Who’s Up? Who’s Down?
The Ravens fell to the Green Bay Packers in Game 3 of the 2024 preseason schedule, the last of the offseason, by the embarrassing score of 30-7. True, the games mean little but the performance of the squad through three preseason contests has been poor, suggesting that the depth on the roster isn’t what it was during the seasons when the Ravens won 24 consecutive fake games.
Baltimore won just one of the three preseason games in 2024 and that was essentially a gift from the Atlanta Falcons’ kickers who missed three FGA’s. But back to the loss in Green Bay…
Here are the risers and fallers in our final preseason Ravens Stock Report, brought to you by LifeMed Institute. Get ready for the confidence to have an active and healthy sex life with the spark of spontaneity, thanks to our friends at LifeMed.
Beau Brade with an incredible play here with no hesitation
He did more than just about anybody on the Ravens to catapult his way into serious roster consideration pic.twitter.com/WLA341Cc4F
— Kevin Oestreicher (@koestreicher34) August 25, 2024
Risers
Beau Brade: He’s had a solid camp and plays with a level of confidence and speed uncommon from an undrafted rookie safety. Brade’s tackle of Packers’ RB Ellis Merriweather for a 1-yard loss was a thing of beauty. Watch above.
Joe Evans: He won’t make the 53 but he could be someone the Ravens want back on their 16-man practice squad. Evans had 5 tackles and 2 QB hits in Green Bay.
Tylan Wallace: Wallace has shown well as a receiver when given the opportunity this summer and he did exactly that on his 48-yard catch and run TD at Lambeau.
John Kelly, Jr.: Kelly rushed for 31 yards on 8 carries in Green Bay and while those are hardly eye-popping numbers, he did it without a push up front and while moving well inside the tackles. The four-year vet who has spent time with the Rams and Browns, is an extreme long-shot to make the 53-man squad but he could land on the practice squad. The Ravens are quite thin at the position.
Ar’Darius Washington: Washington did not dress on Saturday. He’s had a very productive camp, and his roster spot wasn’t really in question. The fact that he was a sideline observer on Saturday while donning street clothes is a sign that he’s not only a lock for the 53, but he could also see significant time during next Thursday Night’s season opener in Kansas City.
Josh Johnson to Tylan Wallace! 48-yard @Ravens TD
📱: Stream #BALvsGB on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/s0YWdkwKZH
— NFL (@NFL) August 24, 2024
[Related Article: Andrew Vorhees Performance in Green Bay]
Fallers
Pepe Williams: Pepe gave up an 18-yard TD and he missed a tackle in the red zone on a short pass out to the left flat.
Devontez Walker: Measurables aside, the only measurables I see for Walker are days missed due to nagging injuries and one catch for 4 yards. Hardly the sign of a player who allegedly can take the top off a defense.
Devin Leary: Leary is fortunate that his stat numbers on Saturday didn’t include a least one more INT which would have dropped his passer rating even lower than the unsavory 13.5. Rod Woodson compared Leary’s arm to that of John Elway. What he must’ve meant, was John Elway today, at the spry age of 64.
Rod Woodson just said rookie Devin Leary's rocket arm reminds him of John Elway.
— Ryan Mink (@ryanmink) August 24, 2024
Josh Jones: The Ravens thought they had signed a decent, versatile O-line vet when they brought on Jones. The trends suggest that maybe they were wrong.
SCOOP. SCORE. LEAP.#BALvsGB pic.twitter.com/6c4SakL4qc
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 24, 2024
Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu: Sala has struggled this summer. The struggles continued for a guard the Ravens thought would make an impact by now. Instead, he’s given the staff reason to consider parting ways with the 6th-round pick from 2023 out of Oregon.
Deonte Harty: The Baltimore native has been unavailable for much of the summer due to nagging injuries and when he has shown up, he’s done next to nothing. He’s a proven returner but the game has changed in regard to kick returns which seem to lend themselves more to running backs. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Harty cut.
Eric DeCosta: Of the nine players in this year’s draft class, only Nate Wiggins has consistently impressed. Roger Rosengarten has been just decent in pass pro; Adisa Isaac and TJ Tampa have been injured; Nick Samac is now injured; Sanoussi Kane has been serviceable but shows promise; while Walker, Leary and Rasheen Ali have all been unimpressive. Add this to the offensive line woes, a glaring offseason weakness, and it hasn’t been a great camp for the dynamic GM.
The difference between Jeff Hafley and Joe Barry is that it actually works when Hafley asks an edge to drop into coverage. I kid, I kid. pic.twitter.com/UMx9Ft2b3r
— Brandon Carwile (@PackerScribe) August 25, 2024
3 Responses
Thanks for the honest assessment, TL! I’ve never been a fan of preseason games, particularly at the same cost of regular season tickets, but sad to say, It is a business after all! True of every year, we won’t know the real value of our new players for a few years, but, frankly, there appears to be real concerns relative to the OL and its lack of talent and depth, which is ominous to say the least! And, the unexpected and tragic loss of their coach only exacerbates those concerns! It does not appear realistic to think they’ll be as good as last year, but that’s why they play the game! Only time will tell……..
I’m sure many teams have similar concerns. The best staffs will manage the season game-by-game. They’ll figure out ways to win while, in the case of the Ravens, an offensive line begins to gel. Pieces are added along the way. It’s a process. A long one. The challenge is to find out how to win games while they attempt to strengthen areas of weakness. Do the Ravens have the staff to make it happen in 2024? That remains to be seen but tragically losing Joe D and then losing some talented coaches to attrition, like Mike Macdonald, Anthony Weaver and Dennard Wilson…that’s a lot. But as you suggest, that’s why they play the games.
Spot-on about Brade. Think he’s the real deal. Also think they’ll pick up another RB to be our 3rd. Kinda feel the same about the Oline. Maybe there’s a trade in the works? Just wish they had that guy who was a lil nasty and kick-ass. Think KC will jump all over the Ravens, but think the Ravens will come back and maybe win. It’ll take that long to find out who their real DAWGS are. But also think Lamar will be running for his life alot.