The Baltimore Ravens have one of the most talented rosters in the entire NFL. From well-established veterans to rising stars, few rosters are as stacked as the one residing in Baltimore.
But that doesn’t mean the team is immune to training camp roster battles. Far from it, in fact.
With so much talent and depth up and down the roster, difficult decisions are going to be made this summer when it comes to making cuts.
Spring practices have come and passed with OTAs and mandatory minicamp now in the rearview mirror. Next up is training camp —the place where position battles really begin to take shape.
While the majority of starting spots on the roster (not all!) are solidified, the Ravens have quite a few interesting depth battles to keep an eye on this summer.
Some of these players will be fighting for roster spots. Others will be competing for playing time. Either way, these position battles will be exciting, enthralling, and engrossing in every way possible.
The Ravens will kick off training camp on July 27th meaning that there is exactly one month before the official start of practices in pads.
What are the top position battles on offense that fans should look forward to? We take a look at four of the most intriguing.
4. Ravens roster battle: No. 3 tight end
While it might not be the first position battle that springs to mind, the battle for the third tight end spot will be fierce and competitive.
Mark Andrews is the undisputed starter and will look to continue making his case to be one of the NFL’s premier tight ends — especially with the former Pro Bowler eyeing an extension.
Nick Boyle’s health is something to keep an eye on as the veteran tight end recovers from a knee injury he suffered last season. But if healthy, Boyle will return as Andrews’ primary backup.
The competition behind them is where things really get interesting, however.
The likes of Josh Oliver, Eric Tomlinson, Eli Wolf, Jacob Breeland, and Tony Poljan will all be competing for what could amount to one or two roster spots — depending on what the team does with fifth-round rookie Ben Mason.
Even Mason could see some time at tight end with Patrick Ricard holding down the fullback position.
Given what we saw in the spring, Oliver appears to be the early favorite. The former third-round pick was acquired in a trade this past March and could push for playing time now that he’s healthy.
His blocking skills remain to be seen, but he impressed as a pass-catcher.
Tomlinson is the veteran blocker/special teamer of the group while Wolf flashed at times after making an impact last summer. Breeland is just looking to get on the field as he continued to rehab this spring.
3. Ravens roster battle: Depth wide receiver spots
The top three wide receiver spots are pretty much set in stone with the likes of Rashod Bateman, Marquise Brown, and Sammy Watkins all solidified as starters.
With likely three other spots up for grabs, the battle for the depth receiver roles on the team should be competitive this summer.
Fourth-round rookie Tylan Wallace is virtually a roster lock as well and he made a strong first impression this spring. The same could likely be said for Devin Duvernay.
However, Duvernay and Wallace are both competing with each other for the de facto No. 4 wide receiver job. Duvernay shined in limited action last season and deserves a bigger role in the offense in 2021.
Things really get interesting when discussing who the sixth receiver on the roster might be.
Former third-round pick Miles Boykin has received ample playing time over his first two NFL seasons, but has failed to do much of anything with it.
Boykin remains the team’s best blocker at the wide receiver position, but will that be enough to earn him a roster spot? 2020 sixth-rounder James Proche is likely his biggest competition.
There’s also the likes of Jaylon Moore, Binjimen Victor, and Deon Cain who each made plays this spring, but it’s hard to see any of them making the final roster, barring injuries.
Although Moore and Victor, in particular, could be intriguing practice squad candidates.
2. Ravens roster battle: Backup quarterback
The Ravens opted to release veteran Robert Griffin III this offseason and instead roll with the young duo of Trace McSorley and Tyler Huntley as the team’s two backup quarterbacks.
The coaching staff is genuinely high on both players and believe that each could develop into long-term backups behind Lamar Jackson.
But with likely only one roster spot to compete for, McSorley and Huntley will be locked in a fierce battle this summer.
McSorley entered the 2020 season as the third-string QB behind Jackson and Griffin, but received playing time later in the season following injuries at the position.
Huntley began the year on the practice squad but also saw action late in the season, including when he played the entire fourth quarter of the team’s 17-3 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
This spring, both players have had their moments.
Huntley might be considered the early favorite by a smidge as he was a little more consistent than his teammate, but the battle remains wide open heading into training camp.
While all eyes will be on Lamar Jackson this summer, it’s the position battle happening behind him on the depth chart that should prove to be the most interesting.
1. Ravens roster battle: Starting left guard
The Ravens don’t have too many starting jobs up for grabs, and the only one on the offensive side of the ball is expected to be at left guard.
The incumbent Bradley Bozeman will be sliding over to center this season meaning that Baltimore will have a new starting left guard.
The current favorite for the job is third-round rookie Ben Cleveland, but, as head coach John Harbaugh recently remarked, the starting job is “wide open.”
Cleveland will have to fend off the returning Ben Powers, Ben Bredeson, and Tyre Phillips if he is to win the job. But if Cleveland is as good as the Ravens say he is, that shouldn’t be a problem.
Offensive coordinator Greg Roman called Cleveland “the best-run blocker in his class” — high praise for a guy who slipped all the way to the third round.
But Cleveland isn’t running unopposed. Powers started seven games last season and held his own. Phillips has guard/tackle flexibility and also has starting experience.
It’s hard to see Bredeson being a true competitor for the job, but a strong summer would go a long way.
The Ravens don’t have many starting jobs undetermined heading into the summer which is what makes this position battle all the more intriguing.