Ravens keep longstanding tradition alive with final roster decisions

There was certainly some intrigue surrounding the Baltimore Ravens heading into roster cutdown day. They went undefeated in the preseason, showcasing a talented roster with too much to retain on the initial 53-man roster.

They finalized their roster on Sunday. And while changes in philosophy were expected under Jesse Minter and company, one longstanding tradition remained: undrafted rookies.

The Ravens retained two of those. Joe Fagnano and Ethan Burke survived the axe, parlaying elite preseason showings into spots on the active roster. Once roster longshots, they’ll be with the team on gamedays throughout the 2026 regular season.

That makes it 22 out of the last 23 years that Baltimore has had an undrafted rookie survive roster cuts.

Fagnano and Burke deserved to join that group.

Baltimore Ravens add two more talented names to undrafted rookie run

At this point, you can expect the Ravens to hold onto at least one undrafted rookie every year. It’s ridiculously impressive. Four players over those 23 years became All-Pros, and several became or are becoming reliable contributors, too.

That’s a talented list for Joe Fagnano and Ethan Burke to be a part of. And from what we’ve seen up to this point, they have the chance to make an impact just like many of those players.

Fagnano’s impact may be more subtle. He was a total superstar in preseason, gashing opposing defenses for 509 passing yards and 3 touchdowns across three games, but in Baltimore, he’ll barely see the field. Where he could find a role, though, is as the backup of the future.

Currently, the UConn product sits behind Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley—he’s not playing over either of those guys. However, Huntley becomes a cuttable contract in 2027. If Fagnano takes a step forward and proves to be both better and cheaper, he could become the go-to backup.

Burke has the bigger opening to be a difference-maker. It's never fair to weigh down an undrafted rookie with heavy expectations, but what he did over the past month was truly inspiring. He did almost everything right.

He got pressure, hit the quarterback, played smart in the run game, and got his hands up against the pass. Burke also flashed as a special teamer, which may be where he’s at his best. Simply put, he’s a well-rounded ballplayer who will find any way possible to change the game.

It'll take time before he carves out a role. He’s the fifth and final pass rusher on the team, and could even find himself as a healthy scratch on gamedays. He’s on a blazing path, though, and it’s hard to imagine he doesn’t get there eventually.

It’s great to see these guys find a home in Baltimore. The preseason is meant for stories like Fagnano and Burke, and they took full advantage of the opportunities that sat in front of them. They’re definitely on the come-up.

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