BALTIMORE — Now, the decisions begin.
The Baltimore Ravens wrapped up a dominant preseason with a 41-3 win over the Washington Commanders Friday night at M&T Bank Stadium. In going 3-0 in the preseason, Jesse Minter’s team outscored the opposition 78-13.
Minter kept most of his starters, and even some top backups, on the sideline throughout the preseason, so the team’s performance is a strong endorsement of its depth. That inevitably leads to tough decisions for general manager Eric DeCosta.
The Ravens have to cut their roster down to 53 by Sunday at 6 p.m. ET. They then will bring back many of the players they cut to their practice squad if they clear waivers. Practice squads will start forming Monday.
The uncertain health statuses of defensive end Nnamdi Madubuike, inside linebacker Teddye Buchanan and cornerback Bilhal Kone add a layer of difficulty in projecting the 53-man roster, but here’s our attempt to do just that.
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Quarterback (2)
In: Lamar Jackson, Tyler Huntley
Out: Joe Fagnano, Austin Reed
IR: Skylar Thompson
Toughest call: Waiving Fagnano in hopes he’ll clear and return to the practice squad
It’s been treated like a foregone conclusion throughout the offseason that the Ravens would go with just two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. That still could be their direction. The team’s decision-makers have repeatedly shown that they don’t place much value on rostering a third quarterback.
Still, the undrafted rookie out of UConn has forced them to make a difficult call. He’s played with poise and made some impressive throws and decisions. He certainly looks like a developmental quarterback a team would want to keep around. Fagnano played well enough that Baltimore can’t be too comfortable about the prospects of him clearing waivers, either.
Running back (4)
In: Derrick Henry, Justice Hill, Rasheen Ali, Adam Randall
Out: Elijah Tau-Tolliver, Jonathan Ward, Dontae McMillan
Toughest call: Keeping four backs rather than a third quarterback
There isn’t much ambiguity in the roster decisions on offense, but this is an area that could go either way. Neither Ali nor Randall has done enough to separate themselves as the clear winner of the No. 3 job, and Ali missed a lot of time with an undisclosed injury this summer.
The No. 3 back is expected to influence special teams far more than the offense, so that could give an edge to Ali, who played 55 percent of the team’s special teams snaps last year. However, the Ravens do not like cutting mid-round rookie draft picks, and Randall, a fifth-rounder, was owner Steve Bisciotti’s handpicked selection. That’s why it’s easy to foresee a scenario where both Ali and Randall make it.
Wide receiver (6)
In: Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Ja’Kobi Lane, Devontez Walker, Elijah Sarratt, LaJohntay Wester
Out: Chris Moore, Xavier Guillory, Dayton Wade, Cornelius Johnson, Octavian Smith Jr., Cortez Braham Jr.
Toughest call: Deciding which two or three receivers to keep on the practice squad
The top five were all but set when training camp began a month ago, and Wester, as the team’s top punt returner, seemed close to a lock as long as he avoided ball-security issues during camp. He’s done that, and he’s shown promise as a wide receiver, too.
None of the other receivers really made much of a roster push, and Guillory, Wade and Smith battled injuries. Moore, given his experience and special teams ability, is probably a guy the Ravens would like to keep on the practice squad.
Tight end (4)
In: Mark Andrews, Durham Smythe, Matt Hibner, Josh Cuevas
Out: Ty Pezza, Lucas Scott (fullback)
Toughest call: Choosing between Hibner and Cuevas for the more prominent role
This is another position that’s been mostly set since before training camp started. The Ravens figure to rely heavily on tight ends in Declan Doyle’s offense and on special teams. With no true fullback being utilized, keeping four tight ends is hardly an imposition to the rest of the roster.
The only real decision will come on whether both Hibner and Cuevas can be active on game day, but the Ravens have time to sort that out.
Offensive line (9)
In: Ronnie Stanley, John Simpson, Vega Ioane, Roger Rosengarten, Jovaughn Gwyn, Ethan Pocic, Carson Vinson, Emery Jones Jr., Andrew Vorhees
Out: Corey Bullock, David Sharpe, Evan Beerntsen, Gerad Lichtenhan, Diego Pounds, Nick Dawkins
IR: Danny Pinter
Toughest call: Deciding who gets the ninth and final spot
The Ravens have gone with 10 offensive linemen before, but there’s not an obvious choice for that spot this year. Bullock missed so much time this summer, and Sharpe just signed about a week ago. Beerntsen, a rookie seventh-rounder, has played sparingly. Lichtenhan wasn’t able to build off a solid preseason opener.
Vorhees, the former starter at left guard, struggled at times, too. But his spot felt relatively secure once he agreed to a contract alteration. It feels like Pinter going down cleared up any ambiguity.
Defensive line (6)
In: Nnamdi Madubuike, Travis Jones, Calais Campbell, Broderick Washington Jr., John Jenkins, Aeneas Peebles
Out: C.J. Okoye, Rayshaun Benny, David Olajiga, Dion Wilson Jr., Aaron Graves
Toughest call: Putting Madubuike on the active roster or starting him on injured reserve to give him another month-plus to clear mental and physical hurdles
Minter wasn’t definitive about whether Madubuike, who hasn’t progressed to team drills yet, will be ready for Week 1. The Ravens and Madubuike have been taking it extremely slow in his return from a neck injury. If the Ravens feel he still needs a few more weeks or even if he’ll be in a part-time role early in the season, it sure makes sense to keep an extra defensive lineman. They have also talked about limiting Campbell’s snaps early.
Peebles should have the edge on Okoye and Benny for the last spot, because his interior pass-rush ability adds diversity to the group. However, Peebles playing late in the final preseason game did feel ominous.
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Outside linebacker (5)
In: Trey Hendrickson, Tavius Robinson, Mike Green, Zion Young, Adisa Isaac
Out: Ethan Burke, Kaimon Rucker
Toughest call: Deciding whether to go with Isaac, Burke or Rucker for that fifth spot
The Ravens’ top four are set, and they’d probably be comfortable going into the season with just Hendrickson, Robinson, Green and Young on the 53. Yet, it’s always difficult for them to move on from an early-to-mid-round pick, and Isaac is a 2024 third-rounder who just hasn’t had a chance to develop because of injuries. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Ravens find a way to keep him and buy a little more time.
An undrafted free agent out of Texas, Burke has outplayed Isaac this summer and made a clear case. But he’s probably more likely to clear waivers than Isaac, and Day 2 draft picks get more time than undrafted free agents.
Inside linebacker (4)
In: Roquan Smith, Trenton Simpson, Teddye Buchanan, Jay Higgins IV
Out: Carl Jones Jr. (IR candidate), Dominic DeLuca, Jamon Johnson, Michael Barrett
Toughest call: Determining whether Buchanan is close enough to game action to start him on the 53
Injuries have wreaked havoc on this position group and probably simplified decisions. Carl Jones, for one, was viewed as a strong candidate for the No. 4 inside linebacker/core special-teamer role, but he’s been out since early in camp. Jamon Johnson was a late signing, but a thumb injury took him out of the mix.
Higgins, a second-year undrafted free agent, has had a solid camp and appears to have the inside track for the No. 4 inside linebacker spot. However, DeLuca has opened up some eyes this summer as a rookie free agent and made the most of his preseason starter reps.
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Cornerback (6)
In: Marlon Humphrey, Nate Wiggins, Chidobe Awuzie, T.J. Tampa, Keyon Martin, Chandler Rivers
Out: Bilhal Kone (possible IR), Robert Longerbeam, Marquise Robinson, Amani Oruwariye, Lardarius Webb Jr.
Toughest call: Moving on from both Kone and Longerbeam
This is, by far, the most difficult position to whittle down. Kone and Longerbeam, both 2025 sixth-round picks, have played well enough to secure spots. Marquise Robinson and Oruwariye have been pretty good, too.
Kone’s recent undisclosed injury has complicated matters, because he seemed well on his way to earning his place. The issue is the Ravens simply don’t have enough spots to accommodate all of their deserving corners.
If they keep just four outside linebackers or five interior defensive linemen, that would create room to carry seven corners. Anything beyond seven would be prohibitive to the rest of the roster. The Ravens want to keep as many talented corners as possible, but it’s going to take some roster gymnastics to get it done.
Jettisoning Kone, in particular, would hurt, given the promise he’s shown and how hard he’s worked to return from a significant knee injury. He could be one of the guys the Ravens put on IR with plans for him to return.
Safety (4)
In: Kyle Hamilton, Malaki Starks, Jaylinn Hawkins, Keondre Jackson
Out: K’Von Wallace, Silas Walters
IR: Jahquez Robinson
Toughest call: Deciding whether to keep Wallace or go with just four safeties
Wallace’s status is the only question here. The veteran has had a good camp and played well in the preseason games. For a team that will have three safeties on the field on just about every defensive snap, it certainly would make sense to keep a fifth safety, particularly one with extensive starting experience.
However, as a vested veteran, Wallace doesn’t go through waivers. They could talk him into agreeing to join the practice squad with a promise to elevate him to the game day roster early in the season.
Specialists (3)
In: Tyler Loop (kicker), Ryan Eckley (punter), Nick Moore (long snapper)
Out: Nobody
Toughest call: Sticking with Loop
Despite all the outside angst, the Ravens continue to show faith in their young kicker. They never even brought in another kicker to challenge Loop or the rookie Eckley, so there’s no decision to even ponder for now.
However, it will be interesting to see if they add another kicker to the practice squad and get him ready in case Loop falters. Loop’s status is suddenly the team’s biggest story heading into cutdown day after he missed 2 of 4 attempts in the preseason finale.
