Baltimore Ravens: Joe Flacco’s Not Worried about the Offense
Marc Trestman (right) is the fourth offensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens in as many seasons. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
The Baltimore Ravens have finished their first week of organized team activities or OTAs. The week was the first of ten days the NFL allows the team to host before mandatory minicamp.
The biggest question besides avoiding the injury bug is how are Joe Flacco and new offensive coordinator Marc Trestman getting along? The Ravens have undergone changes at the offensive coordinator position four times over the last four seasons, so change is familiar territory for the team.
During a press conference after practice on Thursday, Flacco spoke about the changes in offense.
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"“There’s a lot of similarities, but hey, it’s a new coordinator, a new team. There’s a lot of little verbiage changes and new concepts.”"
Unlike when Gary Kubiak took over as offensive coordinator last season, the playbook is not going to change as much with Trestman. As Flacco alluded to during the press conference, the changes are going to be seen in the language used and how the team is taught the plays.
As voluntary activities, the team cannot require players to attend, but in order to develop the communication with the new coordinator, the Baltimore quarterback could not afford to miss. Not every player is going to attend, so the majority of what Flacco should focus on is the communication with Trestman. When he is completely comfortable with him, the offense can move forward as if no change was ever made.
From the attitude seen from the University of Delaware quarterback and veteran receiver Steve Smith Sr., I do not doubt the transition is going well even though OTAs have just started. It’s not new territory for the Ravens, so once the new language is understood, the offense can begin to work off the success from last season.
It’s not new territory for the Ravens, so once the new language is understood, the offense can begin to work off the success from last season.
As OTAs progress, a few other things are worthy to keep an eye on. A couple key players are recovering from injuries suffered last season.
Safety Terrence Brooks was reported to be on the field during Thursday’s practice. If he recovers ahead of schedule, the Ravens’ secondary will only become better. The third-round pick is an important part, so his recovery is an important piece to keep an eye on as the offseason progresses.
Cornerback Jimmy Smith’s health is another aspect to watch. The defense will not be the same if he cannot play any part of the season, so it’s important he approaches OTAs and the rest of the offseason carefully so he heals quickly.
The Ravens have taken precautions to solidify the secondary that suffered so much with the injuries, so only better things will come if Brooks and Smith can begin the season healthy.
Safety Matt Elam struggled last season after high expectations were placed on him. He needs to work on many aspects of his game, but during OTAs, he cannot work on improving his tackling.
At this point in the offseason, he needs to work on communication and his ability to read coverage and know where to set himself up on plays. He has a lot of work to do and has a lot of competition to deal with too. The Ravens continue OTAs next week June 2-4.
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