The Ravens’ trip to Minnesota is about more than two days of joint work and a preseason tune-up. For a few players on the roster bubble and a few others trying to take the next step, these practices could matter a lot more than the Week 2 exhibition on Saturday.
Baltimore comes in off a dominant win over the Philadelphia Eagles last weekend, and head coach Jesse Minter made it clear why these sessions carry extra weight.
“It’s that time where you get a chance to line up and play against somebody else. I think you get the juices going a little bit more like a game situation. I know our guys are excited about that,” head coach Jesse Minter said.
The Ravens are set for two days of joint practices with the Minnesota Vikings before Saturday’s preseason matchup, and the next 48 hours should give first-team units a sharper test while also creating chances for players to move up the depth chart.
One of the biggest names to watch is Gwynn, whose Ravens debut last Saturday added new life to the competition at center. The fourth-year pro played 76 snaps and showed the athleticism that makes this battle feel far from settled.
He was active in space, moved well to the second level and found work once he got there. Gwynn also did a good job firing out of his stance, creating movement on double teams and using clean technique to help open lanes on zone runs. Offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford brought Gwynn to Baltimore, and the opener offered a strong reminder of why.
There’s still plenty left for him to prove, though. If Gwynn can keep stacking quality reps against defensive tackles Caleb Banks and Jalen Redmond, the buzz around his progress will only get louder.
Matthew Hibner also left a strong first impression against Philadelphia, and now the question is whether he can carry that into a tougher setting. The fifth-round rookie caught all five of his targets for 61 yards and posted a 92.6 grade from PFF. That was enough to earn PFF Rookie Team of the Week honors.
Hibner’s route running has improved since his final season at SMU, and that gives him a real path to carving out a role in a Ravens offense that has been tweaked. His run blocking still needs work, but the receiving upside is obvious. Now he gets to show what that looks like against first-team defenders, with offensive coordinator Declan Doyle expected to keep a close eye on him in team periods as both a blocker and a pass catcher.
Mike Green is another player with something to gain, and maybe the widest range of outcomes of the bunch. The second-year edge rusher spent the first week of the preseason rotating through different stances and techniques, mostly against second- and third-team tackles.
That changes in Minnesota. Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver and defensive line coach Lou Esposito are expected to line him up with much tougher competition, including top-15 offensive tackle Christian Darrisaw in one-on-one work. He’ll also be tested on keeping containment on a scrambling quarterback Kyler Murray in team drills.
Outside of working against Ronnie Stanley every day, this is the first real hurdle Green has had to clear during camp. He’s in an environment that could bring out more from him, with veteran pass rushers around him and a coordinator who lives and breathes the trenches. These two practices should tell the Ravens plenty about how much ground he’s covered this offseason.
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