Baltimore completed their first preseason game on Thursday, and we're looking at the latest on the six biggest Ravens' position battles to watch
Baltimore's roster has few holes, and competition will be fierce for several key positions that will continue to take shape following the Ravens' 24-16 win over the Colts in the preseason opener.
John Harbaugh's team is in the midst of a Super Bowl window and feels confident after signing Derrick Henry to a contract extension. General manager Eric DeCosta added depth to a much-improved defense and will debut a new kicker for the first time in over a decade. Over the next two weeks, the Ravens will travel to Dallas for an intriguing preseason matchup, before concluding their preseason with a joint practice and a final game against the rival Washington Commanders.
Baltimore returns to practice today, and we're looking at the latest updates on six critical position battles to watch.
3rd RB spot
There are only so many carries with Derrick Henry and Justice Hill as one of the NFL's top duos, but Keaton Mitchell is a home run hitter and will see his share of snaps after putting his burst on display in the win over Indianapolis. Mitchell has regained his explosiveness and, on Thursday night, had several dynamic runs, including a 22-yard touchdown run. Overall, Mitchell had nine carries for 68 yards (7.6 avg) and one rushing touchdown.
He'll compete with second-year running back Rasheen Ali for the third running back spot, and the former Marshall running back did his part to claim a key special-teams role. Ali has three outstanding running backs ahead of him on the depth chart, but he made his case to be a special-teams standout and reliable backup. Ali returned a kickoff 69 yards and rushed nine times for 37 yards and a touchdown.
Inside linebacker spot
Roquan Smith is the unquestioned leader of the Ravens' defense, but he'll need an efficient running mate at the linebacker spot. With Malik Harrison and Chris Board departing in free agency, Trenton Simpson has received the first shot at regaining his starting spot. He'll battle special-teams standout Jacob Hummel, fourth-round pick Teddye Buchanan, and former Iowa All-American Jay Higgins. The undrafted inside linebacker got an interception, in part thanks to inside pressure by defensive tackle C.J. Ravenell. Earlier in the same series, Higgins destroyed a Colts receiver who tried to spin out of a tackle for extra yardage.
Kicker
Baltimore released star kicker Justin Tucker after weeks of scrutiny. The Ravens selected Tyler Loop in the sixth round of the NFL draft, and signed undrafted free agent kicker John Hoyland following a tryout during the team's rookie mini camp. Hoyland has since been released after Loop's blistering start to training camp. Under the lights for the first time, the rookie responded after pushing a kick wide left from 46 yards out. He rebounded in the fourth quarter, drilling a 52-yard field goal.
Third safety spot
Baltimore often employs a third safety in their base defense, allowing Kyle Hamilton to be a Swiss Army knife in Zach Orr's versatile scheme. Ar'Darius Washington fit that role until he suffered a torn Achilles during a summer workout. Beau Brade and Sanoussi Kane will battle for that role. Kane is a thumper who also stood out on defense in the 2024 preseason. Brade had seven tackles and one pass defended in the preseason opener.
Left guard
Patrick Mekari signed a lucrative contract with Jacksonville, leaving a void at left guard. Andrew Vorhees was the initial starter at left guard in 2024 before suffering an injury and being benched in favor of Mekari for Weeks 4 and 5, a move that became permanent. The former USC star got the nod heading into training camp and started the preseason opener. He's battling sixth-round pick, Garrett Dellinger, and veteran Ben Cleveland, with rookie Emery Jones yet to practice.
Third edge rusher
Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh are the unquestioned starters, but the Ravens are hoping second-round pick Mike Green can assume a vital role from Day 1. Green had two tackles on the night, a pressure on quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. that nearly led to an interception on the Colts' first drive, and his explosive power was on display in limited snaps.
Green will battle Adisa Isaac, Tavius Robinson, and David Ojabo for snaps and a role in Zach Orr's defensive scheme. Isaac and Ojabo both had sacks in the preseason opener, while Robinson is viewed as a cornerstone of the defense. Robinson has improved dramatically, and the former Ole Miss pass rusher had 3.5 sacks and 12 QB hits in a reserve role last season.
4th wide receiver spot
Devontez Walker saw action in nine of Baltimore's 17 regular-season contests after dealing with injuries and inconsistency coming out of training camp.
The former UNC pass catcher was supposed to provide a deep threat for quarterback Lamar Jackson, but finished his rookie season with just one catch, albeit for a touchdown. He appears to be the front-runner to be Baltimore's No. 4 wide receiver behind Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, and DeAndre Hopkins. The Ravens have ten wide receivers on the roster after selecting Colorado's LaJohntay Wester in Round 6. Speed is the name of the game, and the rookie out of Colorado was electric in his debut. Wester scored an 87-yard return for a touchdown minutes after an impressive 17-yard return where he put his elite footwork on display. Wester also led the Ravens with two catches for 41 yards, including a 30-yard grab that was the longest reception for either team.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: 7 position battles to watch following Ravens' first preseason game
Category: Football
