OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Ja'Kobi Lane has been one of the biggest stars of training camp league-wide and the biggest star of Baltimore Ravens camp. That continued Wednesday during Baltimore's joint practice with the Washington Commanders. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound rookie out of USC looks the part.
He can win 50-50 balls, make spectacular catches outside his frame and provide the type of size-skill combination Baltimore has long sought for Lamar Jackson. Just as importantly, Lane isn't only making plays against backups. He is earning extensive work with the first-team offense.
Still, I left Wednesday's practice with one question: How seriously should we take Lane's rapid rise? So I asked CBS Sports NFL reporter Matt Zenitz, who said the Ravens' enthusiasm surrounding Lane is very real. Within the first week of training camp, a Baltimore source told Zenitz that Lane was already a starter in 11 personnel and the team's No. 3 receiver alongside Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman.
"They're obviously very enthusiastic about what they've seen from him so far, and he's clearly had a great offseason," Zenitz said. There was one important caveat from a team source: "It is camp. We'll see what he does when the season starts." That is a fair warning.
Every August produces a breakout star or two whose regular-season role never matches the training camp hype. Lane hasn't taken an NFL snap that counts, and Bateman remains ahead of him in Baltimore's pecking order. That was evident Wednesday, too.
With Flowers sidelined, Bateman had a big day. He beat Commanders cornerback Amik Robertson twice during one-on-one drills and added several catches in team periods. Bateman hasn't lived up to his first-round billing through five NFL seasons, but he remains a talented player who could benefit from Baltimore's new offense -- and perhaps from the added competition created by drafting Lane (No. 80 overall) and Elijah Sarratt (No. 115 overall).
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