The preseason is all about players increasing their stock. Whether they are attempting to get themselves onto the roster or move up the depth chart, there is plenty to be gained from these games. Who are some players on the Baltimore Ravens that saw their stock rise after their preseason debut win over the Philadelphia Eagles?
10. Laquon Treadwell is close to locking up a roster spot with the Baltimore Ravens
One of the players who has consistently had his stock rise this offseason is Laquon Treadwell. He has been trending up with strong catches and highlights while filling in for some of the injured Ravens wideouts. Treadwell played 22 snaps on Saturday, and while it was not significant, what he did on special teams was arguably a bigger note anyway.
Treadwell only played eight snaps, but had a tackle, was active on every phase, and was second on the Baltimore Ravens in special teams grade, per PFF. He was out there with the starting special teams units, and it looks like he has a role locked down via special teams.
This is huge because if he makes the roster, it would be as a sixth wide receiver. Yes, Zay Flowers is a rookie, and Odell Beckham and Rashode Bateman have an injury history. However, the odds of Treadwell getting on the field are low, and he is probably behind both Devin Duvernay and Nelson Agholor to get on the offensive field. If Treadwell is going to earn a job, it is special teams. He checked that box in a big way.
9. Rock Ya-Sin did not play and saw his stock rise with the Baltimore Ravens
Usually, the players who miss time due to injury are losers, but in the case of Rock Ya-Sin, it feels like he won in a big way. The reality is that his injury is minor, and the Baltimore Ravens may be smart to keep him in bubble wrap because it is clear how much they need him.
Ya-Sin was supposed to be battling with Trayvon Mullen, Kyu Blu Kelly, Jalyn Armour-Davis, and Daryl Worley for starting snaps. Mullen is out for the year, and JAD missed a key opportunity on Saturday with an injury. Worley is playing safety, and Kelly is on the third team with the UDFAs.
Brandon Stephens and Kevon Seymour started on the outside in this game. Seymour is likely to make the practice squad, and Stephens was listed as a safety a few days ago. The performance for Stephens was up and down, and it is hard to say that he is going to be able to start for the Ravens by week one.
If Rock Ya-Sin is healthy, he is starting. Nobody is pushing him for a spot, and even while his stock sat idle, it somehow found a way to go up.
8. John Simpson is winning the Baltimore Ravens starting left guard battle
The biggest position battle for the Baltimore Ravens has been left guard. We thought Ben Cleveland was going to be in the mix, but he did not take a single snap at left guard in week one. He played both right guard and right tackle instead.
So, the battle is between Sala Aumavae-Laulu, and John Simpson. This was shown as they were the only two to play left guard in the preseason opener. Simpson started and played 22 snaps, while Sala-Aumavae-Laulu wrapped things up with 33 snaps.
A few things are going in the favor of Simpson, the first being that he played first. He also is coming off of playing the first team more recently. So, the team got to see SAL set the bar, and now Simpson knows what he has to do to win the job.
Aumavae-Laulu played more snaps, but it was against worse competition. More than that, Simpson was the better overall player. This was probably expected in the preseason debut for SAL when it is year four for Simpson. Still, if the season was next week, it would be clear that Simpson is starting.
Sala now has two weeks to change the narrative, and it can be done, but it will take time.
7. Two rookie UDFAs put their names on the map
Two lesser-known defensive rushers for the Baltimore Ravens shined in their preseason debut. UDFAs Malik Hamm and Kelle Sanders both had great debuts and now are on the 53-man roster radar, but at the very least, have become practice squad options.
Malik Hamm played 38 snaps and rushed the pass 19 times. He also dropped into coverage six times, which shows he may be able to slide into the Tyus Bowser role. Overall, he finished with three pressures, a sack, and two run stops. It was a solid day overall with a versatile skill set.
Then, there is Kelle Sanders. He played 37 snaps and rushed the passer 23 times. Sanders finished with two pressures and two run stops. The Ravens have a huge need for an edge rusher and have already worked out Jadeveon Clowney, and Kyle Van Noy.
However, they have not signed either, and we may be learning why. Do the Ravens think that these guys have an outside shot at making the roster? That would save them a lot. We need to come down a bit, as it was just the debut. However, if either Hamm or Sanders can start to stack these games together, they can make roster noise.
6. Tashawn Manning is a sleeper to make the Baltimore Ravens roster
One of the more underrated performances from the preseason opener was Tashawn Manning. Manning was a UDFA and one of the more highly touted UDFAs that the Ravens signed this offseason. It showed in the preseason debut.
What was impressive at first was that he lined up with the second team for a good bit. So he was with Daniel Falele, Sala Auamavae-Laulu, Sam Mustipher, and Ben Cleveland. Those are three veterans who are primary backups, and then SAL, who is competing to start as a rookie. So, he is in there with guys that they want to see a good look out of.
Manning played well in his time in that rotation. Ben Cleveland will probably be the backup right guard, but the team clearly has soured on him. Could they trade him for a late-round pick and bump Manning up?
At the very least, Manning could stick on the practice squad, and then next season, he would compete with Cleveland and Andrew Vorhees to replace Kevin Zeitler at right guard. This is why his development is worth watching over the coming weeks. Where he stands now, he had laid a nice foundation to build off of.
5. Del'Shawn Phillips is making the case to make the Baltimore Ravens roster
A keynote from the initial depth chart was that Del'Shawn Phillips was listed as a backup linebacker. This was key for a few reasons. First, he was listed ahead of both Kristian Welch and Josh Ross. Phillips was competing for the fifth linebacker spot with both. However, he was actually listed as the fourth linebacker, ahead of rookie Trenton Simpson.
Simpson was banged up and did not get to debut this week. It left a hole open for Del'Shawn Phillips to start next to Malik Harrison this week. Phillips took advantage, playing 58 snaps and recording five tackles, four of them being considered as run stops. According to PFF, he was the second best defender in their grading system.
More than that, he played nine special teams snaps and was fifth in special teams grade. If he is going to make the roster, then special teams will be his key. Still, where he stands right now he is as close to a lock for the roster as you can find.
He is a backup and a special teams asset. If Simpson catches him, he still has an easy path. Welch and Ross got clean-up duty well after Phillips proved himself. It shows just how far ahead he is with just two games to go.
4. Josh Johnson may be the Baltimore Ravens backup quarterback
Earlier in the summer, we noted that the Baltimore Ravens may be preparing to move on from Tyler Huntley. The new coaching staff, along with the Lamar Jackson contract, make it easier to make the move now because Todd Monken does not want his style, and is changing the way Jackson plays. The Jackson contract also means the team has to save every dollar, so moving a few million dollars to keep Josh Johnson over Huntley is a smart long-term call.
So, it should not be a huge shock that Josh Johnson started the game, and then Huntley came in to back up. Huntley left the game with an injury but returned. He finished 8-11 for 88 yards, while Johnson was 8-12 for 45 yards. Neither was able to separate themselves.
Still, Johnson started ahead, so it was hard for Huntley to catch him. More than that, when you compare salaries, Huntley has to stand above his head and shoulders. So far, that has not happened. At this point, that means that Johnson will be the Baltimore Ravens backup quarterback.
3. Justice Hill could get serious work for the Baltimore Ravens
Justice Hill entered the game with a chance to cement his roster spot. Most saw him as the third running back, but with Melvin Gordon and Keaton Mitchell coming up on him, his job was not secure. However, we may have seen that his job is actually more secure than we realized.
Hill started and took almost all of the first-team work. He was well ahead of Gus Edwards. This is huge for Hill, but it may speak to JK Dobbins as well. Hill may be the backup to Dobbins, as the team wants to go with two different running styles. The speed back is Dobbins. When Dobbins is out, the speed back is Hill. The power back is Edwards. When Dobbins is out, he remains the power back.
So, if Dobbins is healthy, Hill may be behind Edwards. Still, the injury history and contract status of Dobbins means the team has to keep Hill to play it safe. This is a huge win for Hill. He may not have cemented himself over Edwards when Dobbins returns, but he did cement himself over Melvin Gordon and Keaton Mitchell, and it will be tough for either to get close to him.
2. Is Daryl Worley a lock to make the Baltimore Ravens roster?
Daryl Worley entered the preseason firmly on the roster bubble. He was a depth cornerback, but there were reports that he was also getting work at safety. Did the hybrid role do enough to earn him a roster spot?
Worley ended up playing safety, and he started and played nearly the entire game. His 75 snaps led the Baltimore Ravens. He was solid in coverage, had two sacks, and three run stops in the game. More than that, he had 12 special teams snaps and was the highest-graded special teams option, per PFF. Playing a full game and getting special teams work is impressive, no matter how you look at it.
Worley did everything he needed to do to ensure that he would make the roster. He can play outside, the slot, safety, and special teams. The Ravens gave him as much work as he could handle to get a long look and he played well. What more he can do in the coming weeks?
1. Will Ar'Darius Washington start with the Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens have serious questions in the slot. They are moving Kyle Hamilton to strong safety, so he is not playing nearly as much slot as last season. Both Pepe Williams and Arthur Maulet are options to start in the slot, but neither has been able to stay healthy, and neither played in the preseason opener with a job on the line.
This has led to Ar'Darius Washington to take control of the job by default. Washington wound up playing 72 defensive snaps in preseason week one, second on the team in snaps. What is impressive about Washington is that he played 40 snaps as the slot, and started there, but he moved to the free safety rile with the second team.
Stephens and Worley have practiced at both, but Washington actually played both cornerback and safety this week. That has to be some sort of feather in his cap, and a case for him to make the roster.
On top of that, Washington played nine special teams snaps, showing that he can earn a role in that area. This is one of the biggest risers. Williams injury may be serious, and it opened the door. Now that it is open, Washington is coming in to take a job for himself.