As Ravens training camp approaches, we'll look at six of the top position group competitions: wide receiver, offensive line, outside linebacker, cornerback, safety, and kicker.
In the Hunt
- Rashod Bateman
- Malik Cunningham
- Zay Flowers
- DeAndre Hopkins
- Keith Kirkwood
- Anthony Miller
- Dayton Wade
- Devontez Walker
- Tylan Wallace
- LaJohntay Wester
- Xavier Guillory (undrafted rookie)
- Jahmal Banks (undrafted rookie)
Projected Starters
Flowers and Bateman will headline the Ravens' receiving corps again, with both coming off the best seasons of their young careers. Flowers became the Ravens' first Pro Bowl wide receiver after posting 1,059 receiving yards. Bateman had a breakout campaign with 756 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.
Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken went out of his way to say the Ravens have three starting wide receivers, however, with the addition of 33-year-old veteran Hopkins to the mix. Hopkins is expected to be a valuable chain-mover who makes contested catches over the middle and along the sideline.
Best Battle
The competition for the fourth receiving role will be an interesting one between Wallace and Walker. Wallace was very dependable last season, catching 11 of the 12 passes that came his way. His 84-yard touchdown against the Bengals was one of the season's signature plays. Entering his second season, Walker is playing with more confidence, which is allowing him to showcase his elite speed.
While the Ravens have plenty of mouths to feed with their leading wide receiver trio, tight ends, and running backs, the fourth wide receiver will get some opportunities to make big plays and is in position as a top backup. Who will Baltimore primarily call on in those situations?
Under the Radar
Wester will likely make the 53-man roster primarily to serve as the team's punt returner. The Ravens are looking for more stability and big-play potential at that spot, and Wester's shiftiness, speed, and reliability fielding punts make him a leading candidate. However, the sixth-round rookie was also highly productive as a college wide receiver. During his five-year career at Florida Atlantic and Colorado, Wester made 326 catches, which stands as the sixth-most receptions in FBS history. While he's a later-round pick, Wester will look to show during training camp that he can handle more than a special teams role.
