The Ravens made their first 53-man roster decisions Sunday evening with a couple of notable names staying put: two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike and inside linebacker Teddye Buchanan both survived the cut, even though neither has been back in full-team work yet.
That doesn’t mean either is a lock for Week 1. Madubuike, who hasn’t had live contact since the career-threatening neck injury he suffered in Week 2 last season, and Buchanan are still working their way up as the calendar nears September.
Head coach Jesse Minter wouldn’t commit last week to Madubuike being ready for the Sept. 13 opener in Indianapolis. Still, keeping him on the active roster gives Baltimore more time to sort it out without burning an immediate IR move and the guaranteed four-game absence that comes with it.
The same logic applies to Buchanan: the Ravens can keep evaluating both players for another two weeks and still have the option to place either on injured reserve with a designation to return as late as Sept. 12 without losing anything in terms of games missed.
Baltimore also used its initial designations to return from IR on second-year cornerback Bilhal Kone and fifth-round rookie running back Adam Randall.
The Ravens’ final roster also kept alive a familiar streak. They have now carried at least one undrafted rookie on their Week 1 roster in 22 of the past 23 years, and this time that group includes quarterback Joe Fagnano and outside linebacker Ethan Burke.
Both were among the preseason’s best stories, but Fagnano’s climb was the more eye-catching one. He went from barely getting practice reps behind veteran quarterback Skylar Thompson early in camp to leading the NFL in preseason passing yards with 509.
That surge likely earns the former Connecticut standout the emergency No. 3 quarterback job behind two-time league MVP Lamar Jackson and veteran backup Tyler Huntley.
“It started with that first preseason game, really, where he got the first real run,” said Minter about Fagnano after Friday’s preseason finale. “Maybe one or two other practices right before that, but to his credit, he’s put it on tape, and he has put it out there.
He’s been really consistent. He has played a certain way almost all three games, and so that is definitely something we will have to take a look at.”
Burke also made the roster after beating out 2024 third-round pick Adisa Isaac for the No. 5 outside linebacker spot. Burke earned the job by flashing on defense and special teams across three preseason games, while Isaac was waived after two injury-filled seasons.
Among the other notable cuts were safety K’Von Wallace, wide receiver Chris Moore, interior offensive lineman Corey Bullock, 2025 sixth-round cornerback Robert Longerbeam, and a pair of 2026 seventh-round picks: defensive lineman Rayshaun Benny and guard Evan Beerntsen.
General manager Eric DeCosta also worked the trade market Saturday. Nose tackle C.J. Okoye was sent to the New York Giants for a 2028 seventh-round pick, while undrafted rookie offensive tackle Diego Pounds went to Kansas City in exchange for a conditional 2028 sixth-round pick.
As usual, Baltimore carried 25 offensive players, 25 defensive players and three specialists, including kicker Tyler Loop, on its initial 53-man roster.
Here is the full list of Sunday evening transactions:
WAIVED
ILB Michael Barrett
G Evan Beerntsen
DL Rayshaun Benny
WR Cortez Braham Jr.
OL Corey Bullock
C Nick Dawkins
ILB Dominic DeLuca
DL Aaron Graves
WR Xavier Guillory
OLB Adisa Isaac
WR Cornelius Johnson
ILB Jamon Johnson
LB Carl Jones
OT Gerad Lichtenhan
CB Robert Longerbeam
RB Dontae McMillan
DL David Olajiga
TE Ty Pezza
QB Austin Reed
CB Marquise Robinson
OLB Kaimon Rucker
FB Lucas Scott
WR Octavian Smith Jr.
RB Elijah Tau-Tolliver
WR Dayton Wade
S Silas Walters
CB Lardarius Webb Jr.
DL Dion Wilson Jr.
In Other News...
Ravens Just Turned Another Roster Cut Into Something That Matters
The roster trimming that usually fades into the background after preseason has taken on a little more meaning for Baltimore this week. The Ravens dealt offensive tackle Diego Pounds to the Chiefs for a conditional 2028 sixth-round pick, continuing a pattern of turning the edges of their depth chart into future draft capital as they sort through the final roster math.
It is also the second time in a short span the Ravens have found a trade partner for a player on the way out, after sending defensive lineman C.J. Okoye to the Giants for a 2028 seventh-rounder. For a team that likes to keep its pipeline stocked, these are the kinds of small transactions that can still matter later, even if the payoff is well down the road. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Suddenly Have A Kicker Decision They Cant Delay
The Ravens have reached a point in the preseason where a position that is usually supposed to settle quietly is suddenly drawing real attention. Tyler Loop has had trouble finding consistency on field goals, including misses from long range, and that kind of uneven stretch tends to linger in a teams mind even when it happens before the games count. For Baltimore, the issue is not just about one rough preseason, but about whether the kicking job is stable enough as the calendar keeps moving.
So far, the Ravens have not added any competition to push Loop, which leaves the current setup in place even as the misses pile up. New head coach Jesse Minter has already pointed to the importance of converting in pressure moments, but he has not made a move to replace or challenge the kicker yet. That creates an awkward holding pattern for a team that would rather have certainty at a spot where even one shaky afternoon can change the tone of the whole operation. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Suddenly Face A Lamar Jackson Problem They May Need To Fix
The Ravens are again staring at a familiar roster issue that can bleed into everything Lamar Jackson and the offense want to do. Baltimore already had some questions at wide receiver, and the recent arrest of Rashod Bateman only adds another layer of uncertainty to a group that needs to stay intact if the passing game is going to hold up.
An NFL analyst pointed out the concern around simply keeping a full complement of receivers on the active roster, which is the kind of problem that can force a front office to act sooner than planned. If Baltimore decides the room needs help, the options would be the usual in-season fixes: a trade, a free-agent addition, or both, depending on how urgent the situation becomes. [Read more 🡒]