Lamar Jackson’s pass pierced the air, headed for Mark Andrews’ outstretched hands as the tight end carved space between two defenders. Andrews crashed to the ground with the ball secured, and all seemed right again in a Ravens world that had been temporarily unsettled by Jackson’s absence from training camp because of a persistent illness.

Quarterback No. 1 returned for his first full practice of training camp Saturday after an aborted attempt to come back three days earlier, and his energy was infectious, lifting the team’s offense to its best performance of the week. Every move he made prompted a loving outcry from the hundreds of young fans watching closely.

“Lamar brings that leader role but also obviously that smile,” tight end Isaiah Likely said. “It’s infectious for not only the offense but the whole team, knowing your leader is here.”

Jackson wasn’t perfect. He threw behind Likely and into the arms of cornerback Marlon Humphrey on an early one-on-one rep. He overshot rookie wide receiver Devontez Walker on a deep ball in 11-on-11 work and handed Humphrey another pick when he sailed a throw over Nelson Agholor’s outstretched arms.

But he dialed in as the practice rolled on, feathering a touch pass to Likely for a big gain in the middle of the field, finding Andrews for that catch in traffic and finishing the drive with a touchdown strike to Agholor. After that score, Jackson slapped hands or bumped helmets with every player on the offense, his enthusiasm making as strong an impression as his execution.

He was no longer dragging as he had Wednesday, when he lasted about an hour as he struggled through the illness that had team doctors concerned enough to send him for precautionary tests.

The unease associated with his absence faded quickly. Jackson looked like himself, and the Ravens were back to orbiting their star.

Isaiah Likely gets the better of Kyle Hamilton

As Likely pointed out, his matchups with his 2022 draft classmate have been training camp highlights for the past three years. As rookies, they seemed to line up against one another seven times a practice. It happens less frequently now, but when it does, it’s a treat to watch the fast, crafty, 6-foot-4 tight end try to create space against the fast, crafty 6-4 safety.

Likely did just that Saturday, freezing Hamilton with a stutter step during a one-on-one rep and gliding down the sideline to catch an easy lob from Jackson. He beat Hamilton again later in practice.

“When we see each other, we know, OK, this might be the only one I get,” Likely said of the friendly sparring. “So I can’t have him talking about me. Whether I win one or he wins one, we always want to talk and say, ‘Hey, why did you do that a certain way?’ Win, lose or draw on my rep, I always feel like I got better.”

That kind of instructive competition helps mitigate the drudgery of training camp, he said.

Likely became one of Jackson’s favorite targets down the stretch last season as he helped the team endure Andrews’ serious ankle injury. The Ravens hope the pair of gifted pass catchers will shine together in 2024.

“It’s the chemistry between him and Lamar,” tight ends coach George Godsey said when asked what has him most excited about Likely’s third NFL season. “He’s a guy we’re moving all over the place. He’s getting the extra work. He’s asking the good questions. The chemistry is there. The communication, it’s been wonderful listening to him and Lamar work together.”