With the preseason in the rearview mirror, the Baltimore Ravens can start confronting their biggest roster questions. Most, if not all, will be answered in the coming hours with the roster cutdown deadline looming on Sunday at 6 p.m.
The cuts are going to come fast. For Baltimore, they may have to come to terms with parting ways with running back Rasheen Ali. The third-year pro hasn’t shown enough as a running back or returner over the last month, leading some to think he could find himself off the roster.
It’s that kick return role that the Ravens need more production from in 2026. If Ali is cut as some experts speculate, it may put LaJohntay Wester or Adam Randall in the spotlight there. However, Jesse Minter has said Wester is still learning the ropes, and Randall hasn’t seen opportunities on kickoffs this summer.
A battle-tested fix? Jacksonville Jaguars cut candidate Ameer Abdullah.
Baltimore Ravens could snatch proven kick returner Ameer Abdullah if Jaguars cut him
Ameer Abdullah is one of the countless NFL players on the roster bubble. Carter Bahns of CBS Sports recently listed him as a veteran who could be a roster-cut casualty, and Paul Bretl of Jaguars Wire didn’t have him as a roster lock.
That could open the door for Baltimore.
It’d definitely make sense if the Ravens didn't want to prioritize a 33-year-old like Abdullah. Rasheen Ali is entering his third season, Adam Randall is an intriguing rookie with traits through the roof, and LaJohntay Wester’s punt-return abilities could translate on kick returns.
Baltimore needs way more on kickoffs, though. That phase of the game has grown significantly ever since the rule changes. Returns surged in 2025, as the average starting field position sat at the 31-yard line. It’s a way to exploit the game at another level.
And no matter who they had back there last year, Baltimore wasn’t getting that. Ali was their leading return man, and his production was just…fine. Over 30 returns, he averaged 25.4 yards per return and had a long of 43.
Abdullah could be a massive improvement. In 2025, he had a very strong showing, returning 19 kicks for 563 yards and averaging 29.6 yards per return. His longest return went for a blazing 81 yards. That’s the game-changing ability Baltimore lacked last season.
The Ravens offense is already scary, but if this team had a guy like Abdullah in their corner, the offense could reach another dimension. If they were to consistently set up shop close to or beyond the 40-yard line, it’d be a near-unstoppable unit. Scoring drives would likely come way easier.
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