The play-making positions
Running back: No bubble players
There’s no conversation that needs to be had here. The Ravens have four running backs and none of them are on the bubble. As far as we know, none of them are even on the trading block. The Ravens also have a Pro Bowl full back in Pat Ricard. The Ravens just waived Bronson Rechsteiner, an undrafted free agent who got an odd amount of buzz considering the uphill battle he faced.
There is no chance that the Ravens keep anyone other than Mark Ingram, J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards and Justice Hill at running back. Ricard is the fullback. All of this is an obvious lock. Remember, Kenjon Barner is a punt returner who only factors into the equation if James Proche screws up. I have faith in the rookie from SMU so I don’t see Barner making the team.
Wide Receiver: Jaleel Scott, Antoine Wesley,
I’ve already written about why you shouldn’t forget about Jaleel Scott. I could stand on my soapbox here, because I very much believe he should get a roster spot. Antoine Wesley is a notable bubble player as well. The Ravens need more big bodied options at wide receiver. It’s never going to be the main ingredient of the passing attack. It just isn’t. The Ravens have a bunch of smaller, quicker receivers. Mark Andrews will always give the Ravens a big bodied target at tight end and Miles Boykin will be given every chance to be the go to big wingspan option at wide receiver.
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I’m high on Scott, probably higher than most. Wesley seems like a true dark horse candidate. Outside of these two players I don’t think anybody factors in. If Chris Moore is a roster lock (which I honestly don’t know that he is) these two receivers have to hope the Ravens are keeping seven receivers. Otherwise these two young receivers are battling for a spot that doesn’t even exist.
Tight End: Eli Wolf, Charles Scarff, Jerell Adams
In a way, the tight end position is interesting and in a way it isn’t at all. The Ravens know what they have in Mark Andrews and Nick Boyle. Unlike last season, the Ravens don’t have an obvious third man at tight end. It’s interesting because this is an offense that props Boyle up as more than just a standard blocking tight end. On any other team Mark Andrews would be a star, and Boyle would kind of just be there. In Baltimore a versatile tight end who can block matters a little more.
However it’s not like any of these options are all that exciting. Scarff looks the part, but so did Maxx Williams. He was in camp last year, I think the coaches probably like him, but there’s nothing all that exciting about him. Wolf is an undrafted free agent getting his first crack at trying to make the roster. He played at both Tennessee and Georgia, but only had 21 catches at the NCAA level. Adams has been in the NFL since 2016, yet he really hasn’t done much of anything. All three have to prove that they are multi-dimensional tight ends and they can’t be good blockers by NFL standards, they have to meet the insanely high Baltimore standard for tight ends. They all have a chance, because the Ravens want to have three tight ends. We’ll see what happens.