With the draft just over a week away and the Ravens not being very active in free agency this offseason, much work remains on the 2023 team.
Still 30 spots to fill on the current offseason roster, general manager Eric DeCosta is only scheduled to make five picks in the draft, meaning Baltimore could be looking at its largest undrafted rookie class in years. Of course, it’s worth noting that May 1 marks the deadline for unrestricted free agent signings to count against the compensatory pick formula, meaning some veteran additions could be made in the near future. According to OverTheCap.com, the Ravens have just over $3 million in salary cap space, meaning some restructures and other contract adjustments are all but inevitable.
As we move deeper into the preseason, I’ll provide updates complete with 53-man roster projections of who’s in and who’s out. Following June’s mandatory minicamp, I’ll offer my early thoughts on which players appear to be safely on the roster, those who are on the bubble, and the individuals who remain long shots to crack the 53-man roster at summer’s end. We’ll continue with such projections during training camp and the preseason schedule.
Below is a look at where the roster stands as of April 19 with my current concern level and thoughts on each group (and the number in parentheses indicating how many players are at each position):
QUARTERBACKS (3) — Lamar Jackson* (unsigned franchise tag), Tyler Huntley* (unsigned restricted tender), Anthony Brown
Concern level: HIGH
Skinny: Even if you’re highly confident in Jackson returning for the 2023 season, the franchise quarterback remaining unsigned and requesting a trade in early March leaves the concern level high until he at least signs the tag, which could still be months away. In the meantime, the Ravens are doing their homework on the quarterbacks in this draft class, which included a reported visit with Florida’s Anthony Richardson this week. Given the uncertain status of both Jackson and Huntley, adding a quarterback on the final day of the draft is a decent bet, but taking one earlier than that would certainly add new intrigue to this seemingly never-ending saga
RUNNING BACKS & FULLBACKS (5) — J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, Justice Hill, Patrick Ricard, Ben Mason
Concern level: LOW
Skinny: With Dobbins and Edwards another year removed from their respective knee injuries and Hill returning as the No. 3 option, this group is in really good shape for the upcoming campaign. However, both Dobbins and Edwards will be free agents after 2023, meaning it would be wise to add a running back with long-term upside at some point during next week’s draft.
TIGHT ENDS (3) — Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely, Charlie Kolar
Concern level: LOW
Skinny: It will be interesting to see how this position evolves as the Ravens transition from Greg Roman to new offensive coordinator Todd Monken, but the tight end group remains in great shape with one of the league’s very best leading the way and two second-year options who flashed potential as rookies. When you include Ricard in this group, there’s less reason to believe adding another tight end is on the radar at this point.
WIDE RECEIVERS (9) — Odell Beckham Jr., Rashod Bateman, Devin Duvernay, Nelson Agholor, James Proche, Tylan Wallace, Shemar Bridges, Andy Isabella, Mike Thomas
Concern level: MODERATE
Skinny: The Ravens took a major financial swing by signing Beckham, but his one-year contract and injury history — as well as Bateman’s injury history — make it foolish to dismiss the possibility of DeCosta taking another early shot at a wide receiver in the draft. Still, healthy versions of Beckham and Bateman would give Baltimore its most intriguing duo at the position in a very long time.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (9) — Ronnie Stanley, Tyler Linderbaum, Kevin Zeitler, Morgan Moses, Patrick Mekari, Ben Cleveland, Daniel Faalele, John Simpson, David Sharpe
Concern level: LOW
Skinny: Yes, the Ravens need to figure out who will replace Ben Powers at left guard and Zeitler is entering the final year of his contract, so drafting a guard to compete with the likes of Cleveland and Simpson wouldn’t be surprising. Stanley finishing a season healthy for the first time since 2019 puts the offensive line in the best shape it’s enjoyed in a few years, which is good news for Jackson — or whoever is playing quarterback.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (6) — Michael Pierce, Justin Madubuike, Broderick Washington, Travis Jones, Brent Urban, Rayshad Nichols
Concern level: MODERATE
Skinny: Baltimore wasn’t going to pay a 37-year-old Calais Campbell $7 million, but his presence will still be tough to replace. Couple that with Pierce and Urban being on the wrong side of 30 and Madubuike and Washington entering the final year of their rookie contracts, and DeCosta adding a defensive tackle at any point in the draft shouldn’t be surprising. The development of Jones, a 2022 third-round pick, could be key in determining whether this group is merely solid or really good this coming season.
INSIDE LINEBACKERS (5) — Roquan Smith, Patrick Queen, Kristian Welch, Del’Shawn Phillips, Josh Ross
Concern level: LOW
Skinny: We can debate the long-term future of Queen after the Ravens signed Smith to a $100 million contract in January, but the 2020 first-round pick is scheduled to carry a modest $3.87 million salary cap number this season, meaning there’s no urgency to move him in a trade unless the return value makes it a no-brainer. The depth behind Smith and Queen doesn’t stand out even if you include Malik Harrison with the inside linebackers, so adding some developmental talent would make sense.
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS (6) — Tyus Bowser, Odafe Oweh, David Ojabo, Malik Harrison, Daelin Hayes, Jeremiah Moon
Concern level: HIGH
Skinny: After investing a first-round pick in Oweh and a second-round pick in Ojabo, you’d like this position group to not feel as unsettled, but those two still have much to prove — especially the former entering his third season — and there’s no guarantee the Ravens will have another summer reunion with a 34-year-old Justin Houston. That’s why edge rusher remains an early draft possibility even as more attention remains on cornerback and wide receiver.
CORNERBACKS (7) — Marlon Humphrey, Brandon Stephens, Damarion Williams, Jalyn Armour-Davis, Daryl Worley, Trayvon Mullen, BoPete Keyes
Concern level: HIGH
Skinny: Even if a veteran addition or two is still in the works, it’s difficult to imagine cornerback not being at the top of Baltimore’s early draft wishlist in the aftermath of the Beckham signing. That’s not to say Stephens, Williams, and Armour-Davis won’t continue to develop, but counting on any of them to be 2023 starters would be ambitious for a team with designs of a deep postseason run.
SAFETIES (4) — Marcus Williams, Kyle Hamilton, Geno Stone, Ar’Darius Washington
Concern level: LOW
Skinny: The Ravens will miss Chuck Clark’s veteran presence, but his departure felt inevitable from the moment Hamilton was drafted with the 14th overall pick last April. Re-signing Stone as the third safety was an underrated offseason move to keep this position group in strong shape overall, and it will be fun watching Hamilton transition to more of a safety role after spending much of his rookie year at the nickel spot.
SPECIALISTS (3) — Justin Tucker, Jordan Stout, Nick Moore
Concern level: LOW
Skinny: The Ravens will be expecting more from Stout in his second year as the punter, but there isn’t much to discuss here following the re-signing of Moore as the long snapper.
