The Ravens organization has spent countless hours during the past six months trying to improve its roster, aggressively targeting the defense during free agency and in the draft, landing Pro Bowl receiver Jeremy Maclin in something of a late-spring coup and working with unproven young players who are expected to step into more significant roles.
The annual grind of training camp will be a critical time for the organization, and not just for the 15 or 20 players sitting on the roster bubble.
Having missed the playoffs in three of the past four seasons, the Ravens coaching staff and front office has to be feeling some heat in 2017.
