The Ravens cut their roster to 53 players Tuesday, along with the rest of the league.
Here are the five biggest takeaways from Baltimore’s moves:
The Ravens kept 10 offensive linemen and haven’t added any (yet).
Head Coach John Harbaugh has settled on his starting offensive line, though he’s not sharing. While the Ravens will have three new starters, they’ll also have a lot of depth with 10 offensive linemen on the 53-man roster.
The projected starters, at least when judging by those who started in the preseason, are left tackle Ronnie Stanley, left guard Andrew Vorhees, center Tyler Linderbaum, right guard Daniel Faalele, and right tackle Roger Rosengarten. Veteran Patrick Mekari could also start or rotate in at right tackle. Beyond those six, Baltimore also kept Ben Cleveland, Josh Jones, Sala Aumavae-Laulu, and rookie Nick Samac.
Pundits questioned whether Aumavae-Laulu would make it, but the big-bodied 2023 sixth-round pick beat out Tashawn Manning and others. Samac came on throughout training camp as the backup center to Linderbaum (with Mekari on standby) and shook off an injury in the preseason finale to return to the practice field Monday.
Cleveland and Jones are veterans who have starting experience. Aumavae-Laulu and Samac, who was a seventh-round pick, can continue to develop and step in if needed.
The Ravens didn’t make any trades, indicating they’re ready to go with their in-house starters. Still, they could monitor the waiver wire for a potential depth addition.
Beau Brade is the homegrown feel-good story of cuts.
The homegrown feel-good story of Ravens roster cuts is safety Beau Brade making the team as the only undrafted rookie.
The River Hill High School and University of Maryland product was expected to be an early Day 3 draft pick after leading the Terps in tackles in back-to-back seasons. His head was spinning when he went undrafted, but the team captain signed with his hometown team with the hope of learning and impressing.
An ankle injury got Brade off to a slow start, but he stamped his ticket with a strong preseason in which he made 19 tackles, including two for loss, and nearly hauled in a diving interception.
Brade grew up in Clarksville, Md., with his sports hero being Ray Lewis and his biggest thrill watching the Ravens win Super Bowl XLVII. “Man, since as long as I was born, I was a Ravens fan,” Brade said.
Keaton Mitchell, whose father Anthony played on the Ravens’ Super Bowl XXXV team, was the feel-good story of last year’s cuts as an undrafted rookie. Now Brade carries on the tradition. At least one Ravens undrafted rookie has made the initial 53 in 20 of the past 21 years.
Wide receiver Dayton Wade, outside linebacker Joe Evans, and other undrafted rookie free agents made a push to make the team. But Baltimore went with veterans Tylan Wallace and Deonte Harty for their final two receiver (and returner) spots, and rookie outside linebacker Adisa Isaac, who suffered another soft-tissue injury, must not be too far off from returning because he wasn’t placed on injured reserve/designated to return.
Six safeties made the roster, with rookies bumping Pepe Williams.
It was a tight competition between Brade and rookie safety Sanoussi Kane, who was drafted in the seventh round, and both made it.
Kane also flashed in the preseason opener against the Eagles with four tackles and was physical in the finale. He could be a very strong special teams player.
Kane and Brade edged out Damerion “Pepe” Williams, a 2022 fourth-round pick who had a tough preseason finale in Green Bay. Williams missed almost all last season with an ankle injury and was in a roster crunch at slot cornerback.
Even though Arthur Maulet was placed on injured reserve, he’s designated for return and could be back after four weeks. The Ravens also have strong slot options in Kyle Hamilton, Ar’Darius Washington, and Marlon Humphrey.
The Ravens knew their secondary was deep and safety is loaded with six on the roster: Hamilton, Marcus Williams, Eddie Jackson, Washington, Kane, and Brade.
Here’s who made the Ravens’ roster at the beginning of the 2024 season.
QB – Lamar Jackson
QB – Josh Johnson
LS – Nick Moore
Ravens roll the dice with two quarterbacks.
The Ravens kept three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster last year, which allowed them to designate one as an extra emergency third quarterback on gamedays.
This year, Baltimore opted to keep just two quarterbacks with Josh Johnson as the lone backup to Lamar Jackson. Rookie sixth-round pick Devin Leary and undrafted rookie Emory Jones were both waived.
Leary threw two interceptions and lost a fumble in the preseason finale in Green Bay. He finished the preseason 15-of-28 for 95 yards. Jones was 8-of-10 for 102 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown pass, and a lost fumble. Either one could land on the practice squad.
Harbaugh said Monday that the NFLPA’s veto of the rule change proposal that would allow for teams to keep their emergency third quarterback on the practice squad could change Baltimore’s calculation. Ultimately, it didn’t.
Baltimore has Week 1 questions at running back.
The Ravens know their top two running backs in Derrick Henry and Justice Hill, but there are lingering questions about the No. 3 spot.
Rookie fifth-round pick Rasheen Ali made the team, but he’s still in the concussion protocol after going out with a stinger in the preseason opener. Ali has returned to practice, but will he be ready for the regular-season opener in nine days?
Owen Wright, who was making a strong push to make the 53, suffered a broken foot in the preseason finale and has been placed on injured reserve, which ends his season.
Keaton Mitchell remained on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, which means he will miss at least the first four games. If Ali isn’t ready, the Ravens need a stopgap solution until Mitchell is back.
The Ravens could elevate a veteran running back from the practice squad if they want a more experienced backup against the Chiefs. Terminated veteran John Kelly could be a candidate. Or Baltimore could opt to bring in outside help.
