It’s preseason, but the Ravens are already stepping into something that feels brand new in Baltimore. New head coach, new coaching staff, new jerseys, stadium upgrades - the whole package. And while one exhibition game against the Eagles won’t tell the full story, it will give the first real glimpse of a roster that has generated plenty of buzz in camp.
The loudest buzz has belonged to Ja’Kobi Lane. The rookie has turned training camp into a weekly highlight reel, and the hype has only grown because he’s backed it up on the field.
Lane has been making a spectacular catch almost every day, sometimes more than one, and the reaction around him has only intensified. His quarterback, teammates and coaches have all added to the noise, which is saying something for a non-first-round rookie.
He’s earned first-team reps, regular sideline conversations with Lamar Jackson and what looks like a much bigger role than many expected from a third-round pick. Now the next step is simple: do it when the lights are on.
Expect the Ravens to look for him early in this game as they try to keep building the case for a sizable role before the regular season arrives.
If Lane has been the camp headliner, the tight end room has been the area to watch for a different reason. This group looks like the offense’s clearest question mark.
Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar are gone in free agency, leaving Mark Andrews, veteran Durham Smythe and rookies Matt Hibner and Josh Cuevas to fill in the picture. So far, the usual Andrews dominance hasn’t shown up in camp the way it has since 2019.
Smythe has been steady as a blocker, but he doesn’t bring much as a receiver. Hibner and Cuevas, both Day 3 picks, aren’t central pieces in an offense that appears more wide-receiver-heavy than what Baltimore has run before.
There’s still a clear path for the veterans to matter. Andrews doesn’t need to be the same explosive YAC threat he once was; in this setup, he just needs to do what he does best, find the soft spots in zone and keep building on his connection with Lamar Jackson, especially near the goal line.
Smythe, meanwhile, looks like a blocking specialist. The bigger preseason question is whether one of the rookies can emerge and claim a role.
The Ravens may need one of them to become an explosive option if this offense is going to hit its ceiling.
Then there’s cornerback depth, which never really stops being a Ravens issue. Ozzie Newsome said it best: “You can never have enough corners.”
That line feels especially relevant now, with both Nate Wiggins and Marlon Humphrey dealing with injuries in camp. Neither issue sounds serious, and both should be fine for Week 1, but the possibility of losing cornerback depth midseason is suddenly a real one, especially with Chidobe Awuzie’s injury history in the mix.
T.J. Tampa has been one of the standouts again this summer.
The third-year corner has put together another strong camp and looks like the top backup behind the starting trio. He may even push Jesse Minter toward a four-cornerback rotation instead of a three-man setup.
Behind him, the roster picture is getting crowded fast. Fifth-round rookie Chandler Rivers looks like a lock, and Keyon Martin, who made the team last year as a UDFA, has also had a strong camp.
That already gets the Ravens to six corners.
If they carry a seventh, there are more names in the mix. Bilhal Kone and Robert Longerbeam, both 2025 late-round picks who missed the entire season with torn ACLs, have impressed.
Kone, in particular, had a strong camp last year before his preseason injury and fits the profile of what Minter wants with his size and athleticism. Marquise Robinson, Lardarius Webb Jr. and veteran Amani Oruwariye are also in the picture.
The first preseason game should offer the first clue about how that battle is shaping up, and the competition figures to keep rolling from there.
In Other News...
Ravens Preseason Opener Could Reveal Early Answers At Four Key Spots
The Ravens open preseason against the Eagles with a chance to get a first real look at several rookies who have flashed in camp and now should see meaningful snaps. The focus is on Ja'Kobi Lane, Vega Ioane, Zion Young and Adam Randall, a group that has stood out enough in recent practices to merit extra attention in the exhibition opener, where playing time and position battles often matter more than the scoreboard.
For Baltimore, the intrigue is as much about fit as it is about talent. Lane, Ioane and Young will each be trying to turn camp momentum into a stronger case for roles down the line, while Randalls workload figures to be especially notable with the backfield situation thinning for the opener. Preseason games can be noisy evaluations, but this one should at least start to clarify which of these rookies are ready to keep pushing for bigger opportunities. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Bubble Players Get Their Biggest Shot Yet Against The Eagles
With Jesse Minter planning to rest many of the Ravens starters in the 2026 preseason opener against the Eagles, the focus shifts fast from established names to the players trying to carve out jobs. That kind of early-August stage can be unforgiving, but it also offers a clean look at backups and roster hopefuls who need live reps to stand out. For Baltimore, that means a handful of bubble players are getting the kind of exposure that can change how the rest of camp looks.
Corey Bullock, Jovaughn Gwyn, Aeneas Peebles, Kaimon Rucker and Robert Longerbeam all enter the game with something to prove, and each has a different lane to climb if the first preseason outing goes well. The opportunity matters because the Ravens decisions are starting to take shape, and performances in a game like this can separate a player from the pack even before the depth chart gets crowded again. The opener against Philadelphia may not feature many established stars, but for these five, it could be the biggest shot they get all summer. [Read more 🡒]
Ja'Kobi Lane Faces His Biggest Ravens Test Yet
Ja'Kobi Lane has turned enough heads in Ravens training camp to put himself squarely in the conversation for the No. 3 receiver job, a spot that has become one of the more interesting battles on Baltimore's roster. The rookie has reportedly been making a strong impression, and in a room where every rep matters, that kind of early momentum can go a long way toward separating him from the pack.
Lane is not running away with anything yet, though, and the next step will be proving it when the games start counting in a different way. Baltimore wants more than training-camp buzz from its young receivers, and preseason work will be the real measuring stick as Lane tries to turn a promising summer into a secure role. [Read more 🡒]