It remains to be seen how much will change for the Ravens’ defense this season after the departure of Mike Macdonald and the promotion of Zach Orr to defensive coordinator. Kyle Van Noy doesn’t expect it to be too different, but seeing what Orr brings to the role is part of why he returned to Baltimore.
For Van Noy, the biggest difference from his first season with the team isn’t on the field.
Everyone knows his name now, from his teammates to the club’s behind-the-scenes staff. Continuity has been hard to find for the veteran outside linebacker who’s played for four teams in the past four seasons. The 33-year-old kept an open mind when he hit free agency, but returning to Baltimore meant he wouldn’t have to start over again.
Van Noy is back with the Ravens for his 11th season for myriad reasons. He’s eager to see what an Orr-led defense will look like. And, equipped with a full offseason with the team, he wants to prove he has more to give.
“I want to continue to show myself and show people that I can still play at a high level,” said Van Noy, who skipped voluntary organized team activities but returned for mandatory minicamp this week. “I feel like I’ve been underappreciated in my career. I don’t think I’ve lost a step in my eyes.”
Van Noy signed with Baltimore in the week leading up to its Week 4 matchup with the Cleveland Browns last season. That meant he had to quickly grasp the defense and get to know who he’d be playing beside. He won’t have to deal with that challenge this year.
“The bullets aren’t flying yet,” Van Noy said. “Things are a little bit more calm, you can build relationships. You’re not popping in Week 3, action’s going on, ‘Hey, what’s your name?’ type of deal.”
Despite those challenges, he thrived and finished with a career-high nine sacks. It was one of the first times in his career, Van Noy said Thursday, in which he felt truly comfortable in the role that was asked of him. He bounced around from playing on and off the ball throughout his previous stops, which prevented him from settling in at either spot.
Van Noy echoed fellow players’ sentiments throughout minicamp that aggressiveness could be a staple of an Orr-led unit. The coordinator sent unique blitz packages at the offense throughout the week, in part to give them various looks but to also get his defenders ready for what Orr might expect.
With Jadeveon Clowney now in Carolina, the veteran Van Noy would be a key cog in Orr’s potentially hyper-aggressive system. For someone who values continuity and has struggled to find it, Van Noy knows what he can do when able to be comfortable.
“I feel great, excited to be here, pumped to be a Raven and pumped to be going into year 11,” Van Noy said. “It’s nice to say I beat [recently retired Los Angeles Rams superstar defensive tackle] Aaron Donald in one thing.”
Highlights and notes
• Cornerback Marlon Humphrey missed team practice Wednesday and Thursday with an undisclosed injury. The three-time Pro Bowl selection worked with a trainer Wednesday, then was present but kept off the field Thursday. Coach John Harbaugh called it “nagging things” and said the cornerback should be ready for training camp. Humphrey missed the first four games of last season after having foot surgery and was sidelined later in the season with a calf injury.
• Offensive lineman Patrick Mekari, defensive lineman Michael Pierce and wide receiver Nelson Agholor were absent Thursday. Mekari and Pierce left the field midway through Wednesday’s practice.
• Wide receiver Rashod Bateman was heavily involved Thursday after quiet Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons. Quarterback Lamar Jackson looked for him often during the 11-on-11 period, including a toe-tapping grab about 20 yards down the left sideline. He then found Bateman again for a touchdown when the offense worked in the red zone. The first two days of minicamp dampened the fourth-year receiver’s mood — he was visibly displeased with his usage throughout the week — but Thursday might send Bateman off into the summer on a high note.
• Tight ends Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar have been some of Jackson’s favorite targets throughout the week. On Thursday, undrafted second-year receiver Sean Ryan and fourth-round rookie Devontez Walker joined that group with a handful of impressive catches. Ryan leapt over Marcus Williams in the back corner of the end zone for a touchdown snag toward the end of practice, and Walker hauled in a score on a deep ball earlier in the day.
• The Ravens’ defense shined in the red zone, albeit without helmets and most players not going at full speed. Middle linebacker Roquan Smith picked off Jackson in the end zone, cornerback Arthur Maulet jumped a pass from backu Josh Johnson but dropped a would-be interception and defensive tackle Justin Madubuike batted down a ball over the middle when he dropped into coverage.
• The full team concluded Thursday with a ball security drill, in which everyone from Jackson to Smith and left tackle Ronnie Stanley took turns carrying the ball through defenders attempting to punch it loose. Baltimore lost two fumbles in last year’s AFC championship game defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs, a loss several players said stuck in their heads over the spring.
