The Baltimore Ravens dominated their preseason opener, and while the win means next to nothing in the grand scheme of things, there were standouts pretty much everywhere you looked. Few position groups were more intriguing than the team’s tackles that night.
Baltimore’s backup offensive tackles Carson Vinson, Gerad Lichtenhan, and Diego Pounds saw reps throughout the victory, and they didn’t disappoint.
It’s a blessing and a curse to see so many players perform so well—it’s great for the team’s depth, but the eventual cutdown day is going to be intense. For the tackle room, the Ravens have what may be a roster-worthy trio between Vinson, Lichtenhan, and Pounds. The issue is, they’re fighting for one, probably two, spots.
That makes the race at backup tackle one of the more fascinating battles to watch over the next few weeks.
Baltimore Ravens’ backup tackle battle is going to bring tough decisions
Entering the 2025 campaign, the Ravens kept four tackles on their roster: Ronnie Stanley, Roger Rosengarten, Carson Vinson, and Joe Noteboom. Noteboom’s gone, though, which probably leaves an open slot in the room.
But there’s also a possibility that Baltimore loads up on the interior given the uncertainty there. Guard Emery Jones Jr. could also double as a tackle, too. That’ll turn up the heat on this competition.
Between those guys, Vinson is more than likely to be guaranteed a spot on the 53-man roster. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft as a developmental piece, and in last year’s preseason and his seven offensive snaps in the regular season, he was very good. He’s doing it again this preseason.
Opening night against the Philadelphia Eagles brought similar highs for Gerad Lichtenhan. He held his own at right tackle, playing all 76 offensive snaps and displaying terrific block recognition. He also has a very appealing ceiling for a backup at 6-foot-8.
For those two, they did exactly what they needed to do on Saturday. So much so that they earned a shoutout from head coach Jesse Minter.
“[Vinson and Lichtenhan] acquitted themselves well,” Minter said following Monday’s training camp practice. “Overall, those guys handled their own; did a good job in the run game and the pass game. We had some really nice pockets for our quarterbacks; we had some really good movement in the run game.”
If they continue to make that kind of impression on Minter, they'll walk right into a roster spot. Diego Pounds is putting the pedal to the metal, though.
Pounds didn’t play a lot. He actually didn’t see the field until the fourth quarter and played just 15 snaps. However, they seemed to be strong reps, although it is easy to look good against other third- and fourth-teamers.
Pounds is also one of the more desired undrafted free agents that the Ravens signed after this year's NFL Draft. He didn’t allow a single sack across his 2025 campaign at Ole Miss, and through one game of professional action, those skills seem to be cracking through the surface.
Ultimately, it’s clear that Vinson and Lichtenhan hold a firm edge right now, but, specifically looking at the race between Lichtenhan and Pounds, a lot could change within the next two preseason games. It’ll certainly be fun to watch.
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