2024 NFL training camp news, buzz, fantasy football updates

Best of the rest:

• Wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase has been at practice but not participating. He wears a baseball cap and doesn't even tie his shoes, so it's clear he's not about to jump into drills. He is active, though, standing near the wide receiver drills, shagging balls and talking technique with his fellow receivers before and after practice. Chase is, from everything I was able to gather, healthy enough to practice. But he wants a new contract, and so far talks with the team about an extension haven't produced one. They continue to talk, but the sense I get is that the Bengals feel comfortable waiting until next year, as the Vikings did with Chase's college teammate Justin Jefferson. The question then is whether and when Chase decides to practice again, and on that front all Taylor will say is that he and Chase have talked about it and "have a plan." If Chase is willing to sit out real games, that could push the Bengals to get something done ahead of their timetable. If not, the extension likely waits until next offseason at the earliest. Chase's fifth-year option season is 2025, and the team would have the franchise tag available in 2026 and 2027 if it came to that.

• Wide receiver Tee Higgins is proof that the Bengals aren't afraid to use the franchise tag, as he's on it right now and was the only one of the nine tagged players in the league this offseason to not get an extension. Higgins is practicing; his best bet to hit it big in the free agent market next offseason is to play and play well, the way former Bengals safety Jessie Bates III did two years ago when he played on the tag and ended up signing a big deal with the Falcons after the season. I asked Taylor why he thinks the Bengals have success getting production out of players who are unhappy with their contract situations. "We obviously try to build close relationships with these players so that, in times like this, you can have a give-and-take, back-and-forth of, 'Hey, vent to me for a second, get it off your chest, here's what we're going to go through, here's how we're going to manage it,'" Taylor said. "It's not always perfect. It's always stressful. It's not unnatural to be stressed or frustrated or anxious. But I think our guys do a good job articulating it to us. ... I've always felt good about the honesty and straightforwardness, and it's worked out for us so far."

• First-round rookie Amarius Mims has a legitimate chance to win the starting right tackle job. Veteran Trent Brown has missed the early part of camp recovering from injury, so Mims has been getting the first-team reps and winning over coaches and teammates. Taylor said he has been impressed by Mims' "hunger for information," and left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. agrees. "I don't know what they're going to do for sure, but Amarius is doing a really good job, man. I think he's going to be a really good pro," Brown told me. "The way I would describe it is, there's guys that are raw, and then there's guys that are just inexperienced. And he's just inexperienced, you know, in my opinion. He went to Georgia, he practiced against great talent, he played in the SEC, played in those big games. I just don't think he played in many of them. But he's good, man, I think he's going to be a good pro."

• Replacing veteran wide receiver Tyler Boyd, who left to sign with the Titans in free agency, is a project for this camp. It sounds like third-round rookie Jermaine Burton has a strong chance to claim that job, but he has to overcome holdovers Andrei Iosivas, Trenton Irwin and Charlie Jones. It could come down to which of those guys looks the best in the slot receiver role this camp. Don't be surprised, though, if tight end Mike Gesicki ends up being the de facto No. 3 receiver. Taylor described Gesicki as a "great receiving mismatch" and a good complement to blocking tight ends Drew Sample and Tanner Hudson.

• Both Taylor and defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo brought up the return of veteran safety Vonn Bell as a key to the defense recovering from the down year it had in 2023. One of the issues, they believe, is that they got a little too young on the back end and that communication suffered as a result. Having Bell -- who played for the Bengals from 2020 through 2022 before spending 2023 in Carolina -- as well as former Ravens safety Geno Stone on the back end should help keep things organized.

• Cincinnati is also expecting a jump from edge rusher Myles Murphy, who was the team's first-round pick in 2023 but didn't play much as a rookie. Murphy looks good early in camp and will continue to get chances to prove himself. Edge rusher Sam Hubbard injured a knee in Sunday evening's practice, and fellow edge rusher Trey Hendrickson has been missing time early in camp due to a chest bruise. The team isn't concerned about either injury being long-term. Hubbard had an MRI right after practice and the results indicated he should be all right after a brief time off and should be fine by the time the regular season starts.

Key fantasy note: The Bengals traded Joe Mixon to Houston, so the running back room looks different. They signed veteran Zack Moss, whose locker is next to that of second-year running back Chase Brown. The team sees them as complementary to each other and expects to use both. Moss is built to run between the tackles, while Brown has what he describes as "home run-hitting speed" and the ability to operate on the outside and in space to make a big play. Orlando Brown likes both backs and thinks the combo will be tough to stop, but he reserved fantasy-related praise for Chase Brown. "If I could play fantasy football, I'd take him as my first running back," he said. "He's going to have a year. I guarantee it. Special talent, special player."

Graziano's notes from Cleveland Browns camp

Location: Greenbrier, West Virginia
Dates visited: July 26-27

Ken Dorsey is here as the offensive coordinator, but head coach Kevin Stefanski is still going to call the offensive plays. So why go out and land Dorsey?

"As an OC, he's always had a top-10 offense," Browns GM Andrew Berry told me. "He really turned Josh Allen's career, and Cam Newton was an MVP under his tutelage. He's a real good quarterback guy, a real good pass-game guy, and then just philosophically, we wanted to be better in the dropback game, the RPO game and really kind of expand our use of motion in our core concepts -- and also increase our tempo. Those are all areas where Ken has excelled everywhere he's been."

So let's start with the quarterback. Deshaun Watson enters his third season with the Browns, who somewhat famously traded the moon to the Texans for him and then signed him to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract. He was suspended for the first 11 games of the 2022 season for personal conduct policy violations stemming from allegations of sexual misconduct. Then he played in only six games last season before a shoulder injury ended his season in Week 10. Add in the fact that he was a healthy scratch for the entire 2021 season after requesting a trade from Houston, and that means he has played 12 games in the past three years.

"He needs reps, needs live action," Dorsey told me.

So during practices, even these early non-padded walk-throughs, the Browns are trying to surround Watson with disturbances. Just people near him or tapping him with pads as he drops back, just to try to simulate game conditions.

"Just stay healthy," Stefanski said. "I'm confident in Deshaun as a winner. That's what he's proven to do his entire career. He even did it for us last season, even though he wasn't 100 percent."

But the Browns also decided this offseason that they hadn't been doing Watson any favors schematically. They felt Dorsey would help them modernize their offensive philosophy at a time when they badly needed to do so. The Browns believed they put Watson in too many tough third-down situations last season and that they could avoid that by working harder on first and second downs.

Example: Berry pointed out to me that the Browns threw the ball on 41% of their first downs in games started by Watson last season, but in games started by Joe Flacco, that number was 60%. (Stefanski downplayed that, pointing out that one of the Watson games was a rainy outing against Cincinnati and another was one in which he left after five throws due to injury.)

"It's really first-down efficiency and staying out of third-down situations," Berry said. "Because the hardest thing for an offense to do -- and specifically for a quarterback to do -- is operate in third-and-medium-to-long when you're in obvious passing situations; you have to just drop back and win. Now, that's why the guys make money, because they have to be able to convert some of those. But even the best offenses, they convert maybe just right around half."

The Browns were 29th in the league last season in third-down conversion rate at just 31.6%. (To Berry's point, the Bills, who had Dorsey as their offensive coordinator for the first 10 games last season, led the league with a third-down conversion rate of 49.8%.) And only three teams -- the Giants, Cardinals and Jets -- faced a longer average of yards to go on third down than Cleveland's 7.5.

Best of the rest:

• Cleveland's top three offensive tackles finished last season on injured reserve, but the Browns expect to have all three of them back in time for this season. Dawand Jones is already practicing, Jedrick Wills Jr. hit the practice field for the first time Saturday, and the team believes Jack Conklin will return to practice sometime in the first or second week of August. The biggest difference on the offensive line could be the departure of offensive line coach Bill Callahan, who left to join his son Brian's staff in Tennessee. The Browns acknowledge that Callahan is a loss, but the silver lining is that they think new offensive line coach Andy Dickerson -- who spent the past three years in Seattle -- brings a philosophy that's in line with the changes they want to make on offense. Between the concepts Dickerson brings from Seattle and the ones assistant offensive line coach Roy Istvan brings from his five years in Philadelphia, the Browns should look different in the run and pass games this season. "Things that aren't broken, you obviously try to keep," Stefanski said. "We're just trying to find all those concepts that fit us the best. Roy, do some of the Philly RPOs make their way in? Andy in Seattle had some really good zone run systems. So just melding them together and then just being smart, not trying to do too much, but making sure you can be really good at a few different things."

• The Browns acquired former first-round pick Jerry Jeudy from the Broncos this offseason to help their wide receiver corps. They saw Jeudy as a talented and still young (25) player available for a reasonable cost (fourth- and sixth-round picks), but they also believe his proficiency at the kinds of choice and option routes in their new offense will help him contribute in a major way. Jeudy is working his way back from injury early in camp, but they anticipate he'll be good for the regular season.

• The defense will look similar to the one that played so well last season under coordinator Jim Schwartz, and Cleveland is excited about the addition of middle linebacker Jordan Hicks. The Browns believe the additions of veteran Quinton Jefferson and second-round rookie Mike Hall Jr. at defensive tackle will help improve their interior pass rush, too.

• Up here in the mountains of West Virginia, the Browns are one of the few teams in the league not practicing in extreme sweltering heat. It was breezy and cool (low 70s) with cloud cover for practice Saturday. Stefanski isn't thrilled with it! "I want it to be hot," he told me. "Our first game is 4:25 vs. Dallas, and our second game is at Jacksonville. That's why we scheduled our two home preseason games at 4:25, so I'm hoping that it's hot and we can acclimate to that."

Key fantasy note: While the Browns practiced Friday, running back Nick Chubb worked off to the side with trainers in a session that lasted much longer than practice. A significant knee injury in Week 2 ended Chubb's 2023 season and required multiple surgeries to repair, and he opened camp on the physically unable to perform list and isn't likely to be ready for the start of the season. But the Browns are encouraged by the way his rehab is going and believe with certainty that he will play at some point this season. He has begun working on change-of-direction stuff in addition to full-speed sprinting, and the team is being very cautious not to pressure him by putting a timetable on his potential return. "I would never bet against 24, ever," Stefanski said.

In the meantime, expect Jerome Ford to be the lead running back with Pierre Strong Jr. backing him up and D'Onta Foreman filling the role that Kareem Hunt used to have in Cleveland as the short-yardage back.

Fowler's notes from Denver Broncos camp

Location: Englewood, Colorado
Date visited: July 27

The NFL's most intriguing quarterback battle was on full display, with Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson trading shots all day. Rarely do teams involve three quarterbacks splitting reps evenly in a true battle, and this one covers three career stages -- first-round rookie (Nix), incumbent looking to shed journeyman status (Stidham) and former early pick looking for a lifeline (Wilson).

People I've talked to with the team aren't shying away from the notion that Denver feels like it has something in Nix. Sometimes with rookies you get lines like, "He's coming along" or "Rookies need time." Not in this case. The line is a variation of "He's impressive." The Broncos have been very happy with his ability to process information, his quick release, his accuracy and the poise you'd expect from a 61-game collegiate starter. That manifested Saturday, when Nix rebounded from his first interception of camp with three touchdown passes, including a nifty wheel route score to running back Javonte Williams.

The Broncos aren't naive that Nix will have his freshman moments in camp when the pads come on. But this is a quarterback crafted in the image of coach Sean Payton, who is betting big on his ability to develop passers. While the battle is decidedly open, Nix is making his case.

"He's done great, very confident, a lot of experience under his belt," said cornerback Pat Surtain II of Nix. "Bright early start to his career. I can tell he's very poised and confident."

Stidham and Wilson can't be discounted, though. Stidham might be the steadiest option of the three right now. Payton always has been a big fan, and in a ball-control offense, Stidham can operate efficiently. Payton has called him "real decisive" in his Year 2 approach dating to the spring. Stidham probably takes fewer chances than the other two as far as stretching the ball downfield, but he has been consistent.

Meanwhile, consider Wilson a Bill Parcells-inspired acquisition. Payton, one of Parcells' top disciples, preached to his coaches that getting a former high pick at a low price can sometimes pay off because of the pedigree. That's the case with Wilson, who is in a positive environment after three turbulent years with the Jets. Even if Wilson doesn't win the starting job, the Broncos will have a plan for him. It's important to keep three quarterbacks now with the new game-day rules for emergency quarterbacks. And they worked the Wilson trade with the Jets for weeks. They won't want to throw that away.

The Broncos will soon formulate a plan for narrowing the quarterback focus. The sense here is that two of the three will start to get a heavier workload in practices soon. Monday is the team's first day in pads, which could influence some decision-making. But for now, the Broncos like how all three are put in challenging situations with the quick rotations. One more thing the Broncos like about their QB battle: All three signal-callers are mobile.

Best of the rest:

• Young and hungry: That's a mantra of sorts for Denver, which isn't a trendy pick for a Super Bowl or even AFC West winner. Surtain and others with the team believe there's a benefit for the unappreciated -- sneaking up on people. "The main thing now is starting fast and finishing the right way," Surtain said. "That's how winning teams build success. I believe [the division] is wide open because it's 0-0 and you never know how it's going to play out."

• I'm told that the Broncos will use receiver Marvin Mims Jr. in a variety of ways, as an "explosive play guy" on the outside for the new quarterback and possibly as a creative option for the new kickoff returns. Returners need to get used to different styles of kickoffs (low balls, ground balls, etc.), and Denver feels Mims can handle that well. But he will also be a key component in the pass game.

• Surtain, largely considered the game's best corner, told me he's eyeing more ball production this season after a combined three interceptions the past two years. He believes Vance Joseph's scheme will present opportunities for him to crash passing lanes.

• The Broncos are expecting a big year from tight end Greg Dulcich ... if he can stay on the field. Hamstring issues wrecked his first two years in the league. It's very much a knock-on-wood situation here in Denver, but Dulcich flashed his big-play ability with a touchdown catch in the corner of the end zone Saturday.

Key fantasy note: A career year in rushing attempts (current high is 217) and targets (58) for Williams wouldn't shock. The Broncos will most likely rely heavily on the running game and short passing game. Last season was a bit of a wash for Williams, who was adjusting to Payton's offense while regaining confidence coming off an ACL tear. Neither of those are factors this year for Williams, who lost 11 pounds this offseason and has full confidence in the right knee now.

Once a top-10 back, Williams should capitalize on his contract year. The only wild card here is the Broncos revel in their tailback depth, with exciting young options such as Audric Estime, Jaleel McLaughlin and Blake Watson in the mix, plus veteran Samaje Perine. Those players could slightly cut into Williams' workload.

Graziano's notes from Pittsburgh Steelers camp

Location: Latrobe, Pennsylvania
Date visited: July 25

I showed up in Latrobe for the Steelers' first training camp practice expecting to check in on the quarterback competition, but then Russell Wilson missed that practice with a calf injury. He would miss the next day's practice as well, offering Justin Fields a surprising early opportunity to work with the first-team offense. Fields has ground to make up in this competition. After OTAs and minicamp, Wilson entered training camp as the leader based on what he showed in offseason practices. And while these early practices haven't been much different from OTAs in terms of intensity or script, Fields and coach Mike Tomlin both said after Thursday's practice that just the chance to operate the first-team offense -- letting those guys get used to Fields' voice, cadence, etc. -- was a good thing for the fourth-year quarterback.

The Steelers ultimately will get into practices as serious as any in the league. This doesn't apply to the quarterbacks, of course, but Pittsburgh remains one of the very few (if not the only) teams in the NFL that still hits and tackles to the ground in training camp practices. So the Steelers will get a real sense of how the offense is operating and whether Fields can bring things to it that Wilson can't. Fields definitely has work to do to catch Wilson in the race for the starting job, but the Steelers are open-minded about his ability to do so. The important thing to keep in mind here is that the Steelers have no prior connection to either of these quarterbacks and no compelling financial commitment that would lead them to favor one over the other. So when they say it's an open competition and Fields has a chance, believe them.

What if Fields does win the job? The Steelers are only paying Wilson a league-minimum $1.21 million for this season. His former team, the Broncos, are paying the rest of his guaranteed $39 million salary. If Fields is named the Week 1 starter, would Wilson remain as a backup? It's conceivable he'd ask the Steelers to cut or trade him. Wilson's contract with Pittsburgh includes a no-trade clause, which would give him some control over where he went if the team did move him. But if he can't beat out Fields for the job, you have to wonder whether the Steelers would be able to get anything of value for him in a deal anyway.

Long way to go on this, of course. And while Wilson has clearly been a diminished player the past two years, Fields has his own flaws. But the early camp development that has Wilson sitting out while Fields takes the first-team reps certainly has added a wrinkle to the race.

Best of the rest:

• I expect the Steelers to add a wide receiver if one becomes available in a trade as the preseason unfolds. But as of now, nothing on that front seems imminent, which means opportunity for the guys who are in camp to audition for the No. 2 wide receiver spot behind George Pickens. Veteran Van Jefferson (who played for OC Arthur Smith in Atlanta last year) is one to keep an eye on, based on the conversations I had while I was there, and Calvin Austin III is another guy for whom the Steelers have high hopes. Rookie Roman Wilson has a chance to occupy the slot receiver role.

• The Steelers could also be in the cornerback market, as they see themselves thin at that position. They have 2023 second-rounder Joey Porter Jr. and acquired Donte Jackson from Carolina in exchange for Diontae Johnson. But Cam Sutton, whom they signed after the Lions released him amid domestic violence allegations, is suspended for the first eight games of the season, and they don't have an obvious candidate to play the nickel corner role.

• It's not just the quarterbacks who are on notice that this is an important year. Stalwart defensive lineman Cameron Heyward enters the final year of his contract scheduled to make a non-guaranteed $16 million. He has expressed a desire for a new contract, but talks haven't progressed far. Running back Najee Harris, the team's first-round pick from 2021, is entering the final year of his rookie contract after the team declined his $6.7 million fifth-year option for 2025. GM Omar Khan has said the door isn't closed on Harris, and it's certainly possible Harris could still get a new deal after the season. But the Steelers are installing a new offense and have told Harris and others they want to see how it goes this season before making long-term decisions. Pickens will be extension-eligible next offseason for the first time, so this is a big year for him as well.

• I talked to linebacker Patrick Queen about switching sides in the Ravens-Steelers rivalry. He said it was a little weird at first -- that he had to do some "mending fences" upon arrival and that T.J. Watt looked at him sideways for a few days, but that it's all good now. "It's just football," Queen said. "They're all about football here, and all about defense, just like it was in Baltimore. So I feel like I'm going to fit right in." Queen signed a three-year, $41 million contract with the Steelers this offseason and is eager to prove that he wasn't just Roquan Smith's sidekick in Baltimore.

Key fantasy note: We still need to view Harris as the team's lead running back to open the season, ahead of Jaylen Warren -- and it's possible it stays that way. Harris ran the ball well for Pittsburgh last season down the stretch and helped secure a playoff spot, and while Warren did make it more of a committee, Harris finished with 284 touches to Warren's 210.

That said, it is a new offense, and the coordinator is Arthur Smith -- and anyone who drafted Bijan Robinson in fantasy last season hoping for big things was screaming through the TV at Smith every Sunday while he platooned Robinson and Tyler Allgeier. I believe both Steelers backs will be useful, especially early in the year when the Steelers are a) still figuring out the quarterback situation, b) still figuring out wide receiver and c) still figuring out which running back fits the offense best. They know the backs are their most reliable options, and I think they'll lean on them a lot -- to the point where both could be playable in fantasy weekly, depending on your league's size. Warren is scheduled to be a restricted free agent at the end of the season, so it's not like Harris is the only one playing for his Pittsburgh future.

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Fowler's notes from New York Giants camp

Location: East Rutherford, New Jersey
Date visited: July 25

Daniel Jones was more active than I expected in practice eight months removed from a torn ACL. The Giants cleared their quarterback for the start of camp, and on Thursday he didn't miss a rep and even ran up the middle during goal-line work (no pads). The feeling among the Giants is that Jones is moving well and trending upward while knocking off the rust.

"I'm really not [thinking about] the rehab when I'm out there," Jones told me when walking off the practice field, after chatting with former Giants quarterback Phil Simms. "I've done a lot in my rehab. I'm cutting and moving. So, I feel good. ... I always had a lot of confidence I'd be here and back."

Few quarterbacks are under more pressure than Jones, whose play and contractual future enters a crucial juncture. He has one winning season in five years, which earned him a four-year, $160 million extension in the 2023 offseason. The other seasons have been a struggle. A porous offensive line and uneven playmaking around him has done him zero favors. The implications of performing well on the field this season can't be overstated, though. Most of Jones' $30 million salary in 2025 ($23 million) is already guaranteed for injury, meaning if he suffers a significant one this season and can't pass a physical in March, that money is owed to him. If things go south this season, it's not hard to envision a Russell Wilson-Denver situation yet again.

But the Giants would have to be done with Jones at that point, and I don't sense that's the case. He's their best option right now, and the team still believes in him. Regardless of injury, $11 million of Jones' 2025 salary guarantees in March. Jones seems more concerned with three things over proving himself: maintaining his health, "developing relationships" with "a lot of new guys" on offense and cementing an identity on offense.

"We're still trying to figure that out a little bit," Jones said. "That's what training camp is for. It's early and we've got a lot of work to do, but I believe we will be able to attack the defense."

Best of the rest:

• There's no hiding rookie receiver Malik Nabers, whose ability was on full display this week. It doesn't take long to see and hear the difference from a sedan to a Porsche when the cars pass. Nabers is not a sedan. "I mean, you saw him out there," a team source said when asked about Nabers' instant impact. "We're very happy with him." There's no doubt he will surpass 100 targets if healthy. And it wouldn't surprise to see the Giants utilize the quick passing game and play-action quite often, given the issues protecting Jones. That would provide Nabers with after-the-catch opportunities. The question is whether Jones, who has an underrated deep ball, can connect with Nabers downfield. Jones twice called Nabers "super talented" in my talk with him. "I'm excited about him," Jones said. "We've got a lot of work to do together to build chemistry and get on the same page, but he's super talented."

• The strength of the team is clear: the defensive front. The trio of Dexter Lawrence II, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux will be chasing quarterbacks out of the pocket. That was the case Thursday, as the Giants were practicing red zone concepts, a specialty of new defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, whose defense in Tennessee ranked first last season in that area (38%). The quarterbacks had to bail the pocket quite often. But depth behind the big three up front is an issue, and the Giants are keeping an eye on the free agency market just in case. They are doing the same at cornerback, recently working out some free agents, including Rachad Wildgoose. But veteran Cor'Dale Flott will get the first crack at a starting job -- the Giants are comfortable with him.

• Is the roster finally where GM Joe Schoen wants it as he enters his third year in New York? After asking around, I'd say it's fairly close, but another full offseason could get it there. New York is getting next to nothing from the 2021 draft class, though Azeez Ojulari is a factor when healthy, and the Giants are relying on most of the 2024 class to play right away. The Giants believe their recent picks have an unselfish makeup they seek. Thibodeaux and corner Deonte Banks have star potential. But the roster is still unproven in a few areas. One thing is clear: This is the best receiver corps Jones has had here. Nabers, Wan'Dale Robinson, Darius Slayton and Jalin Hyatt are a good core, with Allen Robinson II serving as a good veteran presence.

• Want a sleeper to watch this season? Fifth-round rookie tailback Tyrone Tracy Jr. is smooth and has good hands.

• Jon Runyan, a big-money free agent signing, told me he likes the versatility of the offensive line. Runyan has experience at both guard spots, while Jermaine Eluemunor can play both tackle spots and guard. Both veterans should help second-year center John Michael Schmitz Jr., who struggled last season around a weak supporting cast.

Key fantasy note: If you're looking for RB2 value in the later rounds of your draft, Devin Singletary feels viable. Jones said the veteran running back will be "big time" for the Giants' offense. In fact, he brought Singletary up unprompted when discussing the offense as a whole. Expect coach Brian Daboll and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka to utilize him in a variety of ways, including out wide in certain packages. "[Singletary] knows exactly where to be, what his job is, really good route runner, good downhill running back," Jones told me. "He'll be big for us."

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Graziano's notes from Baltimore Ravens camp

Location: Owings Mills, Maryland
Dates visited: July 23-24

Zach Orr always figured he'd end up in coaching, he just didn't know it would look like this.

"I wasn't thinking big enough," the Ravens' new 32-year-old defensive coordinator said after Wednesday's practice. "I figured I'd play 10-12 years in the league, go home and maybe coach some high school ball, something like that."

Orr only got to play three years for the Ravens before a congenital neck issue forced him to retire after the 2016 season. The Ravens immediately hired him as a scout and defensive analyst, and he has been on John Harbaugh's coaching staff every year since except one -- the 2021 season, which he spent in Jacksonville under the ill-fated Urban Meyer regime.

This year, with former Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald having left to become coach of the Seahawks and top assistants Dennard Wilson and Anthony Weaver leaving to become coordinators in Tennessee and Miami, respectively, Orr takes over as Baltimore's defensive coordinator. The Ravens' first preseason game -- Aug. 9 against the Eagles -- will be the first time he has ever called plays. But it's clear that the Ravens, who finished first in scoring defense and with the best record in the AFC last season, aren't expecting a guy who's learning on the job. I asked Harbaugh what his expectations were for the 2024 defense under Orr.

"Keep going from last year," Harbaugh said. "Just the progression that we're on and that we've been on with the players and the scheme and the system that have been in place. Zach is kind of in a next-man-up situation. Great coach, great guy, knows what he's doing, been a part of it for years, and he's ready."

Orr will count on younger players to step into big roles to build on what Macdonald put in place. Second-year linebacker Trenton Simpson, Baltimore's third-round pick in 2023, is likely to start at the inside linebacker spot vacated by Patrick Queen, who signed with the division-rival Steelers in free agency. David Ojabo, the 2022 second-round pick who's been limited to just five NFL games so far due to injuries, is a player who the Ravens hope can help fill the pass rush void created by the departure of Jadeveon Clowney, who signed with Carolina.

"We drafted these guys for a reason, and I expect them to play really well," Harbaugh said. "I was getting the same questions last year -- who's gonna rush the passer -- and it turned out pretty well."

Time will tell how much Macdonald's scheme was responsible for the league-leading 60 sacks the Ravens had in 2023 and whether Orr can maintain that level of success.

"To whom much is given much is required," Harbaugh said. "[Orr] was given an amazing opportunity after the big setback as a player and just grew leaps and bounds all the time and took advantage of the opportunity. That's why you see a guy so young have a chance at this, because he's been exposed to some really great football. But he's a smart guy, works hard, great talent, great persona with the guys, all that. Very charismatic guy, all those kinds of gifts."

Best of the rest:

• Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson missed practice the first day I was there due to illness. He was at the start of practice the second day I was there and took a few reps but went inside early because he was not feeling well. It's tough to get much of a read on the Ravens' offense without Jackson, but there's no missing Derrick Henry. "His first day here, I was like, 'Dang, he looks like a defensive end or a D-tackle,'" Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely said. "Then you see him run and he's clocking in at like 20, 21 miles per hour, and you're thinking that's a tough guy to bring down. To have him and Lamar in the backfield, that's just going to help everyone that much more."

• From 2019 (Jackson's first full season as a starter) through the end of last season, Baltimore ran a league-low 484 plays that started with the quarterback under center. Of those 484, 176 were last season, so it was already a bigger part of Todd Monken's offense than it was of his predecessors' schemes. But I'd expect even more this year in an effort to take advantage of Henry. With a running start, Henry is pretty unstoppable, and playing from under center gives the Ravens the opportunity to hand him the ball when he has already built up plenty of momentum.

• Since they've signed Eddie Jackson as a third safety, expect Orr and the Ravens to keep versatile star Kyle Hamilton in the role he played last season -- mainly the nickel spot, with the ability to move around and do some different things. I asked Hamilton what he thought about the changes on defense and how it would go. "Honestly, these first three days of camp have been pretty telling as to where we're at as a team and a defense," he said. "I think it's pretty easy to tell after being out there, we have everything we need. I don't think there's any sort of doubt that we can do exactly what we did last year and even more."

• The Ravens' biggest question on offense is the offensive line, where three starters from last year's team are gone. They're hoping 2023 seventh-round pick Andrew Vorhees -- the guy who tore an ACL at the combine and still stuck around to do 38 bench press reps -- is ready to go after sitting out his entire rookie season due to the injury. He could start at one of the guard spots. The Ravens could also end up starting second-round rookie Roger Rosengarten at right tackle. There are several candidates for the three open spots, and Baltimore is hoping to use the early part of camp to start sorting out who'll end up making its starting five.

Key fantasy note: The Ravens' clear No. 1 wide receiver is 2023 first-round pick Zay Flowers, who had 77 catches for 858 yards and five touchdowns in his rookie season. They view him as a budding star, and I expect Jackson to feed him the ball a lot. But if you're wondering who'll emerge as the No. 2 receiver from a group headlined by veterans Nelson Agholor and Rashod Bateman, may I direct your attention to Likely, who expects to be more than just Mark Andrews' backup tight end. Likely told me he's working on learning every position a receiver might need to know in the offense and expects Monken to move him around the formation to maximize his receiving ability.

"They want me to be able to go everywhere, whether it's in the backfield, in line, in the slot, out wide or whatever," Likely said. "So just learning everything and being that chess piece that can move around."

Look, if Andrews is healthy, you know what he brings and you're probably not drafting Likely as your starting tight end in fantasy. But he could make a fun late-round flier. Andrews missed seven games due to injury last season, Likely emerged as a reliable receiving threat during that time, and he believes the Ravens will run a lot of plays with both of them on the field.

"Oh yeah, that's really been the emphasis with me and Mark," Likely said. "Trying to be able to play off each other, make the most of our opportunities and make as many explosive plays as possible."