams in yards per catch (9.7), 28th in touchdown receptions (13) and last in receptions of at least 20 yards (23).
The Ravens will take their first step to rectifying their receiving struggles during a voluntary, three-day mini camp that began on Tuesday at the team?s Owings Mills complex. It gives receivers the opportunity to learn the schemes of first-year offensive coordinator Cam Cameron.
“With some new faces, we?re trying to click as an offense,” Ravens receiver Derrick Mason said. “All in all, I think each and every time we step out there, we?ve got to get better, and I think that?s what we?ve been able to do from when we first started.”
Mason was the lone bright spot in an otherwise dreadful group of receivers, as he set team-record with 103 catches and led the team with 1,087 yards. Still, the team was not able to capitalize on those receptions, as he averaged just 3.1 yards after the catch.
The rest of the Ravens? receivers regressed last season. Mark Clayton, who battled foot and ankle injuries, finished with 48 receptions after coming up with 67 in 2006. Demetrius Williams caught 20 passes in last year compared with 22 in 2006, with his average yards per catch dropping from 18 to 14.5.
Clayton said Cameron could make a big difference in turning the receiving corps around in this fall.
“He?s a very smart teacher,” Clayton said. “He brings a lot to the table.”
One element first-year coach John Harbaugh and Cameron hope to add to their receivers is size ? a major reason why the team drafted 6-foot-3 Justin Harper of Virginia Tech in the seventh round and 6-foot-1 Marcus Smith from New Mexico in the fourth. The duo should complement Mason (5-foot-10), Williams (6-foot-2) and Clayton (5-foot-10).
“Yeah, we?ve got bigger receivers out there,” Harbaugh said. “But Mason and Clayton are doing a nice job. They?re playing big. It?s good to see the big bodies out there.”
