Complete Baltimore Ravens Training Camp Preview

Baltimore Ravens training camp 2015 is now here. 

Over the next month, the Ravens will go throw a grueling stretch of practices, film sessions and other various football-related work as they look to lay the foundation for what they hope to be a special 2015 NFL season.

After going 10-6 and making it to the divisional round of the playoffs last year, Baltimore returns much of the same roster in hopes it can advance further in the playoffs this season. 

Over the next few slides, we'll preview each unit of the 2015 Ravens and what to expect from the team in camp and into the regular season. We'll also take a look at players dealing with injuries affecting their availability for camp, as well as players signed and lost this offseason. 

Here is your primer for Ravens training camp 2015.  

Injury Roundup

David Richard/Associated Press

With camp here, one key Raven not expected to be on the field is tight end Dennis Pitta. 

The veteran pass-catcher may be forced to retire this year because of chronic hip issues that have plagued him in each of the past two seasons. 

Pitta has played in a combined seven games over the past two years while suffering two major hip injuries. One came in the beginning of training camp in 2014, which was a tear of the hip labrum.

That led to Pitta returning late in the regular season to play in just four games. His second hip injury came in Week 3 of last year against the Cleveland Browns. It was a hip dislocation that knocked him out for the remainder of the season. 

As Pitta continues to rehab from his latest hip injury, Baltimore has placed him on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list as camp opens. He may open the year on the PUP list, which will force him to miss at least the first six games of the 2015 regular season.

It would be a significant loss for Baltimore if it doesn't have Pitta to start the year. Second-round draft pick Maxx Williams is waiting in the wings to take over the starting role. Is the rookie capable of taking on a full-time starting role in his first NFL season? 

Having Pitta to aid in his development would be very beneficial, and it would help Williams ease himself into the NFL rather than be thrown straight into the fire. 

Even if Williams beats out Pitta for the starting job, having those two playing together could help form one of the better tight end duos in the NFL. The sooner Pitta is back on the field, the better.

One other key player set to open the year on the PUP list is safety Terrence Brooks. He was a third-round pick in last year's NFL draft who had some high expectations as a rookie.

Unfortunately, Brooks suffered torn knee ligaments during last season that will cause him to open the 2015 season on the PUP list. That's a major injury to recover from, so don't expect Brooks to contribute much—if at all—in 2015.

Offensive Preview

Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

Free-Agent Additions

• QB Matt Schaub
• QB Bryn Renner
• WR Aldrick Robinson

Draft Picks

• WR Breshad Perriman
• TE Maxx Williams
• RB Javorius Allen, Round 4
• TE Nick Boyle, Round 5
• OL Robert Myers, Round 5
• WR Darren Waller, Round 6

Departures

• OL Gino Gradkowski: Traded to Denver Broncos
• RB Bernard Pierce: Waived
• QB Tyrod Taylor: Signed with Buffalo Bills
• WR Torrey Smith: Signed with San Francisco 49ers
• TE Owen Daniels: Signed with Denver Broncos
• WR Jacoby Jones: Cut

The Ravens will return much of the same offensive staff from last year with the exception of a few key losses. Starting tight end Owen Daniels left to sign with the Broncos after catching 48 passes for 527 yards and four scores last year.

With him gone and Dennis Pitta uncertain for this year, Baltimore traded up in this year's NFL draft to select Minnesota tight end Maxx Williams. Regarded by many as this year's top tight end prospect, Williams had 36 catches for 569 yards and eight touchdowns his final year in college.

He'll now be expected to take on the starting tight end spot. He should be able to put up close to the same numbers Daniels put up in his one year in Baltimore. 

There's a similar situation at wide receiver after Torrey Smith left to sign with the 49ers this offseason. That led to Baltimore drafting UCF's Breshad Perriman in the first round of this year's draft. 

A deep-threat specialist who should stretch the field for the Ravens, Perriman caught 50 balls for 1,044 yards (20.9 YPC) and nine scores in his final year of college. 

Perriman should be able to take on a starting role at some point in his rookie year, but he won't be forced to if he's not ready. The Ravens thankfully have some quality receivers on the roster, including Steve Smith Sr.

Now 36 years of age, Smith Sr. showed he can still get it done last year when he caught 79 passes for 1,065 yards and six scores. He'll remain a starter this year, but the Ravens need to bring along their other receivers to eventually replace him.

One such receiver could be Kamar Aiken. Last year, Aiken caught 24 passes for 267 yards and scored three touchdowns over the team's final five games as he became a bigger focal point in the offense.

A former undrafted free agent out of UCF, Aiken has only those 24 catches under his belt in his entire NFL career. He was a revelation for Baltimore last year after failed stints with the Bills and Patriots in his first three years in the NFL. 

Aiken has just 19 NFL games on his resume, so there's reason to expect him to keep developing and becoming a more important part of the offense through training camp and into the regular season.

Also competing for playing time at wide receiver will be Marlon Brown and Michael Campanaro. Those two combined for 31 catches for 357 yards and one score last year in limited playing time. 

As for Baltimore's rushing offense, it's now one of the team's biggest strengths after Justin Forsett was re-signed to a three-year deal this offseason. In 2014, Forsett earned the starting running back spot and finished the year with 1,266 yards and eight touchdowns.

While Forsett should keep his starting spot, there are some talented backs behind him. The best of them may be rookie Javorius "Buck" Allen, the team's fourth-round pick in this year's draft.

A versatile dual-threat back at USC, Allen rushed for 1,489 yards and 11 scores his final college season while catching 41 passes for 458 yards and one score.

Another back who will fight for playing time in 2015 is Lorenzo Taliaferro. As a rookie in 2014, Taliaferro rushed for 292 yards and four scores on 68 carries.

He also caught eight passes for 114 yards, showing he too can be a versatile back. Those two will battle it out for carries behind Forsett, and we'll probably see a steady diet of all three this year. 

And last but certainly not least, Joe Flacco will once again be the Ravens' starting quarterback. Now in his eighth NFL season, Flacco has started every game with Baltimore since it drafted him in the first round in 2008.  

Over that time, Flacco has led the Ravens to six postseason trips, 10 playoff wins and a Super bowl title in 2012. That's a big reason why many expect Baltimore to make it to the playoffs this year and contend for a championship.

It's simply what the Ravens do with Flacco at QB. There's no reason to think that will change in 2015. 

As for who's running the offense, Marc Trestman is the new offensive coordinator after Gary Kubiak left to become head coach of the Broncos this offseason. 

Trestman comes to Baltimore after a two-year stint as head coach of the Chicago Bears, and many regard him as one of the top offensive minds in football.

With all of the weapons he has at his disposal, there's little reason to doubt the Ravens once again having an efficient offense that can help this team contend for a Super Bowl. 

Defensive Preview

Don Wright/Associated Press

Free-Agent Additions

• S Kendrick Lewis 
• CB Kyle Arrington 
• CB Cassius Vaughn

Draft Picks

• DT Carl Davis, Round 3
• DE Za'Darius Smith, Round 4
• CB Tray Walker, Round 4

Departures

• S Darian Stewart: Signed with Denver Broncos
• DT Haloti Ngata: Traded to Detroit Lions
• OLB Pernell McPhee: Signed with Chicago Bears
• NT Terrence Cody: Cut

The Ravens defense was once again one of the team's strengths in 2014, and that should hold true in 2015. 

Since John Harbaugh's first year as head coach of the Ravens in 2008, Baltimore has never ranked outside the NFL's top 12 in scoring defense, according to Pro Football Reference.

Adding to that, the Ravens defense has ranked outside the top 12 in total yards allowed just twice since 1999. Needless to say, strong defensive play has been an annual occurrence in Baltimore, and there's little reason to think 2015 will be any different. 

That doesn't mean this unit is without weaknesses, however. The biggest uncertainty for the defense is once again its pass defense.

A big reason this unit struggled mightily in 2014 was because of an onslaught of injuries to key players. How those guys return from their injuries this year will play a major role in how effective this unit is.

It began with Lardarius Webb dealing with a back injury that popped up in training camp. That caused him to miss the first two games and play in just three snaps in Week 3, according to Pro Football Focus.

Even when he returned, it was clear the former Pro Bowl corner was not as good as he once was, as evidenced by his minus-4.7 PFF grade. That ranked him 78th out of 108 eligible corners last year, and it shows how much of a liability Webb was in 2014. 

Still, with no depth at corner, Webb was forced into a starting role by Week 4 along with Jimmy Smith, who was playing at a very high level through the first seven games. 

Smith had a nice 6.6 PFF grade before suffering a season-ending foot injury in Week 8 against the Cincinnati Bengals. This came after Asa Jackson suffered a sprained toe in Week 5 that knocked him out for seven games.

Jackson would return to play in Weeks 14 and 15 before suffering a season-ending injury to his posterior cruciate ligament, according to the Baltimore Sun. 

That left Baltimore with its top three corners being injured for much of the 2014 season, which in turn led to the defense struggling mightily at times. The Ravens would finish the year ranked 23rd in pass defense. 

So long as Webb, Smith and Jackson can return to full health this year, those will be three of the Ravens' top corners in 2015 and should help that unit bounce back in a big way.

At safety, there won't be as big of a concern with Will Hill back in the fold. After joining the Ravens last year, Hill eventually earned a starting safety spot and played well in it.

He became one of Baltimore's best defensive backs and is now poised for a big year in 2015. Hill may very well end up being the Ravens' best defensive back this year. 

As for the other safety spot, Kendrick Lewis is the early favorite to win it after the Ravens signed him in free agency this offseason. Lewis was a solid starter with the Houston Texans last year.

Lewis will battle Matt Elam for that other starting spot. Elam is a former first-round pick who has yet to find his niche in the NFL but has had a strong offseason. 

As a whole, Baltimore's pass defense has a lot of uncertainty heading into 2015, but having those key guys back and healthy should lead to a nice bounce back in 2015.

That and having a stout front seven will be what makes the Ravens defense elite in 2015. It starts at outside linebacker, where there isn't a batter pass-rushing tandem in the NFL than that of Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil.

Dumervil was one of the game's best pass-rushers last year after racking up a franchise-record 17 sacks. Suggs wasn't far behind with his 12 sacks, and those two will again be among the best pass-rushing duos in 2015. 

In the middle, inside linebackers C.J. Mosley and Daryl Smith will anchor what should once again be among the NFL's best run defenses in 2015.

Mosley was Baltimore's first-round pick in the 2014 NFL draft before going on to lead the team in tackles (133) to go with eight pass deflections and three sacks.

The veteran Smith chipped in 128 tackles and nine pass deflections. Those two form one of the best—if not the best—ILB combos in the NFL. 

On the defensive line, Baltimore will be missing All-Pro lineman Haloti Ngata this year after trading him to the Detroit Lions in March. Even without him, the line is in good hands, and it starts in the middle with Brandon Williams. 

He became one of the game's best nose tackles in 2015 after recording a 15.6 PFF grade, the 10th best of any interior defensive lineman. Williams will be in just his third NFL season this year, so we could see him be even better than his 2014 form. 

The other two spots will likely be handled by veteran Chris Canty and second-year man Timmy Jernigan. Canty has been the starting defensive end for the past two years, and he'll likely retain that role in 2015.

Jernigan is more of a playmaker who can get penetration into the backfield from all three defensive line spots. Those three will form a solid defensive line.

With so many starters back in the fold, that won't leave much playing time open for the incoming rookies. However, third-round defensive tackle Carl Davis and fourth-round linebacker Za'Darius Smith are two names who could earn significant snaps in 2015. 

In all, there's little reason to doubt Baltimore will have a top-10 defense this year that ultimately carries it into the playoffs. 

Special Teams Preview

Don Wright/Associated Press

Before John Harbaugh became head coach of the Ravens in 2008, he was a special teams coordinator with the Philadelphia Eagles.

As you can imagine, Harbaugh has ensured that all-important third phase of the game is something the Ravens excel in year in and year out. That's been the case for most of his tenure in Baltimore, and 2015 should be no different. 

As a unit, Baltimore's special teams received a 38.2 overall grade from PFF in 2014, the fifth-highest mark of any NFL team. 

It all starts with the kicker, and Baltimore may have the NFL's best in Justin Tucker. Last year, Tucker became the second-fastest kicker in NFL history to score 400 points, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.

That season saw Tucker make 29 of 34 attempts, including four of seven from 50-plus yards. He's made 14 of 20 kicks from 50-plus yards in his career, which is an outstanding mark for any kicker, especially one who plays in a cold-weather city such as Baltimore that becomes even harder to kick in during the winter. 

So long as Tucker is here, the Ravens can feel as secure at kicker as any NFL team. 

As for punter, Sam Koch is no slouch either. Last year, Koch averaged a career-high 47.4 yards per punt to go with a career-high 43.3 net yards per punt. It was good enough to help Koch land a five-year, $16.2 million extension this offseason, according to Wilson.

The one big question on special teams will be at punt and kickoff returner. Jacoby Jones has assumed those duties over the past three years, but the team cut him this offseason.

There's now a lot of uncertainty as to who takes over those roles. One possible option is undrafted free agent DeAndre Carter, who was one of the biggest performers during the Ravens' OTAs. 

As a senior at Sacramento State this past season, Carter was a first-team FCS All-American while leading the nation with 99 receptions for 1,321 yards and 17 touchdowns.

After going undrafted, Baltimore was quick to sign him as an undrafted free agent, perhaps to be its new return man. Carter averaged 12.5 yards per punt return in his college career while returning one for a score last year. He also averaged 23.7 yards per kickoff return.

That helped Carter get enough reps in OTAs to impress and put himself in a good position to make the final roster. 

"DeAndre's done a good job," Harbaugh said regarding rookie minicamp, according to Wilson. "He's done a really nice job as a receiver, and he's looked good as a punt returner. He's had some experience with that in college, so that's a plus."

Another potential option at returner is veteran cornerback Lardarius Webb. He's returned 37 kickoffs and 53 punts in his NFL career but only has two attempts since 2012. 

Webb has been used more as a full-time corner, but his role could expand back to returner duties by necessity in 2015. 

In the end, the Ravens' special teams should be among the NFL's best once again this season.