3 Questions after Day 13 of Ravens training camp: Is this a legitimate defense?

The Baltimore Ravens returned to The Castle on Wednesday afternoon to put on a few more hours of practice on Day 13 of training camp as they ramp up their conditioning ahead of the first pre-season game of the summer, scheduled for Saturday when the Flock will host the Philadelphia Eagles.

If we are to believe all--or any, for that matter--reports coming out of Owings Mills late Wednesday, then one and only one thing is clear: the defense brought some heavy physicality to the table and straight dominated and won the day, steadily beating the offense through all drills and reps.

It's widely known that training camp is meant to get some reps in, get in shape, drill offensive and defensive schemes in the players' brains, and get natural with whatever the coaches want to deploy through the upcoming regular season. No heavy contact and hits from the defense, no full-speed and sudden actions from the offense, on and on.

Well, fellow inside linebackers Patrick Queen and Roquan Smith had some completely different ideas for Wednesday's practice and they brought some muscle to the table by ditching the coaches' guidelines. And those watching live on location surely enjoyed the performance.

Here are the most interesting questions worth asking after Day 13 of the Baltimore Ravens training camp, with just one practice left on the training schedule before the boys face Philly on Saturday for both teams' pre-season opener.

1. The offense is healthy and loaded but... are the Ravens running out of options in defense?

Just before the Flock hit the fields at the Under Armour Performance Center on Wednesday, the Ravens took WR1 Rashod Bateman off the PUP list and activated him for the first time through training camp.

With Bateman actively training (albeit on a limited basis judging by reports published yesterday from The Castle), the Ravens' list of absentees is growing on the defensive side of things while shrinking for the offensive unit.

Peep Kyle Barber's report for Baltimore Beatdown.

Both Ronnie Stanley and Morgan Moses were, in fact, on a day off as was later confirmed by the Ravens organization. Other than those two, only RB J.K. Dobbins (hold-in) and G Andrew Vorhees are currently out of training camp for the offense.

The defense's health bill, though, looks beyond bad. There are three cornerbacks, two safeties, and a couple of linebackers absent from practices these days with the first game of the pre-season scheduled for Saturday. The regular season kicks off in less than a month. Just saying.

The Ravens are at least exploring the pass-rushing market and hosting players to fill those holes (Jadeveon Clowney has been offered a contract, Kyle Van Noy visited Baltimore a few days ago) but we haven't heard anything about the prospective addition of more players to a slim secondary.

Baltimore scouts better starting working before it's too late.