The Ravens didn’t give their rookies nearly as long a leash in the second preseason game, and that showed up all over the snap counts. Some young players still got plenty of run, but Saturday was much more about sorting through the middle of the roster and taking another look at depth pieces.
On offense, the biggest workload again went to the undrafted rookies up front and at quarterback. Right tackle Carson Vinson logged 45 snaps, 10 more than any other offensive lineman.
The 6-foot-8, 330-pound undrafted rookie out of Oregon State didn’t play every snap at right tackle the way he did in the opener, but the Ravens clearly still see something worth developing. He should be in line for another heavy workload Friday, and he looks like a practice squad candidate.
At quarterback, undrafted rookie Tyler Loop was on the field for 28 snaps. He handled the blitz well and, even with Snoop Huntley getting more work this time, continued to look like a player who has a real shot to land on the practice squad and maybe grow into a future backup if this keeps going.
The wide receiver usage was lighter for the rookies than it was in the first preseason game. Ja’Kobi Lane, a third-round pick, played 17 snaps, while fourth-rounder Elijah Sarratt got just six.
Meanwhile, Devontez Walker played 30 snaps and showed enough to keep pushing for more opportunities. He caught the eye as the Ravens searched for answers at a position where Rashod Bateman is facing three charges of family violence and has been away from the team in June.
Tight end Matthew Hibner was on the field for 27 snaps, a little behind Walker, and the offense leaned on him for 33 plays overall. He finished with 46 receiving yards and got some early looks on under-center play action. He appears to have a better chance than Hibner to hold up in a blocking role, even if that’s only to a modest degree.
At running back, Rasheen Ali and rookie Adam Randall were both out with injuries, which left the door open for D. Ward.
He had just been signed and played 25 snaps. The backfield depth had already been a concern, and the ground game reflected it.
Baltimore averaged only 2.6 yards per carry as a team, and the line had a rough night.
On defense, Higgens was the snap leader for the Ravens and for the game overall, playing 56 snaps on a night when Baltimore was on the field for 61 defensive plays. He missed the last game with an injury, but he was active early as a blitzer and worked well alongside undrafted rookie Dominic DeLuca, who finished with 47 snaps and led Ravens linebackers last week.
Undrafted linebacker Ethan Burke was around the ball plenty too. There’s also attention being paid to a former draft pick this summer as the Ravens look for an understudy for Roquan Smith, someone with more familiarity and experience in the system.
At cornerback, Jalen Rivers and D.J. Walters each played 36 snaps.
Rivers, a late-round pick with the size to deal with gadget types in the slot, was involved as a slot blitzer. Walters had some trouble in coverage and had a hard time high-pointing jump balls, but he finished strong with an interception.
Keyon Martin, another young slot corner, was used sparingly at 17 snaps.
Keondre Jackson led the safeties with 35 snaps and kept showing up as a blitzer from the slot and from deeper alignments. Outside, UNC product and former practice squad player Tavian Brown played 29 snaps, posted two pressures, and flashed enough pass-rush ability to make a case for sticking around as depth again this season.
In Other News...
LaJohntay Wester Just Made The Ravens Return Role More Complicated
LaJohntay Wester keeps making a case for himself in a crowded Ravens receiver room, and the latest reminder came in preseason against Minnesota. The former Colorado standout caught an eight-yard touchdown pass and finished with five receptions for 24 yards and the score, giving Baltimore another glimpse of the playmaking ability that could matter when the roster gets trimmed down.
The celebration told its own story, too, with offensive lineman Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan among the first to greet him, a familiar scene for two former Buffaloes trying to carve out NFL roles in Baltimore. Christian-Lichtenhan is still working toward a roster spot in his second season, while Westers performance only adds another wrinkle to the Ravens return conversation as the team evaluates who can help once the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Suddenly Have A Real QB3 Decision To Make
Joe Fagnano has turned the Ravens preseason into a legitimate audition, and not just for some end-of-roster footnote. The undrafted rookie has handled a heavy workload over the past two weeks, completing 37 of 48 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns while getting plenty of chances to show he belongs behind Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley.
What makes this interesting for Baltimore is how quickly the quarterback picture has gone from routine to worth watching. The Ravens have clearly invested real snaps in Fagnano, and he has responded by making a strong case for either a roster spot or at least a place on the practice squad. With the top two jobs spoken for, the only question now is whether his preseason play has been enough to separate him from the rest of the competition. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Offensive Line Still Looks Like A Serious Week 1 Concern
The Ravens offensive line has given them plenty to think about after a preseason outing against Minnesota that turned messy fast against Brian Flores pressure looks. Baltimore is still bringing back important pieces like Ronnie Stanley and Roger Rosengarten, but the overall picture along the front remains unsettled, especially with younger and less proven options being asked to hold up in meaningful snaps.
Vega Ioane and John Simpson are part of that mix, and the concern around Ethan Pocic only adds to the uncertainty after his Achilles injury. For a team with bigger goals than simply surviving September, the lines shaky showing was a reminder that the most important work in front of Lamar Jackson may still be unfinished with the regular season approaching. [Read more 🡒]