The Ravens still have one preseason game left against the Commanders, but the roster work is nowhere close to finished. Baltimore still has to get down to 53 players, and even then, the group that lines up for Week 1 at Indianapolis might not be fully set. There’s still room for a move or two before the 2026 NFL regular season begins.
That’s where the free-agent market comes in. A few names remain available, and Baltimore has some clear spots that could use help.
Jabrill Peppers stands out as the kind of short-term addition that fits a team trying to protect itself against injury and thin depth. At 30, he’d be a one-year rental, but he brings nine years of AFC North experience and the kind of versatility defensive coaches love. He could give the Ravens another option behind Jaylinn Hawkins and Malaki Starks, especially with Kyle Hamilton expected to spend time closer to the line of scrimmage in big nickel looks.
Right now, the depth chart behind Hawkins and Starks is pretty light. K’Von Wallace is there, along with UDFAs Keondre Jackson and Silas Walters. If either Hawkins or Starks gets hurt, Baltimore could be forced to keep Hamilton deep all the time, and that would take away some of what makes him so dangerous.
Peppers would at least give the Ravens a veteran answer. He just came off a one-year deal in Pittsburgh, where he started two of the 14 games he played after arriving late.
Before that, he was released by New England after strong seasons in 2023 and 2024. He may not be a starter anymore, but he has played just about everywhere on defense: in the box, deep, in the slot and even on the perimeter.
Up front, the Ravens have another reason to look outside the building. The interior line took a hit when center/guard Danny Pinter landed on IR, and while Ethan Pocic is in the mix at center after coming back from a torn Achilles suffered in December, there are real questions about how quickly he can be effective. There are also concerns about projected starting left guard John Simpson.
That’s why a veteran like Hernandez makes sense. He has 98 NFL starts at guard, which is exactly the kind of experience that can steady a shaky interior. It’s not ideal that he’s coming off two straight seasons on IR, but as a bench option and insurance policy, he offers something Baltimore could use right now, especially with the depth so thin after Pinter’s injury.
And then there’s Hill, the kind of move that makes more sense once you look at how Baltimore wants to play this year. Hill has already said he is not returning to the Saints, and the Ravens’ tight end depth behind an aging Mark Andrews doesn’t look especially secure, even after adding Durham Smythe in free agency and Matt Hibner and Josh Cuevas on the final day of the draft.
This would also be a one-year type of move, but the fit is easy to see. Hill could reunite with Ravens offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, who spent four years as an offensive assistant with the Saints before moving to Denver to coach tight ends. Baltimore is expected to use more under-center looks under Doyle, and multiple-tight-end packages should be a major part of the plan.
That matters because the Ravens don’t exactly have a deep group of proven wide receivers to lean on every down. A movable piece like Hill could give Lamar Jackson another useful weapon in 2026.
In Other News...
Lamar Jackson's Future Just Got Pulled Back Into Focus
The coaching ripple effect around the AFC North is back in the conversation, even if it starts far from Baltimore. Mike Tomlins departure from Pittsburgh after 19 seasons ended one of the divisions defining relationships, and now his name is surfacing again as Woody Johnson weighs whether to bring him to the Jets. Some league executives believe the idea has real momentum, which is enough to send the speculation machine into overdrive.
For Ravens fans, the part worth watching is the Lamar Jackson angle, because Tomlins possible landing spot in New York has already led to talk that Jackson could at least consider a trade scenario. Nothing has moved beyond rumor, and both men are still where they are for now, but it is the kind of connection that quickly drags a franchise quarterback back into the center of league chatter. [Read more 🡒]
Ethan Burke Is Making The Ravens' Final Roster Call Much Harder
Ethan Burke has turned the Ravens final weeks of the preseason into a tougher evaluation than expected. The undrafted rookie linebacker has brought more intensity to recent practice work and has stood out on special teams, the kind of contribution that can quietly tilt a roster battle in August. For a team that always puts a premium on depth and versatility, that matters a lot.
Burke is not just fighting for a generic depth role. He is pushing for the final outside linebacker spot and giving Adisa Isaac a legitimate challenge there, with his special teams impact adding to his case after notable work in joint practice. Burke also arrived with a strong college special teams reputation, and if he keeps stacking those kinds of reps, the Ravens may have a tougher 53-man decision than they planned. [Read more 🡒]
Kyle Hamilton Just Said The Quiet Part About Footballs Risk
Kyle Hamilton is already thinking well beyond this season, and not just about the Ravens' playoff chase. The Baltimore safety said he expects the NFL to move to a 20-game regular season within the next decade, a shift that would push the league even deeper into the business of delivering more football while asking players to absorb even more punishment.
Hamilton also didnt soften his view of what the sport costs the people who play it. He said the physical risks are serious enough that he would likely steer his future children away from football after high school, a candid window into how todays players weigh the games appeal against its long-term toll. His comments land at a time when the leagues appetite for more games feels obvious, even as the conversation around how much football is too much keeps growing louder. [Read more 🡒]