Roster Gymnastics: In Session

If the Ravens manage their roster the way they have during past summers around this time, we’ll probably see the team part ways with a few players today. By 4PM on Tuesday, August 29, the balance of the initial roster pruning from 90 to 53 will be complete.

It’s a sad day for many players. We’ve seen “The Turk” in action before on HBO’s Hard Knocks. We’ve heard those dreaded words after the knock on the door: “Coach wants to see you in his office. Please bring your tablet.”

Years of hard work. The blood. The sweat. The sacrifices made in search of greatness. All of it can come crashing down with the sound of that knock. That’s the brutal reality of the NFL. Among those anticipating the unwelcomed visit is WR Sean Ryan.

An unfortunate exclamation point to Sean Ryan's productive 2023 #Ravens training camp. https://t.co/6T5gCJO0RS

— Tony Lombardi (@RSRLombardi) August 28, 2023

Ryan has enjoyed a productive camp. Despite the odds stacked against him, he’s competed effectively during camp practices. He’s shown up on tape. And while a spot on the 53-man roster was always a long-shot at best, Ryan did enough to warrant consideration for the practice squad. But that one play, that big, clanking drop, uncertainties about his future skyrocketed. Dreams to make an NFL roster took an undesirable and precipitous dip.

Of course, Ryan isn’t alone. There are several other players waiting impatiently, nervously, hoping to not hear that rat-tat-tat-tat-tat on the door. And for those players, if that knock does come, may it simply represent an altered journey and the start of a brand-new beginning to brighter days.

Surprises

Over the weekend, I was asked who I thought might be a surprise cut(s) and a surprise keep on the 53-man roster. Great question.

Given the resurgence of the WR room, I’m bearish on Devin Duvernay. It doesn’t have anything to do with his performance, per se. It has everything to do with where he sits on the depth chart combined with his cap number ($4.5M). Duv is probably No. 5 on the depth chart at WR. That doesn’t add up to $4.5M. Yes, he’s an All-Pro returner but given the way the league has at least partially legislated that specialty out of the game, it seems like a poor use of valuable cap space. I think Duvernay is either cut or traded due to the cap number or he accepts a more team-friendly deal to remain on the roster.

My other surprise cut – perhaps a mild surprise, is Malik Harrison. He’s a liability in coverage and just isn’t as good as Josh Ross or Del’Shawn Phillips. He is a solid tackler when he’s squared up and locked in but he’s stiff in the hips and struggles in the open field.

As for the surprise keeps – the aforementioned Phillips, is a keeper. He has shown an ability to cover and play well in the box to defend the run. Plus, he’s a solid teams player. I just like his versatility more than Harrison’s. I also like Laquon Treadwell to stick. Odell Beckham, Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor, Tylan Wallace and Treadwell form a vastly improved WR room. The one thing that could hold Treadwell back is his questionable ability to contribute to special teams. It would be difficult to keep 6 receivers when 5 of them don’t contribute on teams. Of the six mentioned, only Wallace is prominent. Treadwell must have Special Teams Coordinator Chris Horton in his corner if he’s going to stick on the roster.

Lastly, Ben Cleveland has been a whipping boy during training camp. He’s been relegated to second and third team reps; he gave up an embarrassing sack against the Eagles and in Tampa on Saturday he had a poorly-time false start. But the alternatives to Cleveland might be even more concerning. Rookie G Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu has shown some promise and appears to be a coachable project, but is he really a guy you want to trust as an offensive line fill-in, in the event of injury? I have a sneaking feeling that Cleveland is on the roster, barring a trade. He’s still on a rookie contract and as we’ve seen from linemen in the past (Rick Wagner and Ryan Jensen come to mind), it can take a few years before it clicks; before they become worthy starters in the trench.

Ben Cleveland not helping his case here for a roster spot pic.twitter.com/fcizespmUb

— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) August 12, 2023

Speaking of the O-Line, the Ravens treasure Coach Joe D’Alessandris’ Swiss Army Knife, Patrick Mekari. He’s clearly among the team’s top 5 offensive linemen yet they have opted instead to start John Simpson at left guard instead.

Coach Harbaugh announces that John Simpson will be the starting left guard. pic.twitter.com/LmoaDSnkZK

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 27, 2023

It was a job that was really Ben Cleveland’s for the taking but somewhere along the line, Cleveland fell out of favor with the staff. There have been rumors that Cleveland isn’t exactly enamored with the game – that it’s just a job, and if true, that might explain why he hasn’t progressed the way many expected. Maybe the chilly shoulder that Cleveland has felt from the staff was intended to send a message. We’ll find out soon enough if there was a failure to communicate.

A Look Ahead

Among the team’s concerns are the injuries at cornerback, particularly that of Marlon Humphrey. And this is where managing the season properly comes into play.

The Ravens say that Marlon’s injury isn’t long-term. Most estimates suggest that Humphrey will miss some time and guestimates peg him as being out for the first four games. If true, the star CB’s absence IS manageable.

The Ravens face a rookie QB during Weeks 1 and 3 in the forms of C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson, with the Texans and Colts, respectively. Both of those games are at The Bank. In Week 2 the Ravens travel to Cincinnati. Since Mike Macdonald has been the defensive coordinator, the team has kept Joe Burrow in check for three games. While it’s a bigger challenge to contain Burrow without Humphrey, Ronald Darby and Rock Ya-Sin have the ability to do so with Macdonald’s schematic guidance. And let’s keep in mind, Burrow isn’t likely to be at 100% given the time missed due to that calf injury.

Game 4 is in Cleveland and the Ravens certainly can put up points against their north rivals and win this game on the road.

So, there you have it. The first quarter of the season without Marlon, yet manageable in a way that the Ravens should at least earn a split but carry the potential to sweep through the quarter pole.

Parting Shots

The Ravens have been careful not to show too much of their offense. What they unveil on September 10 is likely to be a surprise. With the weapons they have, OC Todd Monken can easily spread the field and enable his playmakers to impact the game in open space…That said, Patrick Ricard’s role in Monken’s offense isn’t clear. The team loves Project Pat and they’d like to keep him around. And that might be why he’s worked out at times with the offensive line during camp…

The Ravens were reportedly in on the Trey Lance discussions. It isn’t clear what the Ravens offered but it was obviously something less than the conditional 4th-round pick that made him a Cowboy. Earlier this offseason it was reported that the Ravens expressed interest in Baker Mayfield, but Mayfield wanted a chance to start. So, he stiff-armed the Ravens’ overtures. That said, the expressed interest suggests that the team isn’t all that enamored with Tyler Huntley. And that’s understandable. Huntley is 3-6 as a starter including the wild-card loss to the Bengals last season during which his goal line blunder cost the team a 14-point swing. Huntley’s career passer rating is 76.6. He was a fit as a backup in Greg Roman’s system. That might not be the case in Monken’s.

There’s a lot of concern in these parts about the Ravens pass rush. I’m not among those concerned – at least not yet. Mike Macdonald has a few versatile defenders and that allows him to attack passers from a variety of spots on the field. The Ravens had no intention of putting on film the many angles from which they can attack. Until that approach fails, there’s no reason for concern.

And lastly, a personal note. My uncle Gerry Borowy celebrated his 90th birthday yesterday. Uncle Gerry is an amazing man. Even as a child, I viewed him as this kind, calm and peaceful man who could diffuse any situation with an immense amount of level-headedness. He’s caring, compassionate, fair, and just a sweetheart of a man. Plus…and get this…he plays pickle ball five times per week and during the two days off? He lifts weights. Oh, and being a Carroll County resident like The Sun’s Mike Preston, the two have met on the pickle ball court, even partnering up on the same side of the kitchen. Mike has mentioned to me on two occasions how impressive Uncle Gerry is. I couldn’t agree more.

Happy birthday Uncle G. Here’s to many more years of dominance on the courts!