Ravens voluntary OTA summary for 2012…

As Under Armour Corp. just scored the naming rights for the Ravens’ training facility in Owings Mills, voluntary OTA’s ended with the news that old veteran guard Bobbie Williams had just been signed for insurance and/or as a training camp mentor.

I find it difficult to believe that Williams is really being considered as a plausible candidate for left guard. At age 35, he’s played most of his career on the right side. Plus, he’s coming off a serious injury in 2011.

Bobbie Williams was drafted out of Arkansas in the 2nd round by the Eagles in 2000. He’s 6-4, 340… He played 3 years with Philadelphia from 2001 to 2003, then started for the Bengals from 2004 to 2011…He finished 2011 on Cincinnati’s injured reserve list.

Williams fractured his right ankle against the Houston Texans last season and ended the year on injured reserve. The 35-year-old Williams could step in as a potential replacement for Pro Bowl offensive guard Ben Grubbs, who signed a $36 million deal with the Saints…but I doubt it. I see him more as a possible backup for Marshall Yanda at right guard.

Quick Hits

• “Nigel Carr, who was signed as a rookie free agent out of Alabama State, keeps making us notice him,” wrote Matt Vensel. “At the end of the practice, he picked off a John Brantley pass over the middle. It’s too early to say which undrafted player will be the next Jameel McClain or LaQuan Williams, but I like Carr and wide receiver Deonte Thompson as my favorite longshots heading into the minicamp and training camp. Remember those names.” [The Baltimore Sun]
• jeffzrebiecsun: Guys not present at #Ravens OTAs: R.Lewis, Ngata, Suggs, R.Rice, E.Reed, Pollard, Leach, Ayabandejo, McClain, Yanda, Birk, Boldin, J.Reid [Twitter]

Williams’ Recovery Ahead Of Schedule … Last Thursday, cornerback Cary Williams, who underwent offseason hip surgery, said he expected to return to individual drills at the team’s mandatory minicamp scheduled for next week. But he was actually able to participate in those drills during the final voluntary practice.

McPhee, Reid Have Minor Injuries?…  it appears defensive end Pernell McPhee and Jah Reid might be dealing with minor injuries as neither participated in practice on Thursday, according to The Sun’s Jeff Zrebiec and CSNBaltimore.com’s John Eisenberg. “McPhee has been getting treatment in the building,” tweeted Zrebiec. “He and Jah Reid have not been participating though.”

Added Eisenberg: “Second-year offensive lineman Jah Reid, who is competing for a starting spot, was also not present for a second straight week, leading to speculation that he might be dealing with an injury. The Ravens haven’t addressed Reid’s status.”

WR Jacoby Jones Has ‘Superb’ Practice …  During this week’s session open to the media, Jones had a “superb” practice, according to CBSSports.com’s Jason Butt. “Jones completed his best practice out of the three OTA sessions the media has been able to view,’ Butt wrote. “Jones struggled with some drops in previous outings but caught everything thrown his way Wednesday. Jones worked primarily on the outside during team drills.”

Confidence Rating Of Backup QB Tyrod Taylor… Quarterback Joe Flacco hasn’t missed a start his entire four-year career (73 starts, including playoffs). But if a backup quarterback should be called upon this season, it would likely be 2011 sixth-rounder Tyrod Taylor. The Ravens also signed four-year veteran Curtis Painter this offseason; he started eight games last season under new Ravens Quarterbacks Coach Jim Caldwell in Indianapolis.  

ESPN’s Jamison Hensley gave a confidence rating to the Ravens’ backup quarterback should Flacco go down for an extended period of time. Out of 100, Hensley gave Baltimore an 18, clearly showing he has little faith in the talent behind Flacco. “The Ravens haven’t been consistent in the amount of importance they’ve placed on the backup quarterback position recently,” the blogger wrote. “Baltimore went from having one of the most experienced and expensive backups in Marc Bulger in 2010 to a rookie sixth-round pick in Tyrod Taylor last season. Taylor has completed one pass in three brief appearances.”

For comparison’s sake, below are the confidence ratings Hensley gave to the other backup quarterbacks in the division: Steelers’ Byron Leftwich and Charlie Batch: 71….Bengals’ Bruce Gradkowski: 63….Browns’ Colt McCoy and Seneca Wallace: 46.

Going into mandatory minicamp coming up, QB will not be the only position that still has backup questions.