TEAM TO HIT THE FIELD AT 2:30 DAILY

By Joe Platania

Even though the Ravens' training camp won't have daily fan access for a second straight year, the team has settled on dates for its preseason workouts.

Ever since John Harbaugh became head coach, the team has adopted a split-reporting schedule.

The rookies, quarterbacks and last year's injured veterans will hit the Under Armour Performance Center practice field for the first time at 4 p.m. Tuesday, July 24, three days later than originally announced. They are expected to report July 23 for administrative procedures.

As for the remainder of the team, its administrative (report) day is Wednesday, July 25, with the entire squad starting full-team workouts July 26 at 2:30, the expected daily practice time for the majority of camp.

During the Harbaugh era, camp mode typically lasts up until the second preseason game. The projected schedule this year is no different, with the last camp-type practice taking place Wednesday, Aug. 15, two days before the team's home national-TV game against the Detroit Lions.

Technically, that means the last of the team's three stadium practices -- at Stevenson University at 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 19 -- won't be during the training-camp period, yet it is part of the Ravens' wish that fans get to see at least a few sessions in a stadium setting.

The other two such practices are set to take place at 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 4 (M&T Bank Stadium) and at 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 12 (Navy/Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, Annapolis).

The schedule also reflects the lessening of the physical toll on players brought about by commissioner Roger Goodell's player-safety initiatives.

For one thing, two-a-day practices are a thing of the past; the Ravens will have morning walk-throughs in advance of the 2:30 p.m. practices, which are expected to last at least 2.5 hours.

For another, during previous years, the first stretch of late-July and early-August practices usually took place during 10 consecutive days up until the first preseason game. That will no longer be the case.

Once full-team workouts begin July 26, the Ravens will have no streak longer than six consecutive practice days during the training-camp period. Off-days have been built into the schedule Aug. 5 and 10 to ensure the team stays fresh.

The Ravens currently have 87 players on their roster; the allowable training-camp maximum is 90. The team can release or waive players at any time.

But the two major cutdown deadlines are at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 28, when the team moves from 90 to 75, and at 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 31, when the final 53-man roster is constructed.

The eight-man practice squad can be built beginning at noon the following Sunday, Sept. 2, even though released players can sign with anyone in between final cuts Friday and the practice-squad construction.

This year's final cutdown date is a concession to the earlier national-TV regular-season opener on Wednesday, Sept. 5, between Dallas and the New York Giants.

Because that game was originally scheduled to take place the following night -- moved because of the Democratic National Convention -- the final cutdown date, which would have been Sept. 1, was also moved up 24 hours.

Posted June 29, 2012