Today, the Baltimore Ravens hosted the third and final day of mandatory Minicamp. Minicamp is one of the first mandatory practices for NFL teams heading into the next season, and it is also a time for newcomers along with team veterans to make their presence felt on the football field. This year’s minicamp was also filled with storylines, as Baltimore very busy both on the practice field and in the front offices. Here are three storylines from minicamp, that we are keeping a close eye on moving forward.
Jeremy Maclin Developing Chemistry with the Team
The Ravens were in need of another wide receiver going into minicamp and were able to find a great player in Jeremy Maclin to fill that need. Maclin’s first practices have been during minicamp, and he is already starting to show chemistry with the team. Maclin made some new friends during his visit to Baltimore when he spent the day in the facility and watched the NBA Finals at safety Tony Jefferson’s house. He is easily fitting in well with most of the players so far. More importantly, however, Maclin seems to be developing chemistry with quarterback Joe Flacco well. Maclin has already started to turn some heads at practice, making some nice plays with the help of Flacco. For Maclin to be successful during his time in Baltimore, he will need to work well with Flacco, and the rest of the team, and it seems that he is already on his way to doing that.
Terell Suggs Feels Great
For a long time Raven, 15 years long to be exact, Terrell Suggs is heading into the twilight of his career. He may only have a few seasons left, if that, and he is trying to hold on as long as he can to his precious time left in the NFL. Suggs, however, doesn’t seem to be slowing down just yet. The 34-year-old pass rusher said in a media press conference today that he felt great, and he looked great too. Suggs is participating in the Ravens’ offseason conditioning program, making sure he is able to be ready for September. Suggs had torn his Achilles twice, most recently in 2015, leading to speculation that he will be forced to leave football sooner rather than later. Suggs will pack up when the time comes, but right now he’s sticking around to terrorize more quarterbacks.
Maurice Canady Impresses
When cornerback Tavon Young tore his ACL, the Ravens needed someone to step up into his role. Maurice Canady quickly made his case for that position. Canady has performed strongly throughout both OTAs and Minicamp and earned the praise from some of the coaches. Canady was selected by Baltimore in the sixth round of the NFL Draft last year but amounted to little over the course of the season. However, Canady wants to chance that starting now. With the opportunity now presented to him, Canady has a chance to hit it big in the with the Ravens secondary. Only time will tell if his performance in these practices will amount to anything substantial, as an NFL game is very different from an NFL practice.
