There’s not a ton of real suspense at the top of the Ravens’ depth chart right now, but camp still has a few spots worth watching.
Some of that could change fast once the hits start adding up and the preseason gets rolling. For now, though, the battles that matter in Baltimore are more about how the coaches want to line things up than any wide-open scramble for jobs. Using the ourlads.com depth chart as a guide, plus the usual mix of roster logic, contracts and the kind of interpersonal realities every front office deals with, a handful of starting spots still deserve attention.
At center, the Ravens didn’t bring in Sam Pocic just to keep the seat warm. He’s coming off an Achilles injury and only joined the team a few weeks ago, so he’s still working back into form.
But the point of the signing was clear: he’s a proven player who can handle the job. That matters with Lamar Jackson at quarterback and Declan Doyle in his first year as a coordinator, especially after an offseason full of talk that one of the internal options might win the Week 1 job.
Pocic has already gotten a look with the first group, and head coach Jesse Minter addressed that after some early-rep buzz: “He’ll definitely have an opportunity to show what he can do with the first group,”
At receiver, Rashod Bateman looked noticeably more comfortable at Owings Mills than he has in a while. He doesn’t say much, but he seemed to be leaning into the chance in front of him.
Devontez Walker is part of the mix, and third-round pick Ja’Kobi Lane has people buzzing because of his ceiling, but it doesn’t feel like he’s about to walk out of camp with a major role. Bateman is still the name that stands out, and Doyle appears to be using him in a more hybrid way.
Bateman also sounded upbeat after Thursday’s practice. “We’re got a new energy," Bateman said. "A new offense … I’m doing things I’ve never done before.”
The expectation there is a timeshare on early-season vertical routes, with Bateman getting the Week 1 nod and Walker likely becoming more involved as things go.
The other spot that jumps out is on the edge, where Robinson looks positioned to hold down a key role. He has the kind of frame Baltimore likes, can anchor against the run, and has shown enough pass rush to get coaches talking.
With Trey Hendrickson now on the other side, that balance matters. The Ravens need someone reliable who can handle early downs and keep the front stable.
New outside linebackers coach Harland Bower didn’t hold back when talking about him Thursday:
“'T-Rob' exemplifies everything in terms of what it means to be a Baltimore Raven. He is violent-minded.
He plays with his hair on fire. He does every little thing right.
By the way, he is one of the best humans on the football team. Again, you cannot lose with a guy like that.
He is an unbelievable young man to coach, and I am really excited to be able to work with him every day."
That kind of praise says plenty. Zion Young will need something special to push him aside, and the pass-rush side of his game still sounds like a work in progress. Isaac has some interesting traits, but his injury history makes it tough to count on him as more than part of the rotation.
In Other News...
Ravens Rookie Receiver Battle May Already Be Swinging One Way
Baltimores search for a bigger target at receiver brought two rookie names into camp with real intrigue, and Ja'Kobi Lane has wasted little time making his case. The Ravens drafted Lane and Elijah Sarratt with the same need in mind, hoping one of them could help fill the kind of role the offense has been missing, and early on it has been Lane who has looked ready to seize the moment.
Sarratts path has been slowed by a leg injury from mandatory minicamp, which has made the competition harder to read than Baltimore likely hoped. Lane, meanwhile, has been steadily building momentum in camp and looks positioned to keep pushing for a meaningful spot if the reps keep going his way. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Push The Edge During Their Most Physical Camp Day Yet
The Ravens spent their longest training camp practice of the summer leaning hard into the kind of work that can set a tone for the rest of August. Long drive drills, live tackling and even coaches jumping into tackling work turned the day into a true test of stamina and edge, with physicality clearly baked into the plan from the start.
Jesse Minter had his hands full as the intensity rose and several players got into heated exchanges, but nothing spilled over into an actual fight. For a team trying to sharpen its competitive habits, it was the sort of practice that walked right up to the line without crossing it, and that may have been the point. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Just Raised The Stakes On Lamar Jacksons Next Deal
The Ravens spent part of their offseason reinforcing the future around Lamar Jackson, locking up wide receiver Zay Flowers on a four-year, $140 million extension. It is the kind of move that signals how seriously Baltimore views its young offensive core, and it also underscores just how much the team has invested in giving Jackson the pieces needed to keep the offense rolling.
What comes next is the bigger front-office test. Jackson is still in contract negotiations with the Ravens, and those talks have not been finalized, leaving the organization with one marquee deal already done and another far more important one still hanging over the roster. Baltimore would prefer to keep both stars in place, but the shape of Flowers' new contract only adds more intrigue to how the next round of talks with its franchise quarterback will unfold. [Read more 🡒]