The Baltimore Ravensleft their preseason opener with plenty to feel good about. Saturday's 24-7 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles offered encouraging signs for a team navigating its first season under head coach Jesse Minter. Baltimore played a clean game. They showcased several young contributors and gave their new coaching staff a successful first outing together.
By Monday, however, the focus had already shifted toward the next challenge. The Ravens returned to the practice field two days after the win. They will hold a closed walkthrough Tuesday before traveling to Eagan, Minnesota. They're doing so to hang out for joint practices against the Vikings.
The football benefits are obvious. Still, when Minter spoke with the media, he said he views
the trip as more than a preseason checkpoint.
"It is a great opportunity for our team just to kind of be together, be away, spend time together in football and out of football... It is something we are excited about."
This is more than another Ravens preseason week.
Joint practices have become one of the NFL's most valuable evaluation tools, particularly for teams that limit starter participation during preseason games. Minter acknowledged the football advantages of spending two days working against one of the league's most respected coaching staffs.
"It is great work. We try to get a lot of really good good-on-good work, but it is that time [of training camp] where you get a chance to kind of line up and play against somebody else... "[Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores] does as well a job as anybody on defense, and [head coach] Kevin O'Connell does as well a job as anybody on offense."
The Ravens will see a variety of looks from a Minnesota team looking to establish some traction of their own. Their QB1, Kyler Murray, is a new face around their building.
"[You get a] chance to see some different looks, see some different players. They have a lot of great players on both sides of the ball... [I'm] really just looking for us to continue to build. These guys get an opportunity to show where we're at, play against somebody else, get a lot of reps for our 'quote-unquote first team' and see where we're at after a couple [of] days."
The practices will also provide valuable reps for starters and key contributors who either played limited snaps or did not play at all against the Philadelphia Eagles. Minter said the goal is to create a highly competitive environment while continuing to build toward the regular season opener.
The Vikings and Ravens are scheduled to practice together Wednesday and Thursday before meeting in Saturday's preseason game. What stood out most from Minter's comments was how often he returned to the idea of togetherness.
Building chemistry while building a football team
Rather than discussing the trip solely through the lens of roster evaluation, Coach Minter repeatedly emphasized the opportunity for players and coaches to spend time together away from their normal routines. That philosophy is one they mention often. It also extends to how the Ravens intend to approach the practices themselves.
"[Kevin O'Connell]'s been great in that regard. Both sides want to come out of these getting better, and we really want to treat it that way. We know the juices get a little bit more playing against somebody else, which you kind of want to see, but obviously within the framework of really just making each other better."
Minter expects the competitive intensity to rise once the teams line up across from each other, but he stressed the importance of maintaining perspective. For a Ravens team still establishing its identity under a new head coach, the trip to Minnesota represents more than two joint practices and a preseason game. It offers an opportunity to strengthen communication, continue developing on-field chemistry, and spend several days together away from Baltimore.
The football evaluation will matter. If Minter is right, the time spent together may matter just as much. By the time the Ravens leave Minnesota after a second preseason game, Minter hopes they'll return as a better, closer football team.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens aim to build chemistry during joint practices with Vikings
