With the Ravens forming their 53-man roster and practice squad ahead of the start of the 2024 regular season next Thursday night, I’ve offered a dozen thoughts, each in 50 words or less:
1. John Harbaugh recently said, “I understand why the concern” on the offensive line. Eric DeCosta acknowledged there could be “a couple of hiccups along the way” while maintaining long-term optimism. Perhaps this group will be fine, but such comments validate uneasiness about a team with a championship-caliber roster otherwise.
2. Cutdown day was as predictable as it gets when 2022 fourth-round pick Damarion Williams qualifies as the biggest “surprise” cut. Anxiety over undrafted rookies and preseason standouts clearing waivers and making it to the practice squad is almost always unfounded, but I know we’ll do it all again next year.
3. I wrote as little this summer as I can remember about Lamar Jackson because what’s there to really say about a two-time league MVP simply getting ready for the season? Asked what’s stood out, DeCosta said, “His urgency as a leader. … I’m seeing his personality kind of come out more.”
4. DeCosta sounded unconcerned about the lack of a third quarterback on the roster, and I tend to agree. Losing two quarterbacks in a game is such an unlikely scenario on which to burn a roster spot unless you really like someone’s long-term upside. Devin Leary didn’t show nearly enough.
5. If Jackson suffers a short-term injury, you ask Josh Johnson to be a game manager and give Derrick Henry the ball 30 times to try to grind out a win. I’m more concerned about the offensive line’s ability to keep the franchise quarterback healthy and upright in the first place.
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6. DeCosta has shown a willingness to pivot to a veteran signing or an in-season trade to help the edge rush, but you sense sincere optimism about David Ojabo and Tavius Robinson. Of course, that’s assuming Odafe Oweh takes the next step and Kyle Van Noy defies Father Time another year.
7. The Ravens working out Lawrence Guy was somewhat surprising considering the stability of the defensive line, but Michael Pierce and Brent Urban both carry injury histories while Broderick Washington is coming off a disappointing season. I still anticipate Travis Jones taking a big step forward for this unit.
8. The wide receiver group appears to be in an all-too-familiar spot with questionable depth, especially if something were to happen to Zay Flowers. That said, this passing game is in great shape at tight end — the position Jackson prefers throwing to anyway — with Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely.
9. Beau Brade was a good summer story with DeCosta saying, “He won the job. He took the job. And in the end, he deserved being on the team, and that’s what it was all about.” The former Terp’s physicality should shine on special teams as he continues developing at safety.
10. My takeaway regarding the underwhelming preseason performance is the back half of the 90-man roster not being as formidable as recent summers when backups dominated opponents’ reserves. The long preseason win streak didn’t amount to much in the big picture, so I wouldn’t buy this being a red flag either.
11. Baltimore announcing its cuts four-plus hours after the deadline is the difference between being casually late to a party and showing up when most people are leaving. You’re hoping to arrive unnoticed, but waiting too long probably draws more attention than if you’d just shown up on time. Oh well.
12. Asked about Super Bowl expectations, DeCosta cited great teams that didn’t win championships and noted the 2012 team “got hot late” before saying he ultimately doesn’t subscribe to a season without a championship being a failure. That’s perfectly reasonable nuance, but good luck selling that to fans at this point.
