Five standouts from the Ravens-Eagles joint practices

Nick Boyle was one of the few offensive standouts for the Ravens in these practices, connecting with quarterback Matt Schaub for several big completions in game-like situations that caught the eye of coach John Harbaugh. It’s safe to say he’ll be in a bigger role than the Ravens expected him to be this year, but he’s shown against the Eagles, right down the road from his alma mater, the University of Delaware, that he could be ready.

Darren Waller seemed to be hitting the rookie wall a bit, but he’s come on of late to make himself a really interesting candidate to add a new element to the Ravens’ passing attack. With his size and ability to go up and make a catch, Waller can be what Marlon Brown was in his rookie season. He seems like a player who is still developing and isn’t anywhere near his playing peak, but he too could contribute earlier than expected.

There’s a common thread to those last two players, and it’s who is primarily getting them the ball. Matt Schaub has taken big steps forward through this camp, the product of getting regular and meaningful football after essentially two years on the downswing. He’ll have his blips — a sideline interception for a touchdown set off the Eagles defense Thursday — but Schaub well and truly has come a long way during this camp, to the point that Ravens coaches are privately confident that they have one of the best backups possible.

Rashaan Melvin has one of the most meaningful opportunities on the roster this training camp, with Lardarius Webb sidelined with his hamstring issue and Melvin getting first-team snaps in his place. He has really come into his own, being one of the few defensive backs to find success against the fast-paced Eagles attack and trying to prove last year’s performance against the Patriots in the postseason won’t be a regular occurrence.