The Baltimore Ravens enter Saturday night’s preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles with one of the deepest, most competitive rosters in the NFL and one of the most fluid. The team’s official Aug. 10 depth chart reveals a roster stacked with veterans, ascending young players, and a large rookie class pushing hard for roles.
For a franchise with legitimate Super Bowl expectations, the preseason is for sorting out real competition at nearly every level of the depth chart.
Quarterbacks: Sorting the Backup Hierarchy
Lamar Jackson is entrenched as QB1, but the backup competition is one of the most meaningful storylines of the preseason. Tyler Huntley remains the incumbent, yet with Skylar Thompson going on IR, this opens the door for rookie Joe Fagnano and creates a three‑way battle behind Jackson, along with Austin Reed, who is likely just a camp arm ultimately.
Huntley’s familiarity with the system gives him an early edge, but Thompson’s arm talent and mobility fit Declan Doyle’s scheme well. Fagnano is a developmental option, but his reps will matter for practice‑squad consideration.
Although Huntley should get the backup job, Fagnano, besides the interception at the back of the end zone, was efficient, while Reed, who they signed from the UFL last week, scored a rushing touchdown.
Running Backs: Derrick Henry Headlines a Crowded Room
Derrick Henry’s arrival gives Baltimore a bruising RB1, but the depth chart behind him is crowded and competitive. Justice Hill remains the trusted change‑of‑pace option and stable third-down back as the veteran backup. However, Ali’s burst and vision could earn him immediate rotational snaps outside of special teams as a returner once he is back from injury.
Adam Randall, Elijah Tau‑Tolliver, and Dontae McMillan round out the group, with Randall’s versatility making him a strong candidate for special teams. All three got in a timeshare rotation; the rookie and Steve Bisciotti’s pick did find himself in the endzone among the group. Nobody ran away with it and separated, however, as we should see a continuation against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2 of the preseason.
Wide Receivers: Deepest Group in Years
Zay Flowers headlines the WR room, but the real intrigue lies in the competition behind him. Rashod Bateman is listed as a starter, yet the depth chart shows a massive cluster of young receivers fighting for roles:
- Devontez Walker
- LaJohntay Wester
- Dayton Wade
- Ja’Kobi Lane
- Xavier Guillory
- Cortez Braham Jr.
- Elijah Sarratt
- Chris Moore
- Octavian Smith Jr.
Walker and Wester have flashed consistently in camp, and Wester’s placement as both WR and returner suggests he’s a roster lock. Lane, Guillory, and Sarratt represent the next tier of rookies with size and athletic upside.
Saturday night was the showcase for the two rookies. Both Sarratt (despite the fumble) and Lane (who scored the touchdown) could see part-time roles as starters once the regular season comes around if they perform this well the rest of the preseason.
- Danny Pinter vs. Ethan Pocic vs. Jovaughn Gwyn
This is the most open battle on the entire offense. Pinter and Pocic are listed as co‑starters, with Gwyn and rookie Nick Dawkins behind them. Pocic’s experience gives him an advantage, but Pinter’s athleticism fits Baltimore’s run scheme.
- Left Guard: John Simpson vs. Andrew Vorhees
Simpson is the incumbent, but Vorhees, now fully healthy, is pushing hard. Vorhees’ power and technique make him a legitimate threat to win the job.
- Right Guard: Vega Ioane vs. Emery Jones Jr.
Ioane, a rookie, is listed first. That alone signals how strongly the Ravens feel about him. Jones Jr. and Evan Beerrtsen round out the group. Vega made his presence known early on and was pulled from the starting lineup, as it is clear he will be the starter moving forward. Jones struggled with a few reps with the backups.
- Right Tackle Depth
Roger Rosengarten is locked in as the starter, but Gerad Lichtenhan and Diego Pounds are competing for swing‑tackle duties.
Tight Ends: Andrews Leads, Youth Battles Behind Him
Mark Andrews and Durham Smythe form a strong veteran duo, but the depth chart shows a cluster of rookies fighting for TE3:
- Josh Cuevas
- Ty Pezza
- Matt Hibner
Lucas Scott, listed as FB, adds versatility. This was a major evaluation point for Cuevas and Hibner, both of whom have flashed as pass‑catchers but haven’t shown consistency in practice. However, Hibner seems like the receiving threat that could bring something to the starting lineup, something Isaiah Likely did as a rookie.
Defensive Line: Rookies Pushing Veterans
Justin Madubuike is the anchor, but the depth chart shows:
- Aaron Graves
- Rayshaun Benny
- Aeneas Peebles
- Dion Wilson Jr.
All four rookies are pushing for rotational roles. With Travis Jones on PUP, Benny and Jenkins will rotate at nose tackle. The Eagles’ backup quarterbacks were under duress most of the night, and the backup running backs didn’t have many holes; it was also against their backup offensive line.
Edge Rushers: Hendrickson Leads, Competition Behind Him
Trey Hendrickson is the top RUSH, but behind him:
- Mike Green
- Kaimon Rucker
- Reid Williford
Rucker’s explosiveness has stood out in camp. Williford is a high‑motor rookie who will see plenty of second‑half snaps. Green had a nice first step on a few reps, but the pass rush with the exotic Minter blitzes shined.
Linebackers: WLB Battle Highlights the Group
Roquan Smith is the unquestioned leader, but WLB is a true competition:
- Trenton Simpson
- Teddye Buchanan
- Dominic DeLuca
- Adisa Isaac
- Ethan Burke
Simpson is the favorite, but DeLuca and Isaac are pushing hard. Burke’s length and speed make him a special‑teams candidate. Isaac had a pick that got overturned, but it was great to see him out there almost making an impact.
Cornerbacks: Deepest Group on the Team
Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins headline the CB room, but the depth chart shows:
- T.J. Tampa Jr.
- Keyon Martin
- Chandler Rivers
- Chidobe Awuzie
- Amani Oruwariye
- Bilhal Kone
- Lardarius Webb Jr.
Tampa, Martin, and Rivers are rising quickly. Webb Jr. is a fan favorite and a legitimate roster candidate. With both Wiggins and Humphrey injured, this gives rookie Rivers, Keyon Martin, and Tampa a chance to shine, and boy did they against Philly. Martin was PFF’s top defender from the preseason action on Saturday.
Special Teams: Kicker Job Up in the Air?
LaJohntay Wester and Rasheen Ali headline the return competition. Adam Randall and Dayton Wade are also in the mix. Wester’s versatility gives him an edge. The big takeaway, however, is that Tyler Loop still is not consistently making kicks in games. While he did redeem himself by making a second kick, Loop did miss the first, and it was under 50 yards. At a certain point, there should be a kicker competition entering the regular season. Rookie punter Ryan Eckley had an up-and-down showing in his first NFL preseason outing.
Final Thoughts
Saturday night vs. Philadelphia was a great start as it’s the first real sorting of one of the NFL’s deepest rosters.
Minter had a great debut with the backups, and the penalties were relatively cleaned up. With rookies everywhere and veterans fighting to maintain roles, nearly every snap will matter.
