The Baltimore Ravens have just one week until they need to cut down the roster from 90 players down to 53. While there are plenty of roster locks, some players who once were thought to be locks could be looking on the outside now.
Who are players that need to turn the tides in the next week to make the Baltimore Ravens roster?
6. Can Jalyn Armour-Davis still sneak on the Baltimore Ravens roster?
Jalyn Armour-Davis will be in a tough spot when it comes to making the Ravens roster. It feels like his stock has dropped consistently from the day he was drafted through now. When he was first drafted, he was a high-upside bet from Alabama. Now, injuries are the main story.
He missed the preseason of his rookie season and then was shoved into action two weeks into the regular season. Without a preseason, he was swimming in the deep end and struggled immensely. He missed more time due to injury after being benched. Armour-Davis came back at the end of the year, but the Ravens did not trust him on the field.
Now, he was supposed to make strides in year two. Injuries have derailed his preseason yet again. What crushes him is that the opportunity for major snaps was out there and he could not get on the field. Instead, Kevon Seymour has taken the snaps and has become a candidate to make the roster.
When you look at the numbers, Marlon Humphrey will not miss enough time to do anything but keep him on the roster. Rock Ya-Sin should be back by week one and should start with Ronald Darby and Ar'Darius Washington in the slot. When you add in that Brandon Stephens will make the team, you have five cornerbacks.
The numbers say that only one more has a shot to make the roster. Is it JAD? Did Seymour pass him, or could it even be Kyu Blu Kelly? What if they just keep their top five? Is JAD a player who could clear waivers due to how quiet he has been?
5. Is Melvin Gordon outside the Baltimore Ravens roster?
When you see the name of Melvin Gordon getting released, it takes you a bit back and surprises you. Then, you remember that just last year, he was on the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad and did not get picked up anywhere. So, it is becoming clear that Gordon can get released and wind up right back on the practice squad, potentially winning his second Super Bowl in that role.
When you look at the Baltimore Ravens roster, J.K. Dobbins is healthy and ready for week one. The Ravens sat Gus Edwards in week two of the preseason to make sure he was ready. Justice Hill has been the star of the preseason and is a lock. When you add in Patrick Ricard, the team will probably keep just one more back.
Do they go with Gordon or Keaton Mitchell? As we noted, Gordon does not even have to clear waivers due to his veteran status and is a near lock to circle back to the PS. Meanwhile, Mitchell would be offered for any team to claim if he is cut, and his chances of sticking around are a bit lower than Gordon's.
If the team keeps a fourth running back, it will be Mitchell. They may not even keep the fourth back, so this speaks to how far off the roster Gordon is.
4. Laquon Treadwell is losing his roster spot?
Laquon Treadwell was never a player who was locked into a roster spot. He had a chance to win a spot as the Baltimore Ravens sixth wide receiver job, and through one week of the preseason, you could argue that he was right there as a potential favorite.
Treadwell had flashed more upside than the competition in training camp and then became more notable by starting and playing well on special teams in preseason week one. However, he missed week two and is missing valuable time on the practice field.
In the meantime, Wallace caught touchdowns in both preseason games, has flashed on special teams as well, and is healthy. Of the two, it is clear that Wallace has the leg up. It is still close, and if Treadwell can get healthy he will have a chance to change his fate. However, as he sits right now, he is going to be off of the Baltimore Ravens 53-man roster.
3. Kyu Blu Kelly looks like he should be on the Baltimore Ravens practice squad
The Baltimore Ravens' fifth-round rookie Kyu Blue Kelly is a big part of the reason why the Baltimore Ravens have been signing help at cornerback. Any thought that he could slip in and be a savior as a surprise rookie should be over by now. The question is more about whether he should even make the roster despite his rookie status.
Kelly has clearly behind because he is healthy, the Ravens are losing cornerbacks seemingly every day, and he still cannot get starting snaps. Kelly has not been able to beat out Kevon Seymour. When he got an extended look in the Washington game, we saw why.
Yes, he saw work against Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson, so it was not against scrubs in the preseason. Still, Kelly looked lost many times and was beaten throughout the night. The game is moving too fast for the rookie
We noted with Jalyn Armour-Davis that you can already count out five locks for the roster at cornerback. Will the Baltimore Ravens keep Kelly with the sixth spot even if he cannot beat out Seymour? You would assume Armour-Davis is ahead of him as well. Based on his play this preseason, we could see Kelly circle back to the practice squad.
2. Is Tavius Robinson on the Baltimore Ravens roster bubble?
The Baltimore Ravens rookie fourth-round pick has not shown enough for the team to be satisfied. He struggled in the first preseason game, and it was noted by the coaching staff. The staff started him in preseason week one, but in week two, it was Jeremiah Moon getting the nod over Robinson.
Moon has been better than Robinson in the preseason, as has Malik Hamm. What helps Moon and Hamm as well, as they are backing up Tyus Bowser, while Robinson is the third guy behind David Ojabo and Odafe Oweh as the RUSH player.
The Bowser role involves dropping into coverage and playing on your feet more, which Robinson does not do well. So, if Bowser misses time, the Ravens will throw Jadeveon Clowney into the spot, but his backup would be one of Hamm or Moon. So, Clowney, one of them, Oweh, and Ojabo may be the four who are active on game days.
Robinson has not played special teams much or well to this point, so it is hard to see the Ravens activating him at this point. Do they try to sneak him on to the practice squad? Does a minor injury in the preseason finale give the Ravens a chance to throw him on the IR? What is the plan for the struggling rookie?
1. Could the Baltimore Ravens really move on from Tyler Huntley?
We have been discussing the possibility of the Baltimore Ravens moving on from Tyler Huntley for a while. Todd Monken has discussed it as well. He knows that Huntley is in a battle with Josh Johnson. Johnson is more familiar with Monken, and Johnson saves the team a bit of salary cap space by letting Huntley go.
Do the Ravens really make that move? It became more possible when Johnson started over Huntley in the first preseason game. Now that Huntley is injured, it is even more likely. The Ravens let Johnson play the entire first half, and while the interception was not great, Sala Aumavae-Laulu was beaten immediately, and it was more an indictment of how far away he may be from starting.
Johnson had strong throws down the football field. Those are the passes that he makes, and Huntley is not as strong. These are the plays that Monken wants. If Huntley does not get healthy soon, the team may have an easier decision. If he does get healthy, the preseason finale could dictate who makes the roster.