Baltimore Ravens training camp is heating up. We’re closing in on two weeks with the pads on, and along with it, we’re also closing in on the preseason.
Ahead of certain preseason games, teams might choose to hold joint practices with their looming opponents. The Ravens opted to schedule three this year: two with the Minnesota Vikings on August 19 and 20 and one more with the Washington Commanders on August 26. While those can be great opportunities to sharpen their skills against another squad, they also come with a growing risk: fights, fights, and more fights.
Over the last week, there’s been no shortage of scuffles breaking out. The San Francisco 49ers and Tennessee Titans reportedly had eight fights, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Jets had a few altercations of their own. The Ravens have to avoid that.
Baltimore Ravens can’t afford to fall into joint practice scuffle trend
Clearly, joint practices can do more harm than good. Preparing yourself for your opponent is one thing, but the potential for brawls breaking out can be way worse. They can bring out fines, team suspensions, and worst of all, the possibility of injuries.
And all those scuffles are going to do is heighten the emotions. The results of preseason games really don’t matter, so adding physicality and intensity to a pointless game is just that. Pointless.
Baltimore has had a couple of joint practice fights over the past two years, too. One actually came last year against the Indianapolis Colts when then-rookie cornerback Keyon Martin got into a shoving match with running back Tyler Goodson. The worst of it, though, came when fellow corner Nate Wiggins rocketed in and started throwing punches, causing benches clear and Wiggins to be ejected.
It also doesn’t help that another fight that Baltimore had back in 2023 was with the Commanders, the team they’ll practice against on August 26. Obviously the teams are in two different eras now, but players from those 2023 squads remain. Most notably, Mark Andrews was one of the main culprits of that 2023 altercation, body-slamming former Washington defensive back Danny Johnson.
Hopefully, none of that carries over in Baltimore’s practices with the Vikings and Commanders this time around. As they continue to adjust to the new era led by first-year head coach Jesse Minter, there are more pressing matters to worry about than post-whistle scraps. Players need to keep those unnecessary distractions locked in the back of their minds.
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