Several Ravens rookies were thrown into the fire Sunday, and one of the biggest bright spots came from a fifth-round defensive back who made his first real NFL imprint in the 24-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints.
Chandler Rivers, who had been a healthy scratch in the opener, moved into the primary backup role at nickel and saw heavy work in the home opener. He played 24 defensive snaps to Keyon Martin’s one, while also logging three fewer special teams snaps than Martin. Rivers made that opportunity count, finishing with a pair of solo tackles, including one for a loss.
His first big play came on a third-and-long when he dragged down Saints tight end Juwan Johnson, who outweighs him by 56 pounds, to force a punt. Later, he read a screen perfectly, powered through his blocker and blew up Alvin Kamara four yards behind the line of scrimmage, setting up a third-and-long that led to a short field goal attempt.
Play recognition. Awareness. Instincts.Chandler Rivers is a DUDE. pic.twitter.com/qma9NY5qrS
Baltimore’s rookie class was active across all three phases in the home opener, with drafted and undrafted first-year players seeing extended work. The only rookie who was a healthy scratch was undrafted quarterback Joe Fagnano, though he still dressed as an emergency No. 3 option. Fifth-round running back Adam Randall remains on short-term injured reserve for at least two more weeks, third-round wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane is on injured reserve after getting hurt in Week 1, and seventh-round defensive tackle Rayshaun Benny is on the practice squad.
The first-round right guard was on the field for every offensive snap again and avoided penalties this time. His run blocking continued to stand out, but there was a costly breakdown in pass protection. A quick burst of pressure forced Lamar Jackson to get rid of the ball earlier than he wanted, and that throw ended up as the game-sealing interception.
Lamar’s interception:Deep Smash against C3. If Vega doesn’t get beat so quick, Lamar has time to hold the MOF safety and put the field corner in conflict. One of the two routes should come open.Instead, the poor protection sped up Lamar’s internal clock, and he forced a bad… pic.twitter.com/OhgMC1qK1Q
The second-round edge defender, Zion Young, saw his role grow after playing just 22 combined snaps on defense and special teams in Week 1. Against the Saints, he was on the field for 23 defensive snaps alone and recorded the first three tackles of his career, with two solos among them. Young showed off his play strength at times, but he also had some rough moments, including a missed chance at his first tackle for loss when he whiffed on Tyler Shough and allowed the Saints quarterback to scramble for a first down before being pushed out of bounds.
His biggest mistake came on special teams. He lost lane integrity on a 53-yard kickoff return just before halftime, and that return helped New Orleans set up a scoring drive that ended with a field goal.
This Zion Young guy is pretty strong pic.twitter.com/U1QJPYuE8U
Another rookie who was active for the first time did not get onto the field at all. After sitting out as a healthy scratch in the opener, the fourth-rounder dressed Sunday but never saw a snap on offense or special teams. He was out-snapped in both phases by 11th-year veteran Chris Moore, who started opposite Rashod Bateman in place of the injured Zay Flowers.
The fourth-rounder on offense saw a slight dip in usage, dropping to just under 20 snaps at 19, while his special teams work fell from nine to seven. He wasn’t targeted, but he continued to draw praise for his blocking in the run game.
At tight end, the fifth-rounder’s workload shrank even more. He played only five offensive snaps, the fewest among Baltimore’s tight ends, and added just one special teams snap.
The sixth-round specialist, Eckley, had a much quieter afternoon than he did in Week 1. He averaged 41.3 yards per punt and didn’t pin New Orleans inside its own 20. His two shortest punts came at damaging moments: a 37-yarder at the end of the third quarter and a 40-yarder with a little more than eight minutes left in the fourth, both of which gave the Saints the ball at their own 32.
The undrafted free agent and preseason darling still hasn’t played a snap on defense through two games, sticking to special teams again. He logged 16 special teams snaps, third-most on the team and most among all Ravens rookies, and picked up the first regular-season tackle of his career with an assisted stop on a kick returner to start the third quarter.
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Lamar Jackson Is Already Feeling A Ravens Problem That Could Linger
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For the Ravens, the concern goes beyond a rough opening stretch. Pass protection has been the weak spot, and Jacksons results under duress have reflected it, leaving the offense searching for cleaner pockets and better timing. Baltimore is weighing adjustments, including possible lineup changes, as it tries to stabilize the protection and keep this from becoming a season-long issue. [Read more 🡒]