A few scuffles during training camp are a pretty regular occurrence in the NFL, especially since players endure regular three-hour practices in the intense heat of the sun.

But the fight between wide receiver Antonio Brown and cornerback Ike Taylor – for the second time at Steelers training camp – was not considered “normal.”

“[T]his went beyond the usual training-camp tussle,” wrote Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The altercation began when Taylor tried to wrestle a ball away from Brown in the end zone, according to the report. They fought for the ball on the ground, and when they eventually got back on their feet, Brown threw a punch at Taylor.

Several teammates intervened, but it didn’t stop there.

A “spirited” goal-line drill toward the end of practice seemed to further incite the players, especially safety Ryan Clark and Taylor.

Once practice concluded, Taylor went after Brown in the middle of the field and the players had to be separated again, this time even by Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert.

The teammates eventually walked off the field together with Taylor holding an ice pack to his forehead.

Head Coach Mike Tomlin downplayed the Sunday fight.

“These guys understand what we’re working for, and when we step into stadiums, we’re together,” Tomlin said. “When you fight your brother, sometimes, it gets a little heated … the guys understand what that’s about, and they’ll leave it on the grass where it should be.”

But he won’t be able to give the same speech if a third brawl occurs, says ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.

“If a third altercation occurs between Brown and Taylor, head coach Mike Tomlin can’t chalk it up to ‘those things happen’ like he did Sunday,” wrote the AFC North blogger. “Brown and Taylor are the best at their positions on this team. Tomlin can’t allow them to keep butting heads (sorry, Chad Johnson).”

Does Thompson Have Edge Over Streeter?

It’s unclear how many receivers the Ravens will keep on the roster in 2012.

If they keep six like they did the two last seasons, that final spot could come down to undrafted rookie free agent Deonte Thompson and sixth-round draft pick Tommy Streeter. (David Reed could also be in the mix once he returns from an ACL injury.)

In order to get that sixth spot, if available, Head Coach John Harbaugh said each competing receiver will have to 1) make plays on offense and 2) play an important role on special teams.

“Thompson would appear to be the more capable of the two to help out on special teams,” wrote the Carroll County Times’ Matt Zenitz.

The undrafted rookie also appears to be making more plays on offense. After a standout performance in the preseason opener with three catches for 53 yards and a touchdown, Thompson continued his streak in practice. He’s since caught a few more touchdown grabs from quarterback Tyrod Taylor.

Harbaugh said that Thompson had a lull for a couple days in camp prior to the contest in Atlanta, but said he’s enjoyed another big spark.

“He’s making a little bit of a move,” the head coach added.

But don’t count out Streeter.

He’s still a little raw and lacks polish as a route runner, say Zenitz, but he’s 6-foot-5, 220 pounds and ran a 4.40 in the 40-yard dash at the combine.

“Streeter, though, could be tough to get rid of because of his combination of size and speed,” wrote Zenitz. “[He] has big upside as both a deep threat and a weapon inside the red zone.”

C. Williams Losing Ground, Has A Weakness To Correct

Cornerback Cary Williams is losing ground to second-year player Jimmy Smith in the battle for starting cornerback, says Hensley.

Despite not playing in the Ravens preseason game (back), Smith may have helped his chances because Williams struggled to cover Falcons receiver Julio Jones. Williams gave up five passes for 79 yards and a touchdown in the first quarter.

“The numbers are worse than the effort,” wrote Hensley. “On the first catch allowed, Williams tried to jam Julio Jones, who was able to get inside position for a 26-yard gain on a slant. The next two passes were completions to Jones when Williams played seven to eight yards off the line.”

The five year veteran’s weakness, according to Hensley, is that he plays the receiver rather than the ball. There were two plays in which Williams ran stride for stride with the receiver and was in good position, but just needed to turn to deflect the pass.

“When the regular season begins next month, Williams could look back at this game as a missed opportunity,” wrote Hensley. “The Ravens need to give Smith, a first-round pick from a year ago, a hard look with the first-team defense over the next three preseason games.”

Reed Sneaks Into Offensive Huddle

A playful Ed Reed was on display during Monday’s practice.

The veteran safety snuck into the offensive huddle as quarterback Joe Flacco was calling a play during 11-on-11 drills.

He found a nice little hiding place, standing next to the gigantic Bryant McKinnie (6-foot-8, 360 pounds).

“Reed blended in nicely. However, he was eventually noticed, prompting him to jog away,” wrote The Baltimore Sun’s Jeff Zrebiec.

Reed’s shenanigans come just a few days after the Ravens announced he wouldn’t play in the preseason opener, but the All-Pro ended up out there anyway because he didn’t have anything else to do and he needed to break in his jersey.

Which Defender Should Play On Offense?

With the New York Jets allowing cornerback Antonio Cromartie get some action at receiver, CSNBaltimore.com’s Ray Frager wonders which Ravens defender fans would like to see play some offense.

He throws out a few ideas:

Reed = a pass-catching running back
Ngata = fullback
Terrence Cody = guard
Lardarius Webb = wideout
Ray Lewis = tight end

Quick Hits

• This has got to be the first time Ma’ake Kemoeatu (6-foot-5, 345 pounds) was called a mini anything … mzenitz: P. McPhee on Kemoeatu: “Dude’s a beast. He’s a mini Haloti Ngata.” [Twitter]
• Oh perfect, just when he is switched back to left guard in practice yesterday … mzenitz: [Kelechi] Osemele on position he’s most comfortable at: “I feel like I’m actually more comfortable at tackle in general. … But, I’ve been hearing from a lot people that my frame would work really well at guard.” [Twitter]
• Marshal Yanda brought in a T-shirt with a saying that players are embracing … KOsevendeuce: Just posted a photo [Twitter]
• Haloti Ngata feels much more comfortable with his added weight. He’s gone from 335 at the end of the season to 342 now. Not only does he feel stronger with opponents double-teaming him, but he doesn’t feel like his conditioning is any worse. He says he is breathing just fine in camp. Listen to more of his explanation. [CSNBaltimore.com]

Left tackle Bryant McKinnie has not been participating in mandatory minicamp practice at the direction of the coaching staff.

The team felt it was better that McKinnie not practice for conditioning reasons, which is a decision that CSNBaltimore.com’s John Eisenberg calls “weird,” especially considering the Ravens gave him a $500,000 roster bonus in March with the understanding that he would be in better shape.

The columnist wonders if there is something deeper going on.

“They didn’t comment further, but the only way to take it is they aren’t happy with his conditioning,” Eisenberg wrote. “[I]t could be they’re becoming disenchanted with him.

“Michael Oher is filling the No. 1 left tackle spot at minicamp this week, with Jah Reid moving into Oher’s previous spot at right tackle. That’s Plan B, and don’t be shocked if it becomes permanent. The Ravens want McKinnie, but if they’re still unhappy with him in a couple of months, his roster spot could be in jeopardy.”

No Coincidence Team Signed Wragge

The same day the Ravens announced the signing of 32-year-old center Tony Wragge, reporters discovered starter Matt Birk would not be attending mandatory minicamp because of minor surgery to repair varicose veins in his legs.

Eisenberg says the two occurrences must be related.

“The team wouldn’t have signed [Birk] to a new three-year deal in February if it didn’t expect him to continue to start,” he wrote. “But it wasn’t a coincidence that the team also signed veteran Tony Wragge, who can provide an alternative if Birk’s injuries add up.”

Osemele Out Until Training Camp

Second-round pick Kelechi Osemele is out until training camp, according to ProFootballTalk.com.

He has been sidelined for the past couple weeks with an undisclosed injury, which turned out to be a quadriceps injury, says Aaron Wilson of The Carroll County Times. He added that Osemele should be fine when camp opens on July 25.

It’s unknown if Osemele could have returned before then. The rookies have a football school next week, but beyond that, the Ravens don’t have any more scheduled football activities until the start of training camp.

With the rookie down, PFT.com’s Josh Alper believes newly signed veteran Bobbie Williams’ chances at the starting left guard spot are looking better.

But even if there were no injury, Williams would still be considered the favorite.

“Harbaugh went to lengths to state that newly-signed veteran Bobbie Williams would compete for the starting job with [Jah] Reid and rookies Kelechi Osemele and Gino Gradkowski,” wrote Eisenberg. “But Reid could be the right tackle, Osemele and Gradkowski have never played an NFL snap, and Williams is a rugged old pro who could step in tomorrow.

“Barring something drastic, he has the job.”

Tucker Beat Cundiff From Long Range?

The kicker competition continues to get interesting.

Rookie Justin Tucker bested veteran Billy Cundiff from long range yesterday, according to CBSSports.com’s Jason Butt.

Butt reported that Cundiff missed three kicks on a tee from 50 yards to the right while Tucker drilled a 54-yarder “with room to spare” during team drills.

Many times reporters will watch various drills throughout practice, which may explain why our own Ryan Mink has a different account:

“Cundiff was good from 40 and 51 yards. Rookie Justin Tucker was good from 41, 48, 44 and 54 yards. Neither missed a field-goal attempt.” Those kicks were during team drills.

Ray Rice Ranked 22nd Best Player In NFL

Just get him the ball.

That was Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor’s advice for the Ravens.

Just give the ball to running back Ray Rice and you will inflict pain upon opponents.

Current NFL players ranked Rice as 22nd-best on the NFL Network’s Top 100 Players of 2012 (even though fullback Vonta Leach thinks he should have been rated even higher).

“I’m honored to be in the top 25 best players in the NFL,” Rice tweeted after his ranking was revealed last night along with the other athletes listed between Nos. 21-30:

21: Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski
22: Ravens RB Ray Rice
23: Patriots WR Wes Welker
24: Giants DE Jason Pierre-Paul
25: Texans RB Arian Foster
26: Bears DE Julius Peppers
27: Packers LB Clay Mathews
28: 49ers RB Frank Gore
29: Steelers LB James Harrison
30: Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger

In the video, Taylor, who knows what it’s like to play against Rice at least two times year, explains that as Rice goes, so does the Ravens offense.

“The stats showed when Ray Rice got the ball, they won. When he didn’t get the ball, they lost,” he said.

“So when they did start giving Ray Rice the ball more and more throughout the year, you start seeing the clock going down, you start seeing Flacco throwing play-action passes, you start seeing t. Smith getting the ball deeper – all because of Ray Rice.”

Rookie WRs ‘Stole The Show’ In Practice

Well that name is popping up again – Deonte Thompson.

He’s the popular pick among media to become the next rookie free-agent to make the roster as a long shot.

Sixth-round draft pick Tommy Streeter is another popular player who fans can’t seem to get enough updates about.

The two rookie wide receivers “stole the show” at practice yesterday in Owings Mills, according to The Baltimore Sun.

Thompson hauled in two long touchdown passes, one of which had Anquan Boldin and fullback Vonta Leach taunting linebacker Ray Lewis.  Meanwhile, Streeter made a few “acrobatic” grabs, including one in the back corner of the end zone. To celebrate, Streeter punted the ball about 20 yards straight up into the sky.

“Streeter won’t be able to make the team as a backup punter, but if he can show signs this summer that he has the hands and leaping ability to be a target for fades in the end zone – a dimension that could help the Ravens score more touchdowns in the red zone – it certainly won’t hurt his chances of making the squad,” wrote The Sun’s Matt Vensel.

Quick Hits

• Paul Kruger faces the daunting task of replacing Terrell Suggs on the Ravens defense, but right now, he doesn’t fill the same role as Suggs on all three downs. For now, rookie Courtney Upshaw fills Suggs’ weakside linebacker spot on first and second downs, while Kruger takes Jarret Johnson’s strongside position. On third downs, they switch. “My job is actually different from what Suggs does on regular downs,” Kruger explained. “I’m dropping into coverage a lot, moving around and doing a lot of the tight-end stuff. On third downs, I’ll be getting after the quarterback like I was last year, but I have more of a SAM linebacker position right now.” [CBSSports.com]
• RavensInsider: Terrell Suggs is scheduled to talk with Baltimore reporters following the Ravens’ minicamp practice [Thursday]. [Twitter]
• Ravens: Last year, Sizzle signed this in our office. Yesterday, he came in and made an addition. #DPOY http://t.co/3EdCLtTZ [Twitter]
• For all you Michael McAdoo fans (and we know you’re out there, because we hear from you often), the linebacker cleared waivers, allowing him to be placed on the Ravens’ injured reserve list. [The Baltimore Sun]
• Rice will have his high school number, No. 5, retired by the City School District of New Rochelle (N.Y.) on Saturday. [The Baltimore Sun]
• TorreySmithWR: Throwing the First pitch at the O’s game tomorrow [vs. Pittsburgh Pirates] #hypetweet [Twitter]
• RavensInsider: Cut by the Ravens this week, rookie defensive lineman Elliott Henigan went unclaimed on waivers [Twitter]
• Kevin Cowherd says it’s time that Ed Reed makes up his mind. [The Baltimore Sun]
• The Ravens will offer a new Bud Light Zone at M&T Bank Stadium this season as part of a continuing move to ramp up hospitality options for businesses. [Baltimore Business Journal]

He entered training camp as a little-known undrafted free agent out of Maryland who barely had a chance to show off in college due to injuries.

He seemed to have little to no chance of making the active roster.

But with standout practice after standout practice, Williams made himself impossible to cut, and was the only undrafted free agent last year to make the 53-man squad out of camp.

So what’s changed this year in Williams mind?

Nothing.

“I feel like I’m always in an uphill fight,” Williams said after Wednesday’s OTA practice. “I feel like I always have to prove myself because of the stigma I have.”

The stigma Williams feels he carried everywhere is being passed over by all 32 NFL teams for seven rounds. That’s something that, no matter what Williams does, can never be changed.

Williams beat out three other undrafted free agent wide receivers in training camp last year. He got a roster spot over established Ravens Justin Harper and Marcus Smith and veteran Brandon Jones.

“I had a chip on my shoulder. It was on me to come in and show these guys I could play ball,” Williams said. “I remember telling Torrey [Smith], that if I got an opportunity to do what I love, I’ll show them I belong.”

This year, Williams has just as much, if not more, competition. There are currently 13 wide receivers on the roster, and a team generally keeps five or six.

The Ravens drafted one wideout, Tommy Streeter, in the sixth round, signed another, Jacoby Jones, in free agency, and added three undrafted free agents.

“That stuff is out of my control,” Williams said. “I worry about what I can control, coming out and practice as hard as I can, studying, making sure I know what I’m doing. That’s all I’m focused on.”

Williams didn’t just make, and stay on, the active roster last year. He had an impact too, even on offense. While fellow rookie Tandon Doss didn’t record a catch, Williams snagged four balls for 46 yards, including two receptions in Pittsburgh.

This offseason, Williams said he feels much stronger both physically and mentally. He was a frequent target for quarterback Joe Flacco during Wednesday’s practice, and like last year, was impressive.

The 6-foot-0, 200-pound Williams has enough speed, plus great leaping ability to make plays down the field. He also helps his chances of making the active roster by focusing on special teams, which is why Baltimore originally signed him as an undrafted free agent.

“My main thing this year is, when I get the opportunity, don’t leave any big plays on the field,” Williams said. “I’ve got to make every big play I can. I want to be a guy that stands out on special teams and as a receiver.”

Initial reports coming out of the Ravens’ two open-to-the-media practice sessions are that rookie wide receiver Tommy Streeter is raw with his route running and he’s also dropped quite a few balls.

Some have already rushed to judgment and labeled Streeter as a bust or a project, says The Baltimore Sun’s Jeff Zrebiec.  

But it’s too early to make that call.

“[L]et’s remember that those same criticisms were being lobbed at Torrey Smith when he was struggling during training camp last year, and I’d say his rookie year worked out just fine,” Zrebiec wrote. “Don’t misunderstand: I’m not comparing Streeter to Smith, who was a second-round pick. I am suggesting it’s far too early to label somebody a project or a bust.”

Streeter fell to the sixth round of the draft, despite averaging 17.6 yards per catch and scoring eight touchdowns last year for Miami.

With size (6-foot-5, 210 pounds) and speed (4.40 seconds in the 40), Streeter has great potential, but as Zrebiec points out, the game is moving fast for him and all the rookies right now.

With plenty of depth on the roster – Anquan Boldin, Smith, Jacoby Jones, Tandon Doss and LaQuan Williams – the Ravens likely won’t need an immediate impact from Streeter.

The young man knows he has doubters, but he’s on a mission to overcome.

“I’m extremely hungry,” Streeter told our own Ryan Mink. “I kind of feel like a lot of people didn’t believe in me, even though I believed in myself. … Ever since I got that phone call on draft day, I had the mindset that I was willing to work and I’m going to be the best Baltimore Raven that I can be now that I’m in this position. And I’m ready for whoever lines up in front of me.”

Kicker Tucker Returning To Baltimore?

Billy Cundiff was the only kicker present as the Ravens kicked off their first session of voluntary organized team activities (OTAs) this week.

That’s because there aren’t any other kickers signed to the roster.

Justin Tucker, an undrafted rookie from the University of Texas with some impressive kicking stats, tried out for the team a couple weeks ago. He generated plenty of buzz, but has not been signed.

“That could change, as Tucker put on his Twitter page late [Wednesday] afternoon that he was headed to Maryland next week, presumably back to the Ravens’ facility,” wrote Zrebiec.

“However, he’s since deleted the tweet and it isn’t clear if he’ll return on a tryout basis or he’ll be signed to the roster.”

DeMaurice Smith Pops Up At Castle Unannounced

NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith popped up unannounced at the Ravens training facility Wednesday.

He’s making his pop-up visits a routine around the league as a way of ensuring teams and coaches are complying with player safety rules.

“That’s another example of where we have to check on [teams], but we’ve found that they’re compliant with rules,” NFLPA President Domonique Foxworth said in the CSNBaltimore.com video below. “In the past, in order to check on teams’ compliance with rules, we’d have to have some player call in and tell us. Players never wanted to be that guy, although they would be upset and they would complain that the union wasn’t protecting them.

“But in this case, we don’t need to tell anybody, we pop up, we walk in [and] we look around. All the visits we’ve done so far, the teams have been above board, the coaches are complying.”

Kruger Getting First Crack To Replace Suggs

While much of the early speculation centered around rookie Courtney Upshaw replacing the injured Terrell Suggs at rush linebacker, Paul Kruger has said on two occasions he’ll likely be the one filling the open spot.

Some of the speculation stemmed from the fact Upshaw played a similar role to Suggs’ at Alabama and Kruger replaced Jarret Johnson on the strong side last season on third-and-long situations.

But it appears coaches have a different plan so far.

“It’s early to say what will happen, but this is what we’re doing now,” Kruger told The Carroll County Times’ Aaron Wilson. “I’m told where I’m going to line up and I do it.”

Kruger is entering his last year of his rookie contract and ProFootballTalk.com points out the four-year veteran won’t lack any motivation.

“It’s the last year of Kruger’s rookie contract, and he could strike it rich on the 2013 free-agent market with a breakout season,” Evan Silva wrote.

Ravens Offense Can’t Be Average This Year

With the defense in flux, an average offense won’t cut it in Baltimore says, ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.

Suggs will miss an undefined amount of time this season, Ray Lewis is 37 and Ed Reed said isn’t sure he’ll be playing (even though the team believes he will).

“The Ravens can’t lean on their defense any longer. It’s unfair to ask these defenders to hold teams to 16.6 points per game like last season,” Hensley wrote. “If the Ravens want to reach the playoffs for a fifth-straight season, the offense has to take charge.

“Being an average offense isn’t going to cut it. The pressure is on for the Ravens to produce more points and yards than they’ve done the past 14 years.”

With quarterback Joe Flacco and Offensive Coordinator Cam Cameron leading the way the past four seasons, the offense has ranked 18th, 13th, 22nd and 15th.

With a defense as stout as the one in Baltimore, the offense hasn’t needed to be aggressive even with all the tools on the squad. As Hensley points out, a win is virtually assured when the offense scores more than just two touchdowns (46-10 record since 2008 when scoring more than 14 points).

But the need to score more could change with Suggs down.

Flacco told our own Garrett Downing that he welcomes any added pressure that Suggs’ injury may bring.

“I want us to get in more of a mindset where we have to score points,” Flacco said last week. “Should it be something that makes us do that? No. We shouldn’t feel any more pressure because we don’t have him. We still have a great defense and we still have a great team.

“But having said that, if it does put more pressure on us, if we do feel like we have more pressure on us and we need to score more, I don’t think that’s a bad thing.”

Get Your Ravens Super Bowl Ring

If you are in the market for a Ravens Super Bowl XXXV ring, here’s your chance.

That is, if you have $8,000 to blow at Lelands.com.

The origin of the ring currently for sale, which has the name “Dickson” inscribed on it, is a little unclear. But The Baltimore Sun and Baltimore Beatdown may have the story.

“The ring apparently belongs to Jeffrey H. Dickson, who spent six years as the personal driver for then-Ravens owner Art Modell.  Dickson sued Modell in 2003, claiming he was unjustly fired after taking time off for medical reasons,” wrote The Sun’s Kevin Cowherd.

“A Ravens spokesman said Thursday that Jeffrey Dickson was not on the list of Ravens personnel who received Super Bowl XXXV rings. Most likely, the ring was specially made and given to Dickson by Art Modell.”

Quick Hits

• GENRayOdierno: Great Army supporters-Tom Coughlin, Lynn Chwatsky, Linda Patterson, John Harbaugh & Bob Delaney. [Twitter]

• A look at the dream and nightmare scenarios for the Ravens in 2012. [ESPN]
• Ray Rice is not only the best running back in the AFC North, but the best in the AFC. His partner in crime, fullback Vonta’ Leach, was ranked the fifth best in the division. [ESPN]
• Will Brinson predicts the Ravens will notch less than 10 wins this upcoming season. [CBSSports.com]
• Ravens: The Ravens are giving Plan in Motion grants of up to $5K to nonprofit organizations! Applications due Thu, 5/31. [Twitter]
• RayLewisNews: Tix on sale now – @Walmart Ray’s Summer Days – June 7-9, 2012 in Baltimore MD [Twitter]
• Crushboy31: Oh my I feel that lump in my calf from taking that knee to it yesterday!!! On a mission… [Twitter]

• Sheets: We’re giving away another spot to workout w/ @RayRice27 in NYC! To win, watch this & upload a clip of u doing the same! [Twitter/YouTube]

The Ravens upgraded their receiving corps this offseason by adding free agent Jacoby Jones and drafting Tommy Streeter, and Flacco has high expectations for what the group can accomplish this year. 

“I’m excited,” Flacco said. “It’s cool to see a bunch of big guys that are athletic, they move well. It’s exciting to see guys out there that are explosive and really willing to go out there and learn the offense and be a part of this team.”

Flacco was able to do some initial work with both Jones and Streeter last week during voluntary workouts. While they aren’t running full team practices yet, Flacco still had a chance to see his new targets run routes and catch passes.

Jones, 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, is an explosive downfield threat who comes to the Ravens after spending the first four years of his career in Texas. He had 31 catches for 512 yards and two touchdowns last season.

The Ravens signed him to a two-year contract earlier this month and expect him to provide another deep threat in the passing game.

Streeter, 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, is a big-bodied receiver who could give Flacco a jump-ball target in red-zone situations. As a sixth-round draft pick, his chances of making the 53-man roster are more up in the air, but he has the size and speed to develop into a valuable piece of the offense. 

The two players are expected to challenge for the third and fourth wide receiver positions behind Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith. That competition will be tight, as Tandon Doss, LaQuan Williams and David Reed are all returning and hoping to earn more playing time.

“With the couple new faces that we got this year, we’re going to add those guys in and really be able to bring them up to speed I think a little quicker because we have so many guys this year that are back from last year,” Flacco said.

They drafted Clarence Moore (6-foot-6) in the sixth round in 2004. They selected Justin Harper (6-foot-3) in the seventh round in 2008. After the 2010 season, Baltimore signed James Hardy (6-foot-5).

What do they all have in common?

None played for more than three years in the NFL.

Ravens sixth-round wide receiver Tommy Streeter (6-foot-5) is hoping to break the pattern.

“I’m extremely hungry,” Streeter said.

“I kind of feel like a lot of people didn’t believe in me, even though I believed in myself. … Ever since I got that phone call on draft day, I had the mindset that I was willing to work and I’m going to be the best Baltimore Raven that I can be now that I’m in this position. And I’m ready for whoever lines up in front of me.”

There are certainly successful very tall receivers in the NFL, including San Francisco’s Randy Moss (6-foot-4), New Orleans’ Marques Colston (6-foot-4) and San Diego’s Malcom Floyd (6-foot-5).

But the Ravens’ previous ventures into that type of receiver hasn’t produced much in results.

Moore, who was taken out of Northern Arizona, saw perhaps the most success. He started six games as a rookie and played in 15, catching 24 passes for 293 yards. He was primarily a red-zone target, hauling in four touchdown passes.

Despite flashes of major potential, Harper had trouble with his hands in preseason games and was only activated from the practice squad for two games in his three years in Baltimore. He didn’t develop into much of a factor on special teams.

Hardy was injured throughout almost all of training camp last year, and was released in the final cuts. He hasn’t signed with another team since.

Streeter is confident he can be a scoring target like Moore was as a rookie.

“That’s one thing that I’m looking to bring, [those] mismatch and jump-ball situations in the red zone,” Streeter said. “Me being a receiver, I feel like you don’t always have to run the ball down there. It’s OK to throw a fade. I’m hoping they incorporate that in the game plan.”

With the Ravens having a bounty of veteran wide receivers already with Anquan Boldin, Torrey Smith, Jacoby Jones, Tandon Doss, LaQuan Williams and David Reed, Streeter will likely have to contribute on special teams if he’s going to have a chance to develop as a wide receiver and make it in the NFL.

Streeter said he played special teams his first two years at Miami. He was on punt coverage, punt block and kickoff coverage.

“I have a foundation in it, but I could get better with coaching,” he said. “I’m just going to do whatever the coaches tell me to do.”

Head Coach John Harbaugh liked what he saw from Streeter in rookie camp. The rookie showed off his long arms, snatching balls behind, above and near his feet on the first day of practice. He also had the speed to get behind a defense.

“First impression, he is really tall,” Harbaugh said after Sunday’s practice. “Second impression, he is really fast. I’d say third impression; he is going to be a good player. He is a young guy, but a talented guy, and we’re excited to work with him.”

But the battles for positions don’t have to wait until camp.

Rookies and veterans are fighting for roster spots and starting jobs right now, and many of those competitions will continue up until the start of the season.

Here are some of the key positions battles to watch throughout the remainder of the offseason:

Outside Linebacker: Both outside linebacker positions will be up for grabs in training camp this year, as Jarret Johnson left in free agency and Terrell Suggs is out for an unspecified amount of time with an Achilles tendon injury.

The likely candidates for the starting jobs are Paul Kruger, Sergio Kindle, Albert McClellan and rookie Courtney Upshaw.

Kruger has the most experience at outside linebacker of anyone in the group, as he has spent much of his three years in the league as a pass-rush specialist.

Kindle is heading into his third season and still has to prove himself after a head injury set him back during his rookie season. He has potential, but hasn’t had much of an opportunity to show it early in his career.

McClellan spent most of last season as an inside linebacker, even starting in place of Ray Lewis when Lewis was down with a toe injury. He is a versatile player and could make the switch outside.

Upshaw played the rush linebacker position in college, which is similar to the role that Suggs plays. Moving into that position while Suggs is out could be a natural transition for the Ravens’ second-round pick.

Left Guard: This battle will likely come down to three of the Ravens’ youngest lineman: second-year lineman Jah Reid and rookies Kelechi Osemele and Gino Gradkowski.

Reid came into the NFL as a right tackle, but has made the position switch this offseason and was the favorite to win the job before Baltimore drafted Osemele and Gradkowski.

Osemele played  left tackle in college, but is comfortable moving over to guard. He performed well at rookie minicamp last week, as he was one of the biggest players out on the field. Gradkowski played center and guard at college, but he doesn’t have the size of Reid or Osemele, which could make it tough for him to beat them out for the spot.

Wide Receiver: The first two receiver spots appear firmly in the grasp of Anquan Boldin and Torrey Smith, but after that there are five players vying for the third and fourth receiver jobs.

Free-agent acquisition Jacoby Jones, Tandon Doss, LaQuan Williams, David Reed and rookie Tommy Streeter are all competing for time. Jones is the likely favorite for the No. 3 job, but a strong camp from the other candidates could make this one of the most tightly contested positions battles of the offseason.

Cornerback: This is one of the deepest positions for the Ravens, as former first-round pick Jimmy Smith and last year’s starter Cary Williams will compete for the No. 2 spot next to Lardarius Webb.

Williams played well last year season in his first season as a starter, but Smith showed glimpses of his potential in the chances that he got after an early-season injury.

Regardless of who wins the job, all three players will get plenty of time on the field, as the Ravens often use three corners to offset pass-heavy formations that more teams are using.

Running Back: Ray Rice has the starting running back position locked up, but behind him is a different story. After Ricky Williams suddenly retired this offseason, the No. 2 running back spot will be a battle between second-year backs Anthony Allen and Damien Berry and rookie Bernard Pierce.

All three backs bring different running styles to the mix, as Allen is a power runner, Berry is more a speed back and Pierce has a slashing style. None of the three appears to have a leg up in the race right now.

Players need time to develop, learn the systems and then actually get playing time, which often doesn’t happen right away.

While some of the Ravens rookies are expected to compete for starting roles this season, the assessment of the draft class could look much different after a few years.

Going into this year, second round picks Courtney Upshaw and Kelechi Osemele will likely challenge for starting jobs at outside linebacker and left guard, respectively. Fourth-round pick Gino Gradkowski will also be in the mix for the left guard spot and is slotted to become the starting center of the future.

Later draft picks like wide receiver Tommy Streeter, running back Bernard Pierce, safety Christian Thompson and cornerback Asa Jackson could need more time to develop before becoming starters, but they now have the opportunity to learn behind proven veterans like Ray Rice, Anquan Boldin, Ed Reed and Lardarius Webb.

So flash forward three years. Which draft pick do you see developing into the next Ravens’ star?

It was Ray Lewis.

The Ravens middle linebacker called Streeter not only to congratulate him on getting drafted, but also to see if he wanted to join him for some offseason training.

Streeter jumped at the opportunity.

“I basically told him that I was ready to make that next step and ready to train, and he took it upon himself to extend an invitation,” Streeter said.

The two have been working together ever since, and Lewis has helped prepare Streeter for what he can expect in the NFL.  The biggest lesson Streeter has taken from their interactions has been the importance of training and pushing his body as much as possible.

Streeter referenced a painting that Lewis has in his Florida home, which reads “Pain is a gift from God.”

That message has stuck with Streeter.

“Exert your body to the maximum limit, to the point where when you’re out here and everything is easy, because in that time when you’re alone, you take your body to the maximum,” Streeter said. “Once you’re out here, you’re able to withstand anything that anyone else throws at you.”

The motivation to fight through pain extends beyond Streeter’s training routine. 

He’s now on a mission to prove teams wrong for overlooking him in the draft. Streeter expected to get taken in the second or third round, but instead he slipped to the end of the sixth (198th-overall pick), giving him a chip on his shoulder that he has brought with him to the NFL.

“I kind of feel like a lot of people didn’t believe in me, even though I believed in myself,” Streeter said. “I thank God that the coaches believed in me and gave me this opportunity. And ever since I got that phone call on draft day, I had the mindset that I was willing to work and I’m going to be the best Baltimore Raven that I can be now that I’m in this position.”

Part of the Ravens’ attraction to Streeter was his size and speed. He is six-foot-five and can run the 40-yard dash in 4.3 seconds, giving him the physical tools to become a dynamic wide receiver in the NFL.

That frame and speed stuck out right away when he took the field for rookie minicamp over the weekend.

“First impression: he is really tall. Second impression: he is really fast,” Head Coach John Harbaugh said. “I’d say third impression: he is going to be a good player. He is a young guy, but a talented guy, and we’re excited to work with him.”

The knock on Streeter, and part of the reason some believe that he fell as far as he did in the draft, is that his skills are still raw. He had only one year of big-time production in his college career, and his game appears to need some more polish.

He caught 46 passes for 811 yards and eight touchdowns during his redshirt junior year last season, but had just six combined catches in his first two seasons.

His breakout junior campaign coincided with the arrival of a new coaching staff, which Streeter said put everyone back on a level playing field and allowed him to seize an opportunity.

“Everything was basically open from there and I just tried to go out there and work hard in the offseason, challenge myself and perform to the level that I felt I could, and everything just worked out,” he said.

He’ll try to do the same thing with the Ravens, as he joins a roster that has several young receivers competing for playing time. Streeter will challenge LaQuan Williams, Tandon Doss and David Reed, most likely at the No. 4 receiver spot behind Anquan Boldin, Torrey Smith and newly-acquired veteran Jacoby Jones.

Streeter brings something different than any of the other receivers on the roster because of his size and speed, and one potential place for him to make an impact is in the red zone.

“That’s what I thrive at,” he said. “I feel I create a mismatch down there on jump-ball situations. Not just in the red zone but anywhere on the field being of my stature and my size. It’s rare that you find a guy who can run the way I can. That’s one thing that I’m looking to bring, [those] mismatch and jump-ball situations in the red zone.”

Streeter’s plan now is to continue working out and learning before the entire team reports back to Baltimore.

During that time he’s hoping to continue refining his game, so that when the season rolls around he can prove the Ravens made the right call in drafting him.

“I’m ready for whoever lines up in front of me,” he said. “I was looking to go second, third round, but God had a different purpose for me and things unfolded the way they did and I can’t do anything but be thankful for the position I’m in now.”

They learned how a practice works, went through some basic formations and did a variety drills. But for the most part, it’s just a day of first impressions:

• It’s easy to see why Eric DeCosta called Courtney Upshaw a “junkyard dog.” He’s built like defensive end Pernell McPhee, but Upshaw is up moving around at different positions. It makes sense considering Upshaw is just an inch shorter and eight pounds lighter than McPhee.
• Upshaw’s arms are huge.
• Upshaw’s strength was obvious, even when it wasn’t real contact. Coaches stressed it was all about fundamentals, but offensive players will know when Upshaw puts his hands on him.
• Upshaw did a very nice job in coverage on a couple instances. He recognized a swing pass on one play, and would have had a tackle for loss, drawing praise from Linebackers Coach Ted Monachino. He also had a tipped pass that was picked off.
• Guard/tackle Kelechi Osemele is massive. He looks like a bigger version of Michael Oher. He’s got active feet and looks very athletic for his 6-foot-5, 333-pound frame. He looks like he can maul people at guard.
• Wide receiver Tommy Streeter is more physically defined than expected. Maybe he’s been hitting the weight room this spring.
• Streeter can pluck the ball away from his frame. He had a few impressive catches both behind his body, low and high. He hasn’t grabbed any deep bombs yet.
• Streeter has some competition in the big-boy wide receiver battle. Undrafted rookie free agent Lamont Bryant of Morgan State is 6-foot-6, 230 pounds. That’s an inch taller and 10 pounds heavier than Streeter.
• Syracuse receiver Dorian Graham and Florida wideout Deonte Thompson can fly.
• Cornerback Asa Jackson has moxie. He plays with confidence and combines it with major speed and quickness out of his breaks. He broke on a couple balls that could have been interceptions.
• Rookie free agent kicker Justin Tucker hit a 55-yard field goal to end practice. The other rookies applauded him.