The Baltimore Ravens are now two preseason games down as we are closing in on the regular season. While most of the starters did not see the field, the preseason is all about the depth options and the players who are fighting for a roster spot.
What are the biggest takeaways to look at after the second preseason game?
5. Zay Flowers was the best player on the field when the Baltimore Ravens played him
The Ravens sat most of their starters, besides rookie first-round pick Zay Flowers. That is fair considering his rookie status, but it was clear within about five players who the best player on the field was, and that Flowers.
Flowers caught two passes for 37 yards and a touchdown. He had a 26-yard reception on the touchdown pass, and most of it was working after the catch.
What is impressive for Flowers is that while he was one of the only starters on the field for the Ravens, the Commanders had plenty of starters on the field. He caught a quick pass against Emmanuel Forbers, a first-round pick who went ahead of him in the seam draft. So, it is not like this was a group of backups he was playing well against.
There is no debate about whether Flowers would make the roster or where he stood on the depth chart, but this takeaway is more about what we can expect from Flowers. He should be able to hit the ground running. The game is clearly not too big for him, and he has checked every box you need to see so far.
4. Gus Edwards still has his role over Justice Hill on the Baltimore Ravens depth chart
One notable name that was missing from this game was Gus Edwards. This was notable because he was playing behind Justice Hill last week in the preseason opener. It brought questions about whether Edwards was actually behind Hill on the depth chart or not.
It was easy to speculate that, but in the second preseason game Hill starter, which is great. But, Edwards got the starter treatment, sitting out the game. This makes sense. In the preseason opener, JK Dobbins was not healthy.
The Ravens view their two running backs as different starters in a way. Dobbins is the speed back. So, his direct backup is Justice Hill. Meanwhile, Gus Edwards is the power back, and his direct backup was Melvin Gordon.
So, when Dobbins was out, it was not Edwards who stepped into the role as much as Hill. Edwards was not demoted behind Hill, but kept his same role. So, now that Dobbins is back, it is him and Edwards as the two starters sitting with Hill and Gordon working in as the backups.
If Dobbins played in the preseason Hill would not have worked over Edwards in week one. Edwards has a secure role in the Ravens backfield.
3. Ar'Darius Washington will start in the slot for the Baltimore Ravens week one
This has started to become expected, but now you can mark it down in pen. Ar'Darius Washington will be the Baltimore Ravens starter in the slot in week one, barring any injury in the next three weeks. In his third year, the UDFA has climbed the depth chart and made the most of his opportunity.
This was by default for a little bit. Arthur Maulet, and Pepe Williams have not practiced in two weeks. So, Washington shot up fronm third in the depth chart to first pretty quickly. He just had to not lose the job to win the job. He did that and then some .
Washington played well. He had solid coverage, created some pressures, and made a couple of key open field tackles. If anything, he ensured the Ravens that they do not have to add anyone in the slot despite the injuries.
2. John Simpson will start at left guard for the Baltimore Ravens week one
Ar'Darius Washington locked down the starting slot job, while John Simpson appears to be the starter at left guard when week one rolls around. Simpson started at left guard for the second straight week. This time, Sala Auamavae-Laulu took over for a bit, and Simpson jumped over to right guard, but after time, he jumped back to left guard.
We saw a lot of Simpson in this game, and probably enough for the Baltimore Ravens to feel good about his standing heading into the regular season. It felt like they played him so much in the second half to give him that experience that Sala Auamavae-Laulu was not earning.
Some of the reason for Simpson winning the job is his performance, but Auamavae-Laulu struggled once the lights came on. He was beat clean on a pressure that led to Josh Johnson throwing a short pass and James Proche dropping it for an interception. The debate will be Proche or Johnson at fault, but you can argue that Auamavae-Laulu was the real culprit on this play.
That is why the Ravens quickly shifted back to Simpson. Auamavae-Laulu was a nice story, but he is a sixth-round rookie afterall. It was asking a lot of him to start week one, and that appears to have been too optimistic.
1. Baltimore Ravens are finding roles for Patrick Ricard
The only potential starters we saw on offense were John Simpson, Zay Flowers, and then Patrick Ricard. To be fair, Ricard will not start in the Todd Monken offense, but in the Greg Roman offense, he was a trusted starter throughout the years.
The issue is that Monken and Roman contrast in styles in a dramatic way. The spacing and downfield passing that Monken institutes do not typically lead to a fullback on the field. So, the Ravens have been creative in how they use him.
First, they tired him as an offensive lineman. Now, they are essentially playing him as a blocking tight end. He played a good bit in preseason week two, and most of his snaps were on the line as an extra tight end.
This makes sense when you look at the Baltimore Ravens roster. Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely, and Charlie Kolar are all pass-catching tight ends who struggle with blocking. So, the Ravens do not need a full back, but they need a blocking tight end. Monken knows that the added chip help on the edges can lead to extra seconds in a downfield passing attack. This usage will ensure his role on the new offense. Expect to see him on the line, not behind the line in 2023.