The Baltimore Ravens’ rules restricting the use of video cameras and cell phones during practice are about protecting their playbook, the team said this week after speculation swirled online that the policy was aimed at cutting down on the scrutiny of quarterback Lamar Jackson’s throwing mechanics.
After ESPN reporter Jamison Henley tweeted that the team barred the media from videoing Jackson throwing during minicamp in Owings Mills, Maryland, on Wednesday, a team source told Ravens Wire that the policy applies only when multiple quarterbacks are throwing to receivers.
Otherwise, the media is allowed to video Jackson throwing the ball. The policy was put in place as an effort to not reveal new plays and route concepts the organization is installing for the upcoming season.
Jackson has led the team to the playoffs each of the three years he’s been in the league and was the NFL MVP in 2019, but has been criticized for coming up short in the postseason and has faced questions about his atypical, sidearm throwing motion since his rookie year.
The Ravens’ policy isn’t unheard of in the league.
In 2020, the Seattle Seahawks only allowed the media to watch practice for the first 10 minutes, giving writers a chance to see who was present and who wasn’t.
Seattle took it a step further when they held a scrimmage at their stadium during training camp, allowing photographers to take photos only during the warmup period, not during game play.
The Green Bay Packers also adjusted their media policies for the 2020 training camp with a rule that the media could not report anything about a projected starting lineup or if certain players were rotating in during practice. The policy included any tweets, articles or broadcast stories that reporters were creating.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.