Getty Recently signed Ravens WR Demarcus Robinson before a preseason game on August 14, 2022.
Demarcus Robinson‘s stay on the open market after being released didn’t last long. Less than a week after being released by the Las Vegas Raiders during their initial round of cuts, the Baltimore Ravens agreed to a contract in principle and officially signed the veteran wide receiver to a contract on August 23, 2022.
Even though he’s been in Baltimore and a part of the team for less than a week, the early reviews from his new coaches have been overwhelmingly positive.
“I’m excited that he’s here, looking forward to collaborating with him and [have been] very impressed with him thus far,” offensive coordinator Greg Roman said in a press conference on August 24, 2022.
The team is likes the schematic flexibility that the seven-year vet brings to a young position group that lost its most productive player from the 2021 season when Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown was traded.
“I think he can play anywhere on the field, inside and out,” Roman said. “He’s done that in the past, we’re very familiar with him as far as competing against him. I think he’s got a really good body of work, a track record. Really, there’s no limitation of what he can do.”
Robinson has been a solid role player throughout his career with 145 catches for 1,679 yards and 14 touchdowns over the last five seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs. While he has never topped 500 receiving yards or 50 catches in a single season, he has had some of his best performances against the Ravens.
He caught 5-of-7 targets for 42 receiving yards in a 27-24 Chiefs win over the Ravens in 2018, caught 3-of-4 for 43 yards and a touchdown in a 33-28 win the following year, and hauled 3-of-4 for 46 yards and a touchdown on Marlon Humphrey in a 35-36 loss last season.
The newest Raven….DeMarcus Robinson 😅
Demarcus Robinson holy cow. Wow!
Even though he is not the flashy notable addition at the position that countless fans and media pundits linked them to and clamored for them to sign, Robinson is one that they are familiar with and know the impact he can have in a game from his time with the Chiefs from 2016-2021.
“We’ve played against him all of these years,” head coach John Harbaugh said in a press conference on August 23, 2022. “He’s a big, strong receiver. Very strong hands, catch radius. You didn’t see it when you guys went in, but he caught a really nice seam route off an RPO, and just went up and got it. [He’s] learning the offense. He couldn’t be in there too much today, because he’s learning the plays still, but he’ll pick them up quick.”
Robinson is expected to play in the team’s preseason finale against the Washington Commanders on August 27, 2022. Roman suggested that Lamar Jackson’s newest weapon could see more than just a series or two so no one should be surprised if he sees extensive action or even plays an entire half.
“Since the moment we met him out in Arizona he has been on it in terms of being a professional,” Roman said. “I think you’re going to see that a little bit quicker than you might anticipate normally.
Chuck Clark Isn’t Going to ‘Giving Away’ Starting Spot
The veteran strong safety and leader of the Ravens’ secondary addressed the media on August 24, 2022, for the first time since his post-game press conference following the 2021 regular-season finale.
Between that time, the team signed former New Orleans Saints free safety Marcus Williams in free agency and had a generational talent at his spot fall into their lap in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft with rookie Kyle Hamilton and he reportedly requested a trade.
“I was definitely surprised. I didn’t know it was going to happen,” Clark said. “But, right now we’re just going with it.”
He confirmed the reports that he requested to be traded in his press conference and after it wasn’t obliged, Clark said his mindset quickly pivoted to doing everything he could to keep his starting job.
“Me personally, I just felt the situation that I was in, how things were going, of course, yeah I did ask, ‘Can I get out of here?'” Clark said. “And so, I felt like that didn’t happen and I wasn’t just going to give away my spot. If I’m not going to be a starter, it’s going to have to be taken from me.”
The Ravens hired a new defensive coordinator since last season ended, hiring Mike Macdonald to replace Don ‘Wink’ Martindale. Even though the play caller has changed, so far Clark’s role had “not really” changed “as of now”.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen moving forward, but I think that what you all have seen so far is how everyone has been in place,” Clark said to reporters in attendance for practice.
Clark wore the green dot on defense under Martindale which means he was responsible for relaying the play calls to the rest of starting unit. As of right now, he is slated to do so under Macdonald who came up the coaching ranks with the Ravens under his predecessor and likes to use his versatile defensive backs in a myriad of ways as well.
He said there was “definitely a time” when he honestly “didn’t know what was going to happen” but was preparing himself for any and every eventuality whether that meant he stayed or got shipped out of town.
“At one point I did feel that way, but now that I’m out here with my team, man, I’m just like … I’m here, I’m locked in,” Clark said. “They’re going to get what I got for right now. So, whatever comes in the future, that’s what’s going to come.”
Malik Harrison Wants to be Impactful on Defense & Special Teams
Given the Ravens’ incredible depth at safety, one of their tightest position battles heading into the 2022 regular season is at inside linebacker where they will likely carry no more than four. There’s a real possibility they might even be tempted to only keep three since Hamilton, Clark, and Tony Jefferson can come down in the box and play linebacker in sub-packages.
Veteran Josh Bynes and former first-round pick Patrick Queen were viewed as the only two locks to make the final 53-man roster at the start of training camp. However, after a pair of impressive performances in the first two weeks of the preseason on both defense and special teams, third-year pro Malik Harrison might have very well already secured a roster spot with one exhibition game left to play.
After starting the first five games of the season, Harrison was mostly relegated to special teams down the stretch once he recovered from a gunshot wound suffered during the bye week. He saw the field for just one defensive snap from Week 12 to 18 and thinks the reps he has gotten in both phases of the game during the preseason have been “really valuable”.
“Last year in the last little stretch of the games, I really wasn’t out there, just on special teams,” Harrison said. “So, just getting back to that feel. Playing special teams and defense feels good.”
He admitted that having his playing time on defense reduced so significantly was “tough” but that it didn’t affect his approach to either defense or special teams.
“I would just sit back and just learn, and just do what I do on special teams,” Harrison said.
In Week 1 of the preseason against the Tennessee Titans, he forced a fumble in the first quarter and recorded a pair of solo tackles. The following week against the Arizona Cardinals, he had an even better outing with four total tackles including one for a loss, half a sack, and a pair of huge hits at the goal line.
Malik Harrison brings the 🔨
“I never shied away,” Harrison said about making big hits and contact. “I remember in high school, [my] coach and I had a little toss. I was quarterback, and I was like, ‘Coach, let me just quick toss and let me be a lead blocker.’ And he was like, ‘Let’s see.’ So, I did it, and I was like a legit lead blocker, like a fullback just hitting people.”
The 2020 third-round pick believes that the biggest strides that he has made is getting more comfortable playing multiple positions and being a fixture on special teams.
“Last year, I had a lot of tackles, but this year I’m trying to get more tackles on special teams, and still do the same thing on defense and do better,” Harrison said.
He stated his goal for the season is to help the team get better in whatever way he can. As far as personal goals, he wants to get back to playing his game.
“Just go out there and play football like how I did when I was younger – not thinking too much, and just going ahead and playing,” Harrison said.