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The City of Charm is buzzing again because their QB1 is lighting it up in camp. On July 30th, Lamar Jackson ripped off a wild touchdown run and capped it with a clean somersault into the end zone. No one touched him. His burst, vision, and confidence? All in sync. No wonder John Harbaugh said, “It’s on his heart. It’s on his mind. We’ve just got to find a way to finish.” Lamar doesn’t look like he’s easing into the season—he looks ready to take it over.

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Naturally, the very next day, he picked up right where he left off. “He looked really good today after yesterday,” Giana Han reported from the July 31 camp. “He had as many completions in the first hour of today’s practice that he did probably in about two and a half hours yesterday.” And while he was slinging it around, one target kept flashing in purple and black—former Steeler, Anthony Miller. Looks like Jackson may have found Zay Flowers’ stand-in without missing a beat.

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Now, speaking of Flowers, fans in Raven Flock have been waiting for clarity. Jeff Zrebiec from The Athletic gave the latest: “Harbaugh said that Zay Flowers has a camp-type injury and should return in few days.” However, since teams aren’t required to release injury info during this stretch, Harbaugh didn’t share more.

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Thankfully, Jackson didn’t waste time adjusting. During one play at camp, he looked toward Derrick Henry—but then casually flicked a no-look pass sideways to Anthony Miller. “Big gasp from everyone watching just classic Lamar play,” Han noted. She also mentioned a deep ball to Dayton Wade—another name stepping up while “Zae Flowers and Rashad Bateman both weren’t at practice.” Harbaugh, for now, has kept mum on Zay’s timeline.

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But here’s the thing—Miller isn’t just some camp body. The guy’s been around, playing five seasons with four different teams. He’s pulled in 141 receptions for 1,605 yards and 12 touchdowns. So yeah, maybe he is the guy for Harbaugh in this stretch. Then again, the Ravens’ offense has plenty more to figure out.

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Lamar Jackson & Ravens offense has a lot more issues

So far, this wasn’t the third padded practice Baltimore wanted to see. The offense looked more scrambled than synced. Lamar Jackson finished 7-for-19 in full-team drills, with passes sailing under duress and his rhythm clearly off. The absence of Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman? Definitely a factor—but they didn’t explain the busted protections or the flags that kept piling up. Even Jackson’s explosive 75-yard run felt more like a solo rescue act than a real spark. From the sidelines, it didn’t look like the offense was over-matched. It just looked… disconnected.

Meanwhile, the Ravens’ defense? Totally dialed in. Chidobe Awuzie baited Lamar twice and nearly picked one off. Tavius Robinson kept collapsing the edge, swatting passes and owning reps. One-on-ones offered a flicker of life—Tylan Wallace, Dayton Wade, even D-Hop had moments. But when the action went full field, that energy fizzled fast. The final live-tackling period ended with rookie QB Devin Leary torching the blitz for a 45-yard TD to Sam Pitz. A better reflection of defensive cracks than offensive brilliance. And now with Isaiah Likely sidelined 6–8 weeks and Flowers banged up, the cushion for mistakes is shrinking.

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Still, camp questions aren’t just physical. The Ravens have taken major steps to protect Lamar in drills. Some are wondering if they’ve gone too far. “We do protect Lamar. But I wanted them to get a little closer, at least make it legitimate that he thinks you had a chance to get him,” Harbaugh said. Even Odafe Oweh chimed in, “I mean, I’m just saying coach [Harbaugh] is telling us to stay away from him.”

Sure, Jackson’s 4,172 passing yards and 915 rushing yards from last season are elite. But if the offense keeps relying on him to be the whole engine, that dual-threat magic might just backfire. To make matters worse, Likely’s foot fracture puts him out until Week 1. So, let’s wait and see how the Ravens’ offense shapes up for the new season.

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Pritish Ganguly

2,241 Articles

Pritish Ganguly is an NFL writer at EssentiallySports, recognized for his ability to highlight the league’s emerging talent by breaking down rookie performances, draft picks, and key matchups with sharp, insightful analysis. With a Master’s degree in Journalism and Communication, he brings clarity and depth to his coverage, helping fans understand the nuances of today’s NFL and its rising stars. Beyond writing, Pritish is a multifaceted content creator, proficient in sports photography, scriptwriting, and video editing. He uses these skills to produce engaging NFL stories that resonate with a wide audience. His analytical approach and creative storytelling combine to deliver comprehensive coverage of the league’s talent and trends.

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Syed Talib Haider

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