Ravens Practice In Front Of Real Warriors

The Baltimore Ravens held their second full team practice of Training Camp today and invited the Wounded Warriors from Walter Reed Medical Center to watch. Head coach John Harbaugh wore a t-shirt with the slogan, "Approach this day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind," and acknowledged the true heroes before the start of his post-practice press conference.

After practice ended, the players signed autographs with the kids in attendance as well as the Wounded Warriors and their families. All-Pro linebacker Ray Lewis was one of the favorites and took this photo with one of the guests who asked him to hold his prosthetic lower leg, to which Lewis exclaimed, "First time I ever took a picture with a leg."

(More on yesterday's Ravens practice after the 'Jump')

There was a lot of action in group drills as well as the 11-on-11 drills. Reserve QB Tyrod Taylor threw a sweet 20-yard TD pass to rookie WR Tommy Streeter, who out-leaped CB Chykie Brown to make the grab. WR Tandon Doss got behind CB Jimmy Smith for a long Flacco completion before Ed Reed could get over and provide deep help.

Joe Flacco hit TE Ed Dickson deep over the middle behind a trailing Paul Kruger. Even undrafted free agent rookie QB John Brantley (Florida) got into the act with a pass to TE Dennis Pitta across the middle with Kruger once again trailing. Ray Lewis blitzed Flacco and probably would have had a sack or at least a solid hit on the QB, but Joe coolly hit Anquan Boldin between CB Cory Graham and Ed Reed.

In the 11-on-11 drills, Flacco calmly moved the team down-field with his arm, completing consecutive passes to Pitta, Boldin, Ray Rice, and Boldin again. With the absence of offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie and now Michael Oher playing left tackle, the right tackle on this drive was undrafted rookie Jack Cornell (Illinois).

Another Flacco-led series culminated in a long pass to Dickson who beat ILB Dannell Ellerbe for the score. When the 2nd team offense went up against the 2nd team defense, it was good to see LB Sergio Kindle in the backfield on virtually every play.

Back-to-back long passes from Tyrod Taylor went to, in order, LaQuan Williams over Chykie Brown and then Tandon Doss over rookie CB Asa Jackson, both with recently signed Cord Howard (who?) at right tackle.

Second year CB Jimmy Smith pulled up short on a pass play and sat on the ground but it appeared to only be a lower leg cramp as Smith went to the sidelines under his own power, drawing a sigh of relief from those in attendance.

The beginning of the field goal kicking competition heated up, with veteran Billy Cundiff and rookie Justin Tucker (Texas) both connecting on kicks from 20, 36, 41 and 48 yards. Tucker got an additional chance at a 57-yarder, nailing a crude yet effective line drill that just cleared the upright.

More to follow, as Saturday afternoon's practice will be the first with the team in full pads and allowed to hit each other under game-type speed.