While many observers would tell you that their biggest concern regarding the Ravens is at the position of edge rusher, I’d counter that the lack of quality depth at corner is a more glaring weakness.
Rock Ya-Sin is missing time at camp due to a knee injury. Word is his absence could extend another couple of weeks. And as we’ve seen before, the Ravens keep injury news on lockdown. So, who knows for certain outside of One Winning Drive, whether the team is being forthright.
Among the alternatives to Ya-Sin at corner are Brandon Stephens, Jalyn Armour-Davis and Kevon Seymour. Stephens provides versatility and while he does a decent job covering on the perimeter, mirroring the steps of opposing receivers, his ball skills are suspect. He struggles to turn to the ball when in flight and consequently, even well-covered targets can corral balls that should have been deflected. He’s serviceable at corner but I think he’s more effective when the play is in front of him and that lends itself to the position of safety where Stephens is listed as a “2” on the depth chart.
Armour-Davis is getting plenty of reps, even against the 1’s on offense. He’s holding his own and has the skill set to handle the job. But injuries haven’t been kind to JAD and that makes him less than dependable, particularly at a position where injuries are prevalent. And that brings us to Seymour.
Kevon is competing. He’s also lined up with the 1’s at times and he’s shown improvement. But he’s raw and if the depth chart provides any clue as to how the team views him, he’s behind Armour-Davis in the corner pecking order.
It’s a concern given the team’s collective ambition. Marcus Peters would look quite nice in purple and black again. But of course, that ship has sailed. I’m pretty sure that Eric DeCosta and his pro personnel staff are dialed into rosters across the league where there may be some fallout at corner.
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Swiss Army Knives
Staying with the secondary for a moment, Kyle Hamilton has been a camp standout. He diagnoses quickly, breaks on the ball with precision and he’s really embraced the multiple personalities that DC Mike Macdonald has thrust upon him. Some of the most entertaining one-on-one battles of camp take place between Hamilton and TE Mark Andrews. It’s a joy to watch, and as we hear so often from The Castle, “iron sharpens iron”.
Versatility isn’t just part of Macdonald’s unit. We see it across the offensive line as well and without question, the most adaptable player there is none other than Patrick Mekari. Mekari can play any position on coach Joe D’Alessandris’ line and arguably should get the starting nod at left guard. He’s without question among the team’s top 5 O-linemen but his unique acumen might relegate him to sixth man. Call him D’Alessandris’ Manu Ginobili.
So, who will land that starting LG role?
When the Ravens made Ben Cleveland the 94th overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, they did so with the expectation that by year 3, the behemoth former Georgia Bulldog would assume a starting role. Now, the team seems to be looking to Cleveland to be a versatile depth piece who can play both guard and tackle. The plan isn’t materializing and instead of starting, it appears that Ben’s job is in jeopardy.
John Simpson is currently running with the 1’s at LG, a job that rookie Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu held just last week. Simpson is a former 4th round pick of the Raiders from 2020 who Las Vegas parted ways with last December. But so far, the battle remains wide open with neither Simpson nor Sala taking the lead.
Another on The Bubble?
The Ravens vowed to re-shape their wide receiver room and if training camp is any indication, they’ve done so in miraculous fashion. Much has been written about OBJ and Zay Flowers. They’ve been outstanding. Yesterday Rashod Bateman joined the mix during individual drills and he should see the field in scrimmaging soon. Nelson Agholor has been solid. He has very good speed and his route running has been spot on, particularly on the perimeter. Tylan Wallace has had an effective summer and he is playing his best ball as a Raven. Even Laquon Treadwell, the 23rd overall pick of the Vikings in 2016, has made contributions to the offense during camp.
And that brings us to Devin Duvernay.
Duv has looked good so far but he hasn’t outplayed Agholor nor has he separated all that much from Treadwell or Wallace. His straight-line speed is a plus but his route running is a bit suspect and he’s a bit stiff in the hips. Duvernay does offer kick return skills but that’s a role that Justice Hill served admirably during Duv’s absence in 2022 plus there’s UDFA speedster Keaton Mitchell. More on Mitch in a moment.
So, all things being equal, Duv makes the team. But his $4.5M cap number tilts the playing field and makes Duvernay vulnerable, particularly as the club’s 5th WR. Given the team’s apparent desire to add an edge rusher and the aforementioned lack of quality depth at corner, DeCosta might need those cap dollars. Parting ways with Duvernay saves the team $4.3M on the cap. An alternative approach, a discussion that I think the Ravens have had or will have, is to ask Duv to take a pay cut. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Preseason Risks
The Ravens kick off their preseason against the Eagles at The Bank on Saturday night, the team’s only home dress rehearsal. Protection against injury is the key concern but there is another. As the league trends towards protecting its starters, many of which will not step on the field at all during fake games, the reserves get to do the heavy lifting. And those who do it well, are exposed to poaching by other teams. One such player is Keaton Mitchell.
The UDFA from East Carolina is an explosive player capable of making a house call at any time if an opening presents itself. And given the fact that he’ll be asked to carry the rock often during the preseason (J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards are unlikely to see the field), Mitchell will get his touches and he will ball out. He is fighting for his career and if Keaton makes the kind of plays that pop it could thwart the Ravens’ plans to slide him onto the practice squad. We saw the team eventually lose Tyler Badie to the Broncos, an event that probably triggered some heartburn for DeCosta.
Might the team’s brain trust opt to hide Mitchell?
The preseason is upon us…
