The Baltimore Ravens don’t hold anything back on the football field, and during practice, that’s the case as well.
Late in the week on Friday, safety Earl Thomas got into it with Chuck Clark during a fight and as a result, he was sent home from the team’s practice. This was according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
#Ravens star safety Earl Thomas was sent home from the facility Friday following a fight with teammate Chuck Clark, per sources. A situation to monitor.
According to Ian Rapoport, the Ravens could be weighing their options with Thomas, but it would cost them a decent chunk of change to move on at this point in time, even if they have the depth on the roster to do so.
As the #Ravens weigh what to do next with star safety Earl Thomas, with all options on the table the next few days after his practice scuffle, consider: If released, Thomas will have earned $22M for one year of service on a very front loaded contract.
Thomas put up 49 tackles, 2 interceptions and 2 sacks with the Ravens last year in a deep backfield and defense, but its clear this kind of conduct will not endear him to his team or teammates if it continues. Thomas plays with an edge, but taking it this far with his teammates is not a great idea, even though it happened during practice.
What the Ravens will decide do now with this situation is anyone’s guess.
Mark Schlereth Says Ravens Have AFC’s Best Defense
Are they the best group in the NFL, though? That might be the case according to Fox Sports analyst Mark Schlereth. As Schlereth said in a recent video, he is picking the Ravens as the best defensive group in the conference thanks to what they can do in terms of personnel.
The best defense in each conference according to @markschlereth ⬇️
– AFC: @Ravens
– NFC: @49ers
Agree?
“There’s a bunch of ’em, but I’m going to go with the Ravens because they match their defensive personnel with what they do so well on the offensive side.”
The Ravens defense also quietly plays a huge role in the team’s success even though the offense generates more headlines. It was the team’s defense which helped play a huge role in both of the Super Bowl titles the franchise has claimed, so it wouldn’t be a shock to see the squad getting back to their elite ways.
Ravens 2019 Defensive Statistics
Baltimore’s defense was a top group in the league this past season. They were rated the No. 3 defense in terms of total yards allowed (300.6), the No. 6 defense in terms of passing yards per-game (207.2), and the 5th ranked rush defense in the league with 93.4 yards per-game.
A key point? Baltimore also piled up 37 sacks on the season, with Matt Judon accounting for 9.5 in 2019. Obviously, the defense is solid as a whole and has plenty to like moving forward not just up front but on the back end. This offseason, the Ravens added names like Calais Campbell, Derek Wolfe, Patrick Queen, Malik Harrison and Geno Stone to the group which should only figure to help depth for the season.
Those additions might only keep the Ravens near the top of the league when all is said and done, but it will be interesting to see what happens the next time Thomas steps on the field and what the team manages to do in the meantime with the safety.
READ NEXT: Ravens Defense Picked as NFL’s Best
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Ravens Safety Sent Home From Practice After Fight