Ravens coach John Harbaugh is calling his team?s final offseason practice session “Camp Flacco.”
The Ravens? rookie camp, which runs today through Wednesday, was originally scheduled for last month but was rescheduled so quarterback Joe Flacco, the team?s first-round draft pick, could attend. Under an NFL-NCAA agreement, a rookie can only attend one offseason mini camp while his school is in session.
Flacco tried to remain sharp during his time away by throwing to his father and brother at the family?s New Jersey home. But the former University of Delaware star acknowledged his family members cannot replace NFL receivers.
“You want to get out there and see that practice speed,” Flacco said. “Obviously, repshelp. With everybody being here, obviously reps in practice are limited for all of us, so it?s tough in that sense. All the reps you can get, you learn something. So if you get those reps, it?s huge for me. Hopefully, when camp comes, I?ll continue to get those reps and continue to grow.”
This week?s rookie camp is for more than just Flacco, as the Ravens? coaching staff has the opportunity to spend more time with their first-year players trying to learn their first NFL offense or defense. It also gives the rookies one final chance to make a good first impression before reporting to training camp on July 21 at McDaniel College.
One rookie who?s made his presence felt is offensive lineman Oniel Cousins. Cousins, a third-round pick from the University of Texas at El Paso, got into his second skirmish with a teammate on Wednesday when he scuffled with linebacker Dan Cody. Cousins? fight with defensive tackle Amon Gordon last month almost ignited a full-team brawl.
“I was just trying to finish a block,” Cousins said. “We?re all out there competing. At the end of the day we?re all one team. What happens on the field stays on the field.”
Ravens linebacker Tavares Gooden, a third-round pick out of the University of Miami, said every practice for him so far has been a learning experience, as he tries to blend in on a star-studded defense led by linebacker Ray Lewis and safety Ed Reed.
“Trying to learn the terminology, that?s the toughest thing,” Gooden said. “The defense is [similar] to what I did in high school. I think I know the defense, but if they give you a different call, whether they want you inside or outside leverage, it?s just a whole different call. I think that?s the biggest thing, trying to learn the terminology.”
Ravens special team coach Jerry Rosburg believes one of the most important adjustments for many rookies is proving they can play special teams ? an ability that could be the deciding factor in a player making the team. Ray Rice, a second-round draft pick, is trying to supplant Yamon Figurs as the team?s kick returner despite never playing special teams during an illustrious career as a running back at Rutgers.
“I think the first thing that has happened is a lot of these guys have come from situations where they were stars on the college team, and they haven?t had to play special teams, perhaps, since they were freshmen,” Rosburg said. “The first thing is that they need to understand is the NFL, and that means everybody needs to be able to contribute to special teams. If you?re going to be a one-trick pony, that better be a really good trick.”
