Ravens Show Opportunity for Undrafted Players Is Real
The Ravens entered training camp with a loaded roster composed of established veterans and ascending young players. Add in an 11-player draft class, and the odds of an undrafted free agent making the roster were slim.
Three players defied the odds and earned a spot on the 53-man roster when final cuts were announced Tuesday: safety Reuben Lowery III, inside linebacker Jay Higgins IV, and cornerback Keyon Martin.
Here's a look at what pundits are saying about the Ravens' roster:
It's not lip service when the Ravens preach opportunity to undrafted players, and the team's player personnel department deserves kudos for finding worthy candidates.
The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec: "With their roster selections on [Tuesday], the Ravens showed how 'real' the opportunity was, and they benefited from having a cadre of young players who seized it. … A roster that wasn't initially believed to have room for one rookie free agent now houses three, all on the defensive side of the ball, and two in a secondary that features accomplished veterans Marlon Humphrey, Kyle Hamilton, Jaire Alexander and Chidobe Awuzie, and recent first-round picks Nate Wiggins and Malaki Starks.
"The Ravens have now kept at least one undrafted rookie free agent in 21 of the past 22 seasons. That three made it this year on a roster considered one of the deepest in the league is a huge feather in the cap of Ravens Director of Player Personnel Mark Azevedo, who heads the college free-agent signing process for Baltimore."
The biggest move was one the Ravens didn't make: tight end Isaiah Likely was not placed on injured reserve.
ESPN’s Jamison Hensley: "That means Lamar Jackson has a shot at throwing to one of his favorite targets in the first month of the season, which represents the toughest part of the Ravens' schedule (at Buffalo, home against Cleveland and Detroit, and at Kansas City). Likely suffered a foot fracture at the end of July, and he has yet to return to the practice field. If he had been placed on IR, he would have missed at least the first four games. Now, Likely could be available as soon as the Sept. 7 season opener."
The most surprising cut was cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis.
Zrebiec: "The 2022 fourth-round pick out of Alabama has battled injuries throughout his young career, but he stayed mostly healthy this summer and played well in practices and games. He had an interception Saturday against Washington and allowed just four completions for 31 yards on 10 targets in the preseason. Undrafted rookie cornerback Keyon Martin emerged to win a spot, and he ultimately cost Armour-Davis his place on the 53-man roster. Still, the Ravens' long-standing credo is, 'You can never have enough corners.' Surprisingly, they didn't find a spot for Armour-Davis."
Baltimore Positive’s Luke Jones: "Armour-Davis being waived came as a surprise to many after his strong preseason, but a backup being in the final year of his rookie deal and having a history of struggling to stay healthy will always be vulnerable."
Offensive lineman Corey Bullock makes an unlikely jump from last year's practice squad to the main roster.
Jones: "Beyond the three undrafted rookies, the best story of the summer might have been former University of Maryland offensive lineman Corey Bullock for earning a 53-man roster spot after spending last season on the practice squad as an undrafted rookie. Regarded as a roster long shot entering training camp, Bullock earned the backup center job and is one of four reserve offensive linemen."
The Ravens are deep at running back and wide receiver.
The Baltimore Sun’s Brian Wacker: "One other significant change was Head Coach John Harbaugh's decision to keep four running backs this year, with 2024 fifth-round pick Rasheen Ali joining Pro Bowl selection Derrick Henry, Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell. Special teams played a significant role in that move, with Ali part of the kickoff and punt teams.
"After struggling to field a deep wide receiver group in recent years, that's not the case this year with free agent addition DeAndre Hopkins joining Zay Flowers, who last season was the first Ravens receiver to be selected to the Pro Bowl, and Rashod Bateman. Baltimore's other three receivers are veteran and core special teamer Tylan Wallace, 2024 fourth-round pick Devontez Walker and sixth-round rookie LaJohntay Wester, who had a punt return for a touchdown against the Colts."
Rob Gronkowski Is Among Those Picking Steelers to Dethrone Ravens
The Ravens are favored to win an unprecedented third consecutive AFC North title, but not everyone is on Baltimore's bandwagon.
Former NFL players Rob Gronkowski and "Bussin' With The Boys" podcast hosts Will Compton and Taylor Lewan have hopped on the Steelers' hype train. All three picked Pittsburgh to win the division on FanDuel TV's "Up & Adams" show.
"I decided with Aaron Rodgers there, he's still got a lot left in the tank," Gronkowski said. "I feel like he's underrated a little bit just because of the stint in New York. But if you really look at it, he had great stats. It was just not a winning organization there. And when you go to a winning organization like the Pittsburgh Steelers, and you add Aaron Rodgers to it, and you make those moves that they were making this offseason … I think they're going to do it."
Compton noted that the Ravens have the better roster but a harder schedule than the Steelers.
"The Ravens play nine playoff teams [from last season] this year – five playoff teams from last year in the first six weeks," Compton said. "When you look at the Steelers, I think they're going to be much better. Obviously with Aaron Rodgers, you got D.K. Metcalf, they have some weapons on the outside. They're going to have a good defense. They only play about four playoff teams from last year, [and] they're kind of scattered throughout the back half."
(Quick fact check: Pittsburgh actually has seven games against playoff teams, including the Ravens twice.)
Lewan likes the Steelers in part because he believes Rodgers is "going under the radar."
"This is the perfect time for him to go off," Lewan said. "... I think their offense is going to come along in a big way with [coordinator] Arthur Smith. Also, you pay T.J. [Watt]; you get [Alex] Highsmith back, who had the ankle and the groin [injuries] last year, who takes a lot of pressure off of T.J., very underrated rusher; and then the leadership of Cameron Heyward. I think this is a sneaky team. I think this is a team that can go and do things that no one thinks they can do, and that's win the AFC North."
Pundit Predicts Zay Flowers Makes Year 3 Leap With Help From DeAndre Hopkins
ESPN’s Dan Graziano made one surprise prediction for each team. Regarding the Ravens, Graziano went with wide receiver Zay Flowers making a leap in Year 3.
Graziano based his prediction not only on Flowers' talent, but also on the impact five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins will have on the young star.
"Last year at the Super Bowl, Chiefs coaches were raving to me about the impact Hopkins had after Kansas City acquired him – not as a pass catcher but as a teacher, particularly for rookie wideout Xavier Worthy," Graziano wrote. "They talked about how Hopkins would grab the surface tablet after a drive, walk over to Worthy and teach him some of the finer details about route-running techniques. They felt Worthy's improved performance throughout the season was due in part to Hopkins' help, and Ravens Coach John Harbaugh told me when I visited their camp that he has seen similar things from Hopkins since he has been in Baltimore. Perhaps Hopkins has the same kind of impact on Flowers that he had on Worthy."
Flowers, who had 1,059 receiving yards last season and was the first Ravens wide receiver to make the Pro Bowl in franchise history, talked earlier this offseason about what Hopkins brings to the wide receiver room.
"He is a real vet," Flowers said. "He knows everything. He teaches you what he knows, he gives out the game, and he works hard, too, so it's easy to just follow him. It's easy to get behind him and do what he does. So, he's a great vet, and he's great for our group."
Special Teams Is Ravens' 'Biggest Variable'
The Ravens are expected to have one of the league's top offenses and defenses, but what about special teams? The Baltimore Sun’s Josh Tolentino contended that the unit is a question mark.
"Once a consistent strength, Baltimore's third phase is now its biggest variable," Tolentino wrote. "Rookie kicker Tyler Loop has never attempted an NFL kick in a game that mattered. Punter Jordan Stout, a 2022 fourth-round draft pick, has flashed ability but still hasn't delivered week-to-week consistency. And rookie LaJohntay Wester, an electric talent from the University of Colorado, might be asked to step into one of the NFL's most unforgiving jobs as Baltimore's primary punt returner.
"Sure, the upside is there. The danger also is obvious. Special teams could push Baltimore toward the AFC's No. 1 seed or drag it out of the postseason before February arrives."
Tolentino has a point about Loop and Wester being counted on in key roles as rookies, but he's also right about their upside.
Loop went 9-for-11 on field-goal attempts in the preseason, including a successful 61-yarder in the final preseason game, and Wester had an 87-yard punt return for a touchdown the second time he touched a ball in an NFL game.
