Baltimore Ravens: Post-draft 53-man roster predictions
By Joe Schiller
Offense
Quarterback (2)
As it stands, Joe Flacco is the unquestioned starter for the upcoming season but the quarterback position got a lot more exciting with the addition of Lamar Jackson. The first round pick gives Flacco legitimate competition for the first time since entering the league in 2008. Ten years of comfortability under the pocket is out the window. Unfortunately for Robert Griffin III, that will likely spell the end of his time in Baltimore. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Ravens take three quarterbacks but given their history, two makes the most sense.
Running Back (4)
Buck Allen
Pat Ricard (FB)
Alex Collins is a lock as the starting back this season and Pat Ricard has solidified himself as the lead fullback after making the position change last season. Buck Allen’s pass-catching ability fills Danny Woodhead‘s role and I believe Kenneth Dixon makes the roster. Despite injuries and suspensions, he’s shown enough promise to warrant a spot.
Wide Receiver (6)
This might be the most intriguing position battle to follow throughout training camp. The Ravens have ten receivers on the current roster with limited space for the regular season. Barring injury or any unforeseen circumstances, Crabtree, Brown, and Snead are locks to make the roster. Chris Moore is right along with this group after his performance last season. If the Ravens follow their recent trend of taking six receivers, that leaves only two spots left. I think the two rookie wide receivers make the roster over Breshad Perriman, Quincy Adeboyejo, Tim White and DeVier Posey.
Tight End (4)
Upgrading the pass-catching department wasn’t limited to wide receivers. Ozzie Newsome spent two of his first four draft picks on tight ends. Hayden Hurst and Mark Andrews will be vital weapons for Joe Flacco this season, pushing Maxx Williams and Nick Boyle down the depth chart. With that being said, I think they still make the roster given their blocking ability and fit into Greg Roman’s offensive scheme.
Offensive Line (8)
If the season started today, I’d predict the offensive line to look like this:
Ronnie Stanley (LT), James Hurst (RG), Alex Lewis (C), Marshal Yanda (RG), Orlando Brown (RT)
Those fives starters leave room for Nico Siragusa, Matt Skura, and Bradley Bozeman. Greg Senat is a development tackle that will likely be best suited on the practice squad for at least one season. The toughest decision comes with Jermaine Eluemunor and while he did see starting time last season, I’m higher on Skura and the return of Siragusa at center/guard.