After what felt like a lifetime of waiting, we’re only two days away from seeing the Ravens in their first preseason action of the year. Some might be quick to dismiss the exhibition-style games, but the players and coaches involved in this contest know just how much is on the line. The work turned in by the players on Thursday night could decide their positions on the final depth chart, or whether they’re featured on it at all. The first version of Baltimore’s depth chart can be found here.
The RSR crew will have plenty of coverage before and after the game, but here are a few position battles that I’ll be watching on Thursday night.
Outside Linebacker/EDGE
The loss of Vince Biegel (torn Achilles) makes an already thin Ravens OLB group even thinner.
Here are the healthy OLBs:
Odafe Oweh
Justin Houston
Daelin Hayes
Steven Means
Chuck Wiley
Jeremiah MoonBaltimore is hoping Tyus Bowser can return for the regular season opener.
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) August 4, 2022
A position group that was already thin while players were on the mend unfortunately got thinner recently, as free agent acquisition Vince Biegel tore his Achilles in practice. The vacancy creates a massive opportunity for players looking to cement playing time in the early portion of the season, as second-round selection David Ojabo likely won’t debut until around Weeks 4 to 6. The team is also waiting on Tyus Bowser’s return, and while Bowser himself is optimistic about the recovery timeline, the team would rather not rush him back. The door is now wide open, and with Coach Harbaugh indicating that Justin Houston will be sitting out on Thursday night, the competitors for the job will be out in full force.
Undoubtedly, Odafe Oweh has locked up his position as one EDGE already, combining an impressive rookie campaign with rave reviews from camp this year. The major names to watch would be second-year linebacker Daelin Hayes and veteran Steven Means. Hayes’ abridged 2021 campaign showed plenty of promise, but The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec details a bit of a downtick in his offseason production thus far. Zrebiec writes:
“He’s flashed on occasion, and he plays with a high level of energy and effort… Yet, Hayes hasn’t shown as much pass-rushing juice as we saw all last summer, when he was a regular in the backfield.”
Here’s hoping that some live-game action will allow Hayes to regain last season’s spark.
Ravens camp stock report: Travis Jones and Odafe Oweh are on the rise
via @TheAthletic https://t.co/mdyFgkXlFX
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) August 7, 2022
Running Back
The Flock got a great piece of news yesterday: RB1 is back in action.
Welcome back, @Jkdobbins22. 😈 pic.twitter.com/xFZKwqEWxc
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 8, 2022
JK Dobbins’ activation from the PUP list had been rumored for the past few days, but seeing him take the practice field signals the return of a huge piece of this Ravens offense. The questions remain, though, of who will fill into Gus Edwards’ RB2 role while the team awaits his recovery, and which running backs will be rostered with one player already returning from injury?
The logical choice would be veteran Mike Davis, who recorded time last season as Atlanta’s lead back. However, his numbers last season were pretty pedestrian, as wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson would eventually overtake Davis as Atlanta’s leading rusher. Justice Hill and recent free agent acquisition Corey Clement could also be in competition for the spot, with dark horses Nate McCrary and Tyler Badie each in the running as well. It’s entirely possible that the Ravens would choose to roster three running backs in the final 53-man group, with an additional rusher stashed on the Practice Squad until Gus returns, but a strong performance from one of these guys in a preseason contest could dictate where they end up on the final depth chart.
Wide Receiver
All appearances seem to indicate that the top four wide receivers (Bateman, Proche, Duvernay and Wallace) are in a group of their own with roster spots secured, and Baltimore’s initial depth chart appears to reflect that. Rashod Bateman missed some practice time recently, but didn’t look any worse for wear yesterday in his return.
Ravens WR Rashod Bateman is back after missing two practices pic.twitter.com/3I3nPhWj91
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) August 8, 2022
Outside of those four names, though, it’s wide open as to who might earn their way onto the roster as a depth piece in the receiving game. As of now, there are eight receivers listed in that competition, with none emerging as true standouts. Most pieces of news we’ve gotten about that group has been a mixed bag of individual plays like these.
Jaylon Moore blew past Robert Jackson but then lost track of the ball.
Slade Bolden had a wild catch. Turned around late, just got his hand around as he spun around and ended up with it in front of him and kept running, beating David Vereen.
— Kyle Phoenix Barber (@KylePBarber) August 8, 2022
I would anticipate a heavy diet of the fringe receivers in the upcoming preseason matchup with the Titans to see if someone has a breakout performance. Unlike what we’ve seen so far, Thursday could represent an opportunity for these receivers to create their own luck rather than relying on limited snaps in camp.
Kicker
I’m kidding. There’s no competition when it comes to Justin Tucker, here or anywhere else. I just couldn’t resist the opportunity to congratulate Justin Tucker on his contract extension!
Ravens announced a four-year contract extension for Justin Tucker, who now is expected to become the NFL’s highest-paid kicker. pic.twitter.com/LHFPe88GhM
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 8, 2022
Can’t wait for more moments like this from @jtuck9. 😈
➡️: https://t.co/npGY4hsY6m pic.twitter.com/bqWpKZvxwb
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 8, 2022
Tucker was signed for this yr and next so a 4-yr extension will take him through the 2027 season. Tucker's 2022 Cap number was set to be $5.908M and he had a scheduled salary of $3.5M. Those will both come down, likely by around $1M or so. https://t.co/cpvkRzlZtr
— Brian McFarland (@RavensSalaryCap) August 8, 2022
