Purple Friday Links: Preseason Recap & New Signings for Ravens

First and foremost, before we start going for the panic button, let’s remember that this is only preseason.

Yesterday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles was merely practice and a chance for the Ravens rookies to get their feet wet. Plus, without OTAs this season, training camp has been much shorter than normal. Let’s cut the players some slack and allow them to develop throughout preseason. We can do the real judging come Week 1 vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Moving on. In case you (fortunately) missed yesterday’s game, here are some links to recap on their performance and on things we learned:

• O-line needs a lot of work. Giving up 6 sacks, the Ravens Offensive Linemen looked lost last night. Oniel Cousins was getting beat by 3 different guys and coveted Michael Oher looked like he kept getting blind sided. [Ravens Insider]

• Taylor Shakes Off Hits, Shows Poise. Rookie mistakes were expected from QB Tyrod Taylor: 2 interceptions, 55.5 quarterback rating and going 19-28. However, his impressive last drive nearly brought the game to a tie. There is definitely some potential, but will he be ready as a backup? That leads to the next point… [BaltimoreRavens.com]

• The Baltimore Ravens need to add a veteran QB to the roster. Adding a veteran backup QB will definitely help both Joe Flacco and rookie Tyrod Taylor’s development. [thePigskinReport]

• Pollard stands out among Ravens’ newcomers. Newcomer Safety Bernard Pollard was, hands down, the Ravens MVP of the game. Notching a blitz and forcing an intentional grounding by the quarterback, Pollard showed lots of physical and aggressive Ravens-style play. [The Baltimore Sun]

• Pitta’s Acrobatics Lead Ravens Receivers. Sophomore TE Dennis Pitta had the best night amongst the receiving corps, catching 4 passes for 47 yards. Althought he dropped a wide open pass, Pitta showed that he could step up and possibly be the Todd Heap-replacement we have been hoping for. [BaltimoreRavens.com]

• Ravens trade 4th-round pick for Lee Evans. The biggest news of today has to be the acquisition of former Bills WR Lee Evans. Yesterday’s game made clear that we were lacking at the WR position, so trading a 4th round pick seems to be a great move. [Ravens Insider]