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Joe Flacco's improvement has been noticeable during the Ravens' full-team minicamp this weekend.
The second-year quarterback is hitting receivers deep on a more consistent basis, and he's more accurate in throwing the intermediate routes.
Still, according to linebacker Ray Lewis, people are looking in the wrong place to find where Flacco has made the biggest jump from his rookie season. It's not on the field. It's on the sideline.
"He understands that he is the quarterback of our team," Lewis said. "Just seeing the communication that he has with the guys … he's always trying to fix something, tweak something that the guy should be working on. That's the biggest thing."
It was one year ago - May 9, 2008, to be exact - that Flacco took his first snaps for the Ravens.
He didn't know the plays. He didn't know the players.
Now, when Troy Smith and John Beck are taking their turns at quarterback, Flacco is still the quarterback, talking to his wide receivers and tight ends off to the side about how they can make that last play better.
"I'm a guy who likes to come in here and mind my own business, let everybody do their own thing and not really step on anybody's toes," Flacco said of his mind-set last year. "And now I know who everybody is, I know everybody better, so I feel more capable of having a real relationship with a lot of the guys. So, therefore, that helps me grow as a leader."
Flacco felt pressure as soon as he stepped into Ravens headquarters last season.
He wanted to validate his first-round selection. He wanted to win the quarterback competition.
Flacco even acknowledged that his focus was to complete every pass in the offseason camps, and he felt bad when he didn't.
With Flacco's role now solidified, his offseason philosophy has been tweaked.
"I'm not really worried about what I look like right now," said Flacco, who didn't start throwing passes again until March 16. "I'm worried about going out there and trying to get better. I'm able to come out here and practice, and have a good time doing it."
One problem for the Ravens' offense over the years was a lack of leadership at quarterback.
From Elvis Grbac to Jeff Blake to Anthony Wright to Kyle Boller, there was an issue with either personality or performance that hurt their ability to rally teammates around them.
Flacco, though, is considered the complete package.
"Last year, he was just feeling everything out," wide receiver Derrick Mason said. "As the season went on, you could see him open up more and more. Now, he knows he is 'the guy.' As 'the guy,' you have to be able to interact with everybody. But that's his personality. Now, he's just full-fledged Joe."
While team officials have been encouraged by Flacco's strides so far, some believe his leadership will truly flourish when tested.
"Until we're in game situations, we're probably not going to see some of that leadership grow as much, because right now we're working on fundamentals and techniques," offensive coordinator Cam Cameron said. "I think he understands that you've got to let your leadership flow naturally, not force it."
NOTES: Le'Ron McClain, the Ravens' leading rusher from last season, is back to being the team's starting fullback. McClain, though, would prefer to be the one getting the carries. "With the success I had last year at halfback, I'm leaning more toward tailback," he said. "But you know me: I'll do whatever to help the team."
Kelly Gregg said he no longer feels any "twinges" when he plants to make a cut. The affable nose tackle hasn't practiced in full-team drills in nine months and missed every game last season after having microfracture surgery on his left knee in October. "The only way I'm going out is on my back, so we'll see how it goes," he said.
Three months after having neck surgery, Dawan Landry has taken back his spot as the Ravens' starting strong safety. He missed the final 14 games last season when he suffered a spinal-cord concussion while tackling Cleveland Browns running back Jamal Lewis. "I was never nervous," Landry said. "I knew once the body felt fine, I would feel fine. It feels good right now. It feels good to be back."
Ray Lewis said new defensive coordinator Greg Mattison is so old-school that "he's like your granddad." Added Lewis: "Greg has been in the game for longer than when most of us were born. So just understanding that part of it gives him great credibility, really makes him who he is." Lewis is right about this point. Mattison is in his 38th year of coaching. The oldest Raven on defense is Lewis, who turned 34 in May.
Rudy Gay, who plays for the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies and graduated from Archbishop Spalding, visited Ravens headquarters. Looking for height at wide receiver, the Ravens probably could have used the 6-foot-8 forward at practice.
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