The Baltimore Ravenshave spent much of training camp adjusting to new voices, some in the huddle and many on the sideline. With that have come new expectations, but what else would you expect with a new coaching staff?
While the changes have touched every area of the roster, the Ravens spent two days testing themselvesagainst one of the NFL's most aggressive defenses. Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores threw pressure packages, disguises, and coverages at Baltimore's offense that few teams can replicate.
Wide receiver Rashod Bateman believes one difference stands above the rest. It's year six for the former first-round selection, one representing the potential for a bounce-back. Duringa post-practice conversation with the Baltimore
media, he shared a trait this Ravens team has that was foreign to other iterations of the team he has been part of.
"I would just say [we're] a very detail-oriented team. From head coach [Jesse Minter] to [offensive coordinator Declan Doyle] to [wide] receivers coach [Keary Colbert], everybody really harps on the details and the small things, and that's just not what we were in our past. I think, right now, we're just learning how to play fast, smart football. [We're] trusting the training, trusting the call [and] trusting our teammates. So, I think that's the difference right now, honestly. [We're] just building that team chemistry for sure."
Bateman's comments offered a revealing glimpse into why optimism has grown around Baltimore's offense. The Ravens aren't simply installing new schemes or learning new terminology. According to one of their veteran receivers, they're embracing a different level of detail, communication, and accountability.
If those habits carry into the regular season, the changes Bateman described may prove to be more than just a training camp storyline. They could become one of the foundations of the offense Baltimore is trying to build.
Rashod Bateman is a fan of the offense's new approach
Training camp is often filled with buzzwords. Every team talks about accountability, discipline, and execution every summer. Bateman's comments stood out because he directly contrasted the current approach with what he experienced previously.
He wasn't criticizing former coaches. He wasn't assigning blame for previous shortcomings. Instead, he described what has been different during his daily experience under the new staff. He was asked about a Marlon Humphrey comment, in which his teammate said in another discussion that the discourse between receivers and their coaches sounded different from what he had heard in previous years.
"Honestly, I don't know what Marlon [Humphrey] is hearing. Generally, I'd have to go ask him about that, but I would probably just say he's hearing a different variety of information from coaches that he hasn't received yet. I think our coaches, like I said, are very communicative with us. [They're] very talkative [and] very informative. That's what we love, and that's what we never had here. So, I definitely see where he's coming from with that, and I think that'll carry into games."
All of this helps explain why so many Ravens players have spoken positively about Minter, Doyle, and the rest of the coaching staffthroughout camp. Players repeatedly reference communication, teaching, and attention to detail when describing the new environment.
Whether that translates into regular-season success remains to be seen. Training camp praise doesn't win games in September. Still, Bateman's comments offered a revealing glimpse into why optimism has grown around Baltimore's offense.
The Ravens aren't simply installing new schemes or learning new terminology. According to one of their veteran receivers, they're embracing a different level of detail, communication, and accountability. If those habits carry into the regular season, the changes Bateman described may prove to be more than just a training camp storyline.
Bateman's comments weren't really about playbooks or formations, nor were they attacks at anyone he's worked with previously. They were about standards. Six years into his NFL career, he believes Baltimore is paying closer attention to the small details than ever before. The Ravens now have an entire season to find out whether those small details produce bigger results.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Rashod Bateman points to one change transforming the Ravens' offense
