With the Ravens winning their first preseason game, it’s time to take stock of where the roster stands with final cuts roughly two weeks away.
In addition to having the first preseason game and three weeks of training camp practices to evaluate, this look at the roster considers track record, contract status, draft standing, and positional need. I currently see 48 players comfortably on the 53-man roster, leaving five spots to fill. 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 outside linebackers isn’t the most authentic way of filling out a 53-man roster. The Ravens value reserves who excel on special teams, so they’ll look carefully at other traits in addition to what individuals bring to their offensive or defensive position groups when filling out the bottom of the roster.
The numbers in parentheses indicate how many players are projected to stick on the 53-man roster at each position. As we move deeper into the preseason schedule, I’ll provide updated projections all the way to final cut-down day on Aug. 26.
QUARTERBACKS (2)
IN: Lamar Jackson, Cooper Rush
WRONG SIDE OF THE BUBBLE: none
LONG SHOT: Devin Leary
Skinny: Nothing has changed here other than the perception of Rush and Leary, who both fared poorly in the preseason opener. Harbaugh was particularly vocal about Leary’s struggles, so you wonder if the 2024 sixth-round pick is in danger of even playing himself off the practice squad at this point.
RUNNING BACKS (3)
IN: Derrick Henry, Justice Hill, Keaton Mitchell
WRONG SIDE OF THE BUBBLE: Rasheen Ali
LONG SHOT: Myles Gaskin, D’Ernest Johnson, Marcus Major
Skinny: Gaskin and Johnson should receive plenty of playing time in the next two preseason games, but Ali is the only one seriously in the running for a 53-man roster spot behind the top three. His skill as a kick returner helps his chances, but Mitchell is expected to be a real factor there as well.
TIGHT ENDS & FULLBACKS (4)
IN: Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely, Charlie Kolar, Patrick Ricard
WRONG SIDE OF THE BUBBLE: none
LONG SHOT: Zaire Mitchell-Paden, Scotty Washington, Baylor Cupp, Lucas Scott
Skinny: Likely’s uncertain status for the start of the regular season opens the door for someone like Mitchell-Paden or Washington for more depth, but the Ravens could just as easily put those guys on their practice squad and use game-day elevations for the first few weeks of the season if necessary.
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WIDE RECEIVERS (6)
IN: Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, DeAndre Hopkins, Tylan Wallace, Devontez Walker, LaJohntay Wester
WRONG SIDE OF THE BUBBLE: none
LONG SHOT: Dayton Wade, Anthony Miller, Keith Kirkwood, Malik Cunningham, Jahmal Banks, Xavier Guillory
Skinny: Barring a plague of fumbles over the next two weeks, the sixth-round rookie Wester all but locked up his roster spot with an outstanding performance in the first preseason game. Wade and Miller do flash, but neither has stood out enough to warrant serious consideration as a seventh wide receiver, especially when both spent last year on the practice squad.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (9)
IN: Ronnie Stanley, Andrew Vorhees, Tyler Linderbaum, Daniel Faalele, Roger Rosengarten, Joseph Noteboom, Ben Cleveland, Carson Vinson, Corey Bullock
WRONG SIDE OF THE BUBBLE: Darrian Dalcourt, Nick Samac, Garrett Dellinger
LONG SHOT: Gerad Lichtenhan, Jared Penning, Reid Holskey
NON-FOOTBALL INJURY LIST: Emery Jones Jr.
Skinny: The backup center competition took an interesting turn with Bullock — a former Terp who spent 2024 on the practice squad — starting at center in the preseason opener with Linderbaum sitting out. Dalcourt and Samac remain in that mix, but Bullock looks like the leader at this stage. A seventh-round rookie out of LSU, Dellinger needs to start making his push if he’s going to give himself a strong chance to make the roster. Jones probably needs to start practicing in the next week or so to avoid beginning the regular season on the NFI list as he works his way back from offseason shoulder surgery.
DEFENSIVE LINEMEN (5)
IN: Nnamdi Madubuike, Travis Jones, Broderick Washington, John Jenkins, Aeneas Peebles
WRONG SIDE OF THE BUBBLE: Brent Urban, C.J. Ravenell, C.J. Okoye
LONG SHOT: Adedayo Odeleye, Jayson Jones
Skinny: Though Baltimore has gone with fewer defensive linemen in recent years, the return of Urban to the preseason roster and a solid summer for Ravenell still leave roster considerations for this group. The 370-pound Okoye is a fascinating prospect, but that development will probably continue on the practice squad with the potential to be promoted down the line.
INSIDE LINEBACKERS (4)
IN: Roquan Smith, Trenton Simpson, Teddye Buchanan, Jake Hummel
WRONG SIDE OF THE BUBBLE: Jay Higgins
LONG SHOT: William Kwenkeu, Chandler Martin
Skinny: The top four are set here, but Higgins took full advantage of his opportunities in the second half, which is all you can ask from an undrafted rookie. His practical path to a roster spot is special teams, of course, so it’ll be interesting to see if the coaches increase his opportunities against Dallas.
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS (6)
IN: Odafe Oweh, Kyle Van Noy, Tavius Robinson, Mike Green, Adisa Isaac, David Ojabo
WRONG SIDE OF THE BUBBLE: none
LONG SHOT: Malik Hamm, Kaimon Rucker
Skinny: Though Ojabo remains one of the last players to make the 53 in this projection, you wonder if DeCosta will try to dangle him in a trade with another team in a swap of depth at different positions. Injuries have robbed Hamm of valuable on-field development, so he’d be a better fit for the practice squad at this point.
CORNERBACKS (6)
IN: Marlon Humphrey, Nate Wiggins, Jaire Alexander, Chidobe Awuzie, T.J. Tampa, Jalyn Armour-Davis
WRONG SIDE OF THE BUBBLE: none
LONG SHOT: Marquise Robinson, Keyon Martin, M.J. Devonshire
INJURED RESERVE: Bilhal Kone, Robert Longerbeam
Skinny: Season-ending knee injuries to a pair of sixth-round picks won’t alter what the defense is expected to look like in the regular season. However, assuming at least one of Kone and Longerbeam would have made the roster, the talented but oft-injured Armour-Davis is now all but a lock to make the team, especially with him showing improved ability to play in the slot as well as on the outside.
SAFETIES (5)
IN: Kyle Hamilton, Malaki Starks, Sanoussi Kane, Beau Brade, Reuben Lowery
WRONG SIDE OF THE BUBBLE: none
LONG SHOT: Desmond Igbinosun, Keondre Jackson
PHYSICALLY UNABLE TO PERFORM LIST: Ar’Darius Washington
Skinny: The undrafted rookie Lowery remains an interesting name since he has practiced at every secondary position and has regularly made plays on the football going back to spring workouts. Kane is the clear leader to be the top reserve behind Hamilton and Starks, but the Ravens recently worked out veteran safety Jordan Whitehead, a sign that they’re still considering upgrading the No. 3 safety position. Such a move could push Lowery and even Brade to the wrong side of the bubble.
SPECIALISTS (3)
IN: Jordan Stout, Nick Moore, Tyler Loop
WRONG SIDE OF THE BUBBLE: none
LONG SHOT: none
Skinny: Loop’s summer battle with fellow rookie John Hoyland didn’t last long, but the sixth-round pick still needs to win the job from a perception standpoint to keep the Ravens from bringing in a veteran kicker with Week 1 less than four weeks away. He missed a 46-yard field goal before making one from 52 in the preseason opener, so you’d like to see him be perfect over the final two exhibition games.
