Training Camp Awards, Wide Receiver Race Too Close To Call

Jul 24, 2014; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith (22) catches a ball over hs shoulder during practice at Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Welcome to lunchtime links, where we round up all the latest Ravens news from around the web for your convenient consumption.  Today we discuss the position battle that is too close to call, why Steve Smith thinks that the Ravens will take opposing team’s lunch money this year, and hand out training camp awards.

Wide receiver battle is too close to call

The wide receiver battle has been a great one so far for the Ravens, which is a blessing after they were starved for depth last season.  While we debate who will make the final roster and who won’t, John Harbaugh is saying that this is still a race that is too close to call.

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“Nobody has really separated themselves because nobody has fallen off right now – they’ve all played well,” Harbaugh said.  “The games are going to be a big thing now,” he added. “If practice doesn’t separate guys, then maybe the games will.”

While things can change quickly in the NFL, right now it appears that Kamar Aiken, Michael Campanaro, and Jeremy Butler are the favorites ahead of Delonte Thompson, Jace Davis, LaQuan Williams, and Mike Willie.  Whether they are fighting over one, two, or even three available spots is the big question.

Steve Smith wants your lunch box

In an interview with Brian Mitchell at CSN Baltimore, Steve Smith reveals that the Ravens are taking on a whole new attitude this season.  Smith told Mitchell that the team is going to embrace the “bully way” and take opposing team’s lunch boxes, among other things (juice boxes?).  Smith has embraced this mentality as part of what he considers to be the “Raven way,” and associates it with professional football in general.

This fire is much of the reason why the team wanted to sign Smith, along with his leadership and strong play on the field. When other guys are deflated or tired, he is always fired up.  Whether it be practice, an actual game, or simply an interview, you can feel the energy and determination when he speaks or acts.

Handing out training camp awards

Now that training camp has officially wrapped up, Jamison Hensley at ESPN is handing out awards.  His most impressive players on each side of the ball are Kelechi Osemele and Jimmy Smith, who both looked rather dominant at times in practice.  His rotten tomato awards go to media punching bag Chykie Brown and the king of drops, Delonte Thompson.

We agree with most of Hensley’s observations.  Owen Daniels has been a big disappointment so far, and we have been shocked by Kelechi Osemele’s dominant return from a lost 2013.  He is absolutely spot on with his picks of Kamar Aiken and Tramain Jacobs for biggest sleepers, though we are getting to the point where we can’t really call Aiken a sleeper anymore.