The Ravens have plenty to sort out heading into 2026, and special teams may be one of the quieter problems that still refuses to go away.
Tyler Loop may draw the most attention, but Baltimore’s first unofficial depth chart points to another area that never got fully addressed this offseason: kick returner. Rasheen Ali is listed to handle that job again, and while he was serviceable there last time, “serviceable” may not be enough for a team trying to squeeze every edge out of field position and scoring chances.
That’s especially true now that kick returns can swing games in a bigger way. Baltimore needs more than average production from that spot, and it’s fair to wonder whether Ali can deliver it.
A week ago, Ali was being mentioned as a cut candidate after injuries and a training camp and preseason that didn’t do much to strengthen his case with the fanbase. He made the roster anyway and now appears headed for an important role on special teams.
A lot of Ravens fans were hoping LaJohntay Wester or Adam Randall would get the first crack at kickoff returns. Wester is listed behind Ali in the pecking order, while Randall was placed on IR with “something” and will miss at least the first four weeks of the season.
That gives Ali a chance to prove the coaches right and the doubters wrong. He has the speed and explosiveness to make people miss, and when he finds a lane, he can be a real headache in the open field.
The issue is that he hasn’t shown enough consistency yet. Over his first two NFL seasons, Ali has 34 kick returns for 870 yards, a 25.6-yard average. Those are below-average numbers, and that’s not what a Super Bowl-contending team wants from a returner.
If he’s going to keep that job, the production has to climb. Teams don’t usually wait long at that position if the results aren’t there, and Baltimore has other options if Ali stumbles again.
Wester is already waiting in the wings. He’s flashed as a punt returner, and while returning punts and kickoffs are different jobs, that kind of juice tends to travel.
Randall will also be in the mix once he’s healthy again. He’s still got plenty to learn, but the Ravens clearly saw him as a kick return possibility when they took him in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
So while Baltimore’s special teams as a whole need to be better in 2026, the kick return spot may be the most underwhelming piece of the puzzle. And for now, it looks like the Ravens are still waiting for somebody to solve it.
In Other News...
Ravens Hand Lamar Jackson's Offense A Risky Week 1 Question
A little more clarity emerged around Baltimores offensive line plans this week, and it came with a notable change at center. Jesse Minter announced that JoVaughn Gwyn will start in Week 1, giving the Ravens a new anchor in front of Lamar Jackson after Gwyn won a competition and moved into the spot following an injury to another player. A free-agent signing and former Falcons lineman, Gwyn now finds himself in the middle of a unit that will be watched closely from the first snap.
It is a meaningful shift from last seasons starter, and it speaks to how much the Ravens value Gwyns physical traits and his familiarity with the offensive scheme. For a team built around Jacksons ability to make the offense go, any change at center carries extra weight, especially this early. Baltimore wanted a steadier answer there, and now the question is how quickly the new arrangement settles in when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Just Turned Up The Pressure On Tyler Loop
The Ravens added another leg to the kicking competition by signing Jake Moody to the practice squad, a move that comes with Tyler Loop under a brighter spotlight than most young specialists ever get. Baltimore has made clear it is not treating the position as a formality, and the addition of a recently cut veteran kick option gives the team another familiar name to evaluate while Loop tries to steady things.
Ravens officials and players have already addressed the expectations around the spot, and this latest roster move only sharpens the message. Baltimore does not appear inclined to let the kicking job settle itself, and with Moody now in the building, the pressure on Loop to show he can handle it has gone up another notch. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Must Fix One Coverage Problem Daniel Jones Already Exposed
Daniel Jones has already shown how he can stress a Jesse Minter defense, and that history is part of what makes this Colts matchup so interesting for Baltimore. Jones has long been at his best when the ball comes out quickly and the offense leans on short passes and yards after the catch, which puts pressure on a defense to tackle cleanly and cover efficiently in tight spaces rather than just win at the line of scrimmage.
For the Ravens, the challenge is less about chasing explosive downfield throws and more about deciding how much they want to alter their usual coverage habits to disrupt that quick-strike rhythm. Baltimore knows Jones can make life uncomfortable when he gets the matchup he wants, and the next step is figuring out whether Minter is willing to adjust his approach before the Colts turn those easy throws into a steady chain of first downs. [Read more 🡒]