Breshad Perriman attempted to placate his critics and doubters last week when he claimed to have the biggest opportunity in his career, and that he was ready to seize it. While pleased at his remarks, many including myself remained skeptical that Perriman would be any better than he was in 2016. However, according to many of the coaches and players, Perriman is having the best OTA performance out of everyone participating. Perriman is “catching everything thrown his way.” according to Ravens tight end Dennis Pitta. While taking questions at a press conference after practice, Perriman made two noticeable claims. First, he said that his chemistry with quarterback Joe Flacco is the highest it has ever been. This allows the 32-year-old quarterback and Perriman to be on the same page during passing plays with ease. Second, Perriman acknowledged his progression from just a single route receiver to running a full route tree with relative ease. Perriman’s role last season was basically to run deep and see if Flacco threw him the ball. If Perriman can expand upon his role with the Ravens passing attack, he can become more impactful, and hopefully become the player the Ravens had hoped he would after drafting him in the first round in 2015. 

While all of this news should be taken with glee by Ravens fans, it is important to err on the side of caution. Perriman has largely been a disappointment so far for Baltimore. While a great OTA performance is fantastic, it is not as competitive as later practices and games will be. Perriman needs to prove himself on the football field come September. He is on the correct path to do so, however, it is impossible to know how he will play based solely on an OTA performance. Hopefully, Perriman will carry over his progression to training camp, and the season, where it really counts. 

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