The Ravens’ practice squad picture is starting to take shape, and a few young players keep popping up as the kind of developmental bets this team wants to keep close.
That’s the whole game in late summer. The practice squad isn’t glamorous, but it matters.
A lot of these players are one injury away from the active roster, and with the expanded eligibility rules, the competition for those spots has only gotten tighter. For a team in Super Bowl mode, the task is twofold: keep future NFL bodies in the pipeline and make sure there’s enough veteran know-how at key spots to step in if needed.
This is also the first time rookie head coach Jesse Minter and 30-year-old offensive coordinator Declan Doyle have been in these roles, which only adds to the shuffle. The Ravens’ personnel department has plenty on its plate already, and next weekend is shaping up to be a major roster whirlwind.
Even with 11 draft picks, there are still undrafted rookies and practice-squad holdovers making their case to stay in Owings Mills in some form. Some could stick here.
Others might land quickly on another team’s practice squad, or even an active roster. The Ravens also still look likely to make at least one trade, given the number of interesting cornerbacks in the building.
A few names stand out.
On defense, the edge-rush group is crowded enough that a player like Trey Hendrickson has to be watched closely for age and health, while Zion Young will need time to develop. The roster on that side is simply too deep and too healthy for him to force his way in right now.
At linebacker, the situation is a little different. DeLuca, an undrafted Penn State walk-on, has played 74 snaps so far, more than anyone on the defense.
That doesn’t guarantee anything, and sometimes the players who log the most snaps are still the ones most likely to go. Burke, the undrafted Texas linebacker, also made a strong impression Saturday with the kind of motor the Ravens like.
Friday night against the Commanders looks like a big night for both of them. The Ravens are also looking elsewhere for veteran backup help behind Roquan Smith.
In the secondary, one of the depth corners has quietly built momentum all summer, even if his name hasn’t gotten much attention outside the building. The front office may prefer it that way.
His size and frame fit what Minter wants, especially in quarters coverage. He also brings legit NFL experience and the length teams don’t always find.
Up front, Lichtenhan has become impossible to ignore. He was banged up earlier, but getting back on the field mattered.
He’s now been on the field for 121 reps through two games, which is 23 more snaps than anyone else on the roster and nearly all of the offense’s snaps outside a handful. The Ravens clearly see him as a developmental tackle, and they’ve shown before how they can keep churning at that spot.
At 6-foot-8 and 330 pounds, he has the kind of raw tools they like to stash and mold.
That makes the offensive tackle conversation especially interesting. The Ravens should be looking hard for a veteran there once roster cuts start around the league, because Ronnie Stanley has been an injury risk for years and Roger Rosengarten could be a player the market values higher than Baltimore is willing to go.
But even with that need, Lichtenhan’s workload is no accident. The Ravens have clearly invested in him.
Quarterback is another spot to watch. With so many veteran passers likely to be cut soon, it would be a surprise if the Ravens couldn’t get him back to the practice squad. Still, there’s always some risk, which is why it makes sense to wonder whether they’ll play him heavily Friday or turn the game over to Austin Reed and avoid putting more film out there for other teams to study.
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Lane was on the field for 17 offensive snaps and finished with one catch, while Sarratt played six snaps and also came away with one reception. For a pair of rookies in a crowded evaluation period, the lack of production was a reminder that opportunities are still limited, but Baltimore has seen enough from both to keep them in the conversation as potential contributors when the chances become more consistent. [Read more 🡒]