Those who've been thirsting for Ravens football are happy that their preseason will begin Saturday night against the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium.
Yes, it's the preseason, but it's not meaningless.
The preseason is very important to players who are fighting for a roster spot or playing time. It also matters to first-year Head Coach Jesse Minter and his new coaching staff. Minter wants the Ravens to be physical, opportunistic, and disciplined no matter the season. Players and coaches will be focused on building winning habits that carry over into the regular season.
"The biggest feeling is just excited — just to see our team play and see if a lot of the identity and some of the things we have been talking about shows up on tape," Minter said.
"I'm excited about the game management and just going through the game with the different roles, different hats that I am trying to wear. It is a great opportunity to actually do it in a game, and I am definitely just excited about the whole thing."
Here are 10 things I'm thinking about heading into the preseason, all in 50 words or less: