6 Players Who Stood Out In Minicamp, Flacco Staying Busy

Dec 22, 2013; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) is introduced prior to the game against the New England Patriots at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Welcome to lunchtime links, where we round up the latest Ravens news from around the web for your convenience.  We are just starting the worst part of the offseason, a virtual dead zone of activity that occurs while the players enjoy some time off. It’s a good time of year to be a baseball or soccer fan.

One player who isn’t planning on taking too much time off is Joe Flacco.  Clifton Brown at CSN Baltimore spoke with Flacco, who revealed that he will be keeping his arm and his mind warm the next four weeks by doing some throwing and studying the playbook.  Flacco also hopes to work out with some players who live locally, including Torrey Smith.  Nice to see him stepping up and setting a good example for other players.

Speaking of Flacco, we reported yesterday that he really seems to be gaining comfort and confidence in the new offensive system.  Today we have more rave reviews coming in from John Eisenberg, who feels that Flacco’s command of the offensive is “evident.”

BaltimoreRavens.com brings us 6 players who stood out in minicamp.  We had a lot of mostly positive news coming out of camp, which bodes well for future activities.  It’s encouraging to see guys like Wagner and Steve Smith step up and fill what were major holes coming into the season.

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Russell Street Report takes a look at some tape on Aaron Ross to determine if he still has what it takes to contribute on defense.  Ross was burned a few times last season before going down with injury.  Health is something that has plagued him throughout his career and that won’t improve as he ages.  But as a role player with limited snaps, he could still be valuable to a team that desperately needs depth on the back end.

Aaron Wilson at the Baltimore Sun discusses the fast growth we have seen out of rookie defensive lineman Brent Urban so far this offseason.  The fourth rounder wasn’t expected back from surgery until training camp.  Not only did he beat that timeline, but he was showing well in mandatory camp and taking plenty of snaps. Urban projects as a future starter and could really help the pass rush this season with his raw speed and quickness.

We shed some light on Daryl Smith’s career best season yesterday, and Jamison Hensley at ESPN elaborates on how Smith quietly filled the void left by Ray Lewis.  The two are certainly polar opposites when it comes to leadership style, and having Steve Smith on board to fill the vocal role this season should help as well.

Who do you think stood out in mandatory minicamp?  Do you think Flacco will take over as the face of the team?