The Ravens head into Week 6 with a chance to keep rolling, and the game in Cleveland may end up being decided by a few players who can swing key moments. Baltimore sits on the second stop of its two-game road trip and can move to 5-1 with a win, which would only tighten its grip on first place in the AFC North. A loss, meanwhile, would leave the Ravens no worse than tied for second if the Steelers and Bengals both win Sunday.
One of the biggest wild cards is the return of third-round rookie Lane, who is back in the lineup after being activated from injured reserve Saturday and getting a full week of practice in. He was the clear star of Ravens camp and preseason, stacking up highlight catches on a daily basis thanks to his hands and catch radius. His regular-season debut ended quickly in Week 1 after he fractured his wrist, and a first career touchdown was wiped out by a penalty.
Lane’s frame gives Baltimore another weapon near the goal line, and his size should matter in contested catches. He also gives the Ravens a useful target underneath when they need a first down and defenses are locked onto Zay Flowers, who has opened the season with a sensational run.
Up front, the Ravens will need the fifth-year veteran to help keep Cleveland from finding any traction on the ground. The Browns are in the bottom half of the league in rushing offense, and top running back Quinshon Judkins is out with an ankle injury, but they still need some kind of run game.
That makes this matchup about whether Baltimore can stop double teams and shut down the interior, something the veteran handled well last week against one of the league’s best rushing attacks. He’ll have to do it again against one of the worst.
The tight end room will also ask a lot from Vannett, who played 19 offensive snaps in his Ravens debut last week after stepping in for Durham Smythe, the blocking specialist who went down with a season-ending torn Achilles in Week 4. With fourth-round rookie Matthew Hibner out because of a hand injury, Vannett should be on the field even more. He looked comfortable in limited action against the Atlanta Falcons, especially as a lead blocker on the edge and out of the backfield.
On the defensive side, the second-year pro has started to turn into a much cleaner tackler over the last two weeks after a rough start to the season. He posted a season-high 10 tackles last week, matching the single-game best of his career, and it was the first time he recorded multiple tackles for loss in a game. Baltimore will need that version of him again to limit yards after the catch, close down underneath throws and add pressure as a blitzer.
In Other News...
Ravens Face A Costly Colts Debate After Cam Jurgens Trade
The Ravens offensive-line conversation has already changed once this season with the arrival of center Cam Jurgens, and now the bigger question is whether Baltimore wants to keep shopping in Indianapolis. With the Colts moving on from general manager Chris Ballard after a 2-4 start, the league has started to wonder whether they could listen on some major veterans before the deadline, and that has naturally put a few familiar names in the spotlight for a team that is always looking for protection upgrades.
For Baltimore, the appeal is obvious, but so are the complications. The idea of pursuing Quenton Nelson or DeForest Buckner has been floated, yet the cost in both contract money and draft capital makes any move tricky, especially for a team that has already invested to shore up the middle of its front. Around the league, analysts do not sound uniform on whether such a swing is realistic or even wise, which leaves the Ravens with a tempting possibility and no easy path to making it happen. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Already Face An Uncomfortable Question About Their Costly Signing
The Ravens made a significant commitment to John Simpson in March 2026, handing the guard a three-year, $30 million deal to help stabilize the interior of the offensive line. It was the kind of signing that usually comes with an expectation of immediate reliability, especially for a team trying to keep its offense on schedule and its quarterback protected.
Through six weeks, though, the early returns have been uncomfortable. Simpson has drawn scrutiny for uneven play and a tendency to get flagged, and the broader concern is whether Baltimore is getting the kind of value it expected from one of its pricier offseason investments. For a team that built the contract around dependability, the first month and a half has left the Ravens with a question they would rather not be asking this soon. [Read more 🡒]
Lamar Jacksons Ravens Return Outlook Just Put Week 7 In Doubt
Lamar Jacksons absence has already stretched through two games, and now the next checkpoint comes with Week 7 looming against Cincinnati. The Ravens quarterback has been out since Week 4 with an ankle injury, and head coach Jesse Minter said Jackson could potentially practice this week, a sign that Baltimore may be getting closer to learning whether its offense can have its centerpiece back on the field.
For now, the status remains unsettled, which leaves the Ravens in a familiar holding pattern heading into a divisional matchup. If Jackson is not able to go against the Bengals, Tyler Huntley is expected to step in at quarterback, keeping Baltimores game plan in flux until the practice week reveals more. [Read more 🡒]