Lamar Jackson didn’t ease into training camp. He sprinted into it.
The Ravens quarterback took the field Wednesday for Baltimore’s first full training camp practice under new head coach Jesse Minter, and by most accounts, he looked like a player with something to prove. Jackson completed 12 of 16 passes in an unofficial count during the session, according to The Baltimore Banner, working through Day 1 of new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle’s system in front of an estimated 2,000 fans at the Under Armour Performance Center in Owings Mills.
The moment that got people talking came on a busted screen. Jackson looked to throw short to his left, but with edge rushers Trey Hendrickson and Mike Green closing in, he improvised instead — a leaping 360-degree spin move that let him land already sprinting down the right sideline, per a team practice report from the Ravens’ official site. Green ran him down before he broke free completely, but the play left an impression on the back end of the defense.
Safety Kyle Hamilton put it plainly afterward. The Ravens shared his comment on X:
Kyle Hamilton on X: “I feel like he might’ve gotten faster.” —
🎱 pic.twitter.com/pmZfM0eoxX
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) July 29, 2026
A New Offense, and a Ninth Season With Something to Prove
This camp carries different stakes than Jackson’s previous eight in Baltimore. Minter takes over after John Harbaugh’s departure, and Doyle — the NFL’s youngest current playcaller — is installing a new system built around Jackson’s timing and command rather than scripted quarterback runs, according to ESPN’s Ravens training camp preview. The Ravens are coming off a season that ended without a playoff berth, and the pressure is on the new staff to get this roster to a Super Bowl the franchise hasn’t reached in 14 years.
Jackson isn’t walking into an unfamiliar cast at his skill positions. Zay Flowers returns as his top target after back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons, and Mark Andrews and Rashod Bateman round out an established group Jackson has already built chemistry with, per Yahoo Sports’ camp preview of the Ravens’ quarterback room. What’s new is the scheme around them, and Wednesday was the first real test of how quickly that timing can come together.
It wasn’t just the quarterback making an early statement. Rookie running back Adam Randall put together a physical first outing, running through linebacker Jay Higgins IV on one interior carry before breaking a big gain to the outside on another, the Ravens’ practice report noted. Rookie edge rusher Mike Green also flashed range beyond the pass rush, showing coverage instincts on top of the pressure he generated on Jackson’s scramble drill.
Center Job Still Open, Fullback Dealing With Minor Issue
Not every storyline out of Day 1 was about explosive plays. The Ravens still don’t have a clear answer at center after losing Tyler Linderbaum in free agency. Ethan Pocic, who signed a one-year deal worth up to $4.5 million on July 17 after tearing his Achilles in December, is competing for the job against fellow free-agent addition Danny Pinter and Jovaughn Gwyn, according to The Baltimore Banner. Minter acknowledged Baltimore doesn’t currently have an “established player” at the position, a rare admission for a roster otherwise light on open competitions.
On the injury front, fullback Patrick Ricard is managing a minor soft-tissue issue, per the Ravens’ own practice report, while backup center Corey Bullock remains sidelined recovering from offseason surgery. Neither is described as a long-term concern at this stage, and no corresponding IR or roster move has been announced.
| Player | Position | Camp Note |
|---|---|---|
| Lamar Jackson | QB | 12-of-16 (unofficial), spin-move scramble, praised by Hamilton |
| Adam Randall | RB (Rookie) | Physical interior run, breakaway outside carry |
| Mike Green | EDGE (Rookie) | Pressured Jackson on scramble, flashed coverage skills |
| Ethan Pocic | C | Signed July 17, competing for starting job post-Achilles recovery |
Why It Matters
One practice in shorts and helmets doesn’t decide a season. Doyle’s Day 1 script, by The Baltimore Banner’s account, wasn’t built to reinvent Baltimore’s offense overnight — it was built to see how fast Jackson could adjust to a different rhythm. Early returns suggest he’s picking it up quickly, and a defense that finished 24th in the league last season got an early look at what it’ll be facing if that stays true through Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts.
Camp runs through Aug. 17, with joint practices against the Minnesota Vikings and Washington Commanders still to come. Wednesday was one padless practice. What the Ravens do with the next several weeks — sorting out center, integrating Doyle’s system, keeping their starting quarterback healthy — will matter a lot more than a highlight-reel spin move in late July.
