With training camp and the first two preseason games in the rearview mirror, the Ravens are less than a week away from setting their initial 53-man roster.
This projection still considers track record, contract status, draft standing, and positional need in addition to what we’ve seen in practices and exhibition games over the last month. I currently project 49 players to comfortably be on the roster, leaving four spots to fill without considering any potential moves to injured reserve. Not all bubble players are on equal footing, of course, with certain position groups lacking established depth and others having so much talent that the numbers game could squeeze out someone otherwise deserving of a roster spot.
Though general manager Eric DeCosta, head coach John Harbaugh, and the rest of the staff and front office are cognizant of the numbers at each position, trying to arbitrarily pick a certain number of wide receivers or safeties isn’t the most accurate way of filling out a 53-man roster. We know the Ravens value reserves who excel on special teams, so they’ll look at players’ other attributes in addition to what they bring to their offensive or defensive positions when filling the back of the roster. How the new kickoff format impacts the makeup of special-teams contributors is also something to keep in mind.
The numbers in parentheses indicate how many players are projected to stick on the 53-man roster at each position. With final cutdown day looming on Aug. 27, I’ll provide a final 53-man roster prediction of who’s in and who’s out early next week.
QUARTERBACKS (2)
IN: Lamar Jackson, Josh Johnson
WRONG SIDE OF THE BUBBLE: Devin Leary
LONG SHOT: Emory Jones
Skinny: Neither rookie has flashed enough to warrant a 53-man roster spot, so the bet is the Ravens will hope to sneak Leary through waivers and accept the risk that he lands elsewhere. For what it’s worth, former backup Tyler Huntley is no sure thing to make Cleveland’s roster, so there’s one possibility for a practice-squad signing if Leary is indeed claimed and you prefer to do better than Jones.
RUNNING BACKS (3)
IN: Derrick Henry, Justice Hill, Rasheen Ali
WRONG SIDE OF THE BUBBLE: Owen Wright
LONG SHOT: Chris Collier, John Kelly
PHYSICALLY UNABLE TO PERFORM LIST: Keaton Mitchell
Skinny: I don’t feel strongly about the No. 3 running back battle and will revert to draft status to retain Ali after Wright spent all of 2023 on the practice squad. I also wouldn’t dismiss the chance of Baltimore keeping just Henry and Hill on the roster while simply elevating a third running back from the practice squad for early regular-season games since that’s really just a special-teams role anyway.
WIDE RECEIVERS (6)
IN: Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor, Tylan Wallace, Deonte Harty, Devontez Walker
WRONG SIDE OF THE BUBBLE: Anthony Miller, Russell Gage, Dayton Wade
LONG SHOT: Keith Kirkwood, Sean Ryan, Malik Cunningham, Isaiah Washington
Skinny: The name to watch here is Walker, who’s had an underwhelming summer and continues dealing with a rib injury. That’s not to say the fourth-round rookie is in any danger of being cut, but you have to wonder about the possibility of him going on IR, which would give him time to heal up and create more roster space for a veteran like Miller or Gage in the meantime.
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TIGHT ENDS & FULLBACKS (4)
IN: Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely, Charlie Kolar, Patrick Ricard
WRONG SIDE OF THE BUBBLE: none
LONG SHOT: Qadir Ismail, Riley Sharp, Mike Rigerman
Skinny: This group has been set all offseason, but there’s still some questions about Kolar’s blocking ability as the Ravens would prefer to be less predictable using Ricard as an in-line tight end. Of the three long shots, Ismail has flashed the most in practices and displayed the most growth since the spring, making him a fun candidate for the practice squad.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (9)
IN: Ronnie Stanley, Andrew Vorhees, Tyler Linderbaum, Daniel Faalele, Roger Rosengarten, Patrick Mekari, Josh Jones, Ben Cleveland, Nick Samac
WRONG SIDE OF THE BUBBLE: Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, Tashawn Manning
LONG SHOT: Darrian Dalcourt, Julian Pearl, Corey Bullock, Darrell Simpson
Skinny: The first eight appear to be comfortably on the roster while the seventh-round rookie Samac has made a late push to be the ninth lineman and backup center in the role held by Sam Mustipher last season. That said, you’d expect DeCosta to explore outside avenues to improve this unit’s depth at the very least, so this remains one of the more fluid position groups on the roster.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (5)
IN: Justin Madubuike, Michael Pierce, Travis Jones, Broderick Washington, Brent Urban
WRONG SIDE OF THE BUBBLE: none
LONG SHOT: Josh Tupou, C.J. Ravenell, Deadrin Senat, Tramel Walthour
Skinny: While this feels like the season Jones really begins seizing snaps from some of the veterans in the rotation, there isn’t much drama here beyond the lingering possibility of Urban doing another handshake deal with DeCosta for roster-maneuvering purposes. But with teams now allowed to place two players on short-term IR on cutdown day, such roster gymnastics aren’t as necessary.
INSIDE LINEBACKERS (4)
IN: Roquan Smith, Trenton Simpson, Chris Board, Josh Ross
WRONG SIDE OF THE BUBBLE: none
LONG SHOT: Yvandy Rigby, Deion Jennings
Skinny: Ross is projected to land on the right said of the bubble for now, but the versatility of Malik Harrison is something to remember if the Ravens believe they can get away with keeping just three exclusive inside linebackers. But for special-teams purposes at the very least, it’d be mildly surprising for Baltimore not to keep Ross, who’s been with the organization for a couple years.
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS (6)
IN: Odafe Oweh, Kyle Van Noy, Tavius Robinson, David Ojabo, Malik Harrison, Adisa Isaac
WRONG SIDE OF THE BUBBLE: none
LONG SHOT: Joe Evans
SEASON-ENDING INJURED RESERVE: Malik Hamm
Skinny: Harbaugh said Isaac’s latest “soft-tissue issue” isn’t as severe as the hamstring injury that sidelined him all offseason, but you wonder if it’s enough to land the third-round rookie on short-term IR, especially after how much practice time he’s missed this spring and summer. Ojabo’s preseason debut was encouraging, but this remains a position where DeCosta is likely exploring outside additions.
CORNERBACKS (6)
IN: Marlon Humphrey, Brandon Stephens, Nate Wiggins, T.J. Tampa, Jalyn Armour-Davis, Damarion Williams
INJURED RESERVE (DESIGNATED TO RETURN): Arthur Maulet
WRONG SIDE OF THE BUBBLE: Ka’dar Hollman, Trayvon Mullen
LONG SHOT: Christian Matthew, Bump Cooper Jr.
Skinny: Other IR moves are more speculative for now, but considering Harbaugh has all but confirmed Maulet (knee) will miss at least the first couple games of the season, it seems obvious to put him on IR and target a return in early October. That would create room for Damarion Williams for nickel depth, but it’s also worth noting Hollman has been a pretty consistent presence on special teams this summer.
SAFETIES (5)
IN: Marcus Williams, Kyle Hamilton, Eddie Jackson, Ar’Darius Washington, Beau Brade
WRONG SIDE OF THE BUBBLE: Sanoussi Kane, Daryl Worley
LONG SHOT: none
Skinny: It’s possible neither Brade nor Kane make the roster since we’re talking about an undrafted free agent and a seventh-round pick, but either rookie would figure to be a no-brainer for the practice squad with a chance to be elevated for a game-day role on special teams. That may be the route the Ravens go with Worley, who probably carries more value on special teams than as a safety at this point.
SPECIALISTS (3)
IN: Justin Tucker, Jordan Stout, Nick Moore
WRONG SIDE OF THE BUBBLE: none
LONG SHOT: Jack Browning
Skinny: Browning didn’t play in the second preseason game against Atlanta, so the guess is he’ll get some game reps in Green Bay before being waived next week.
