The Baltimore Ravens take pride in having a deep roster. However, with that, they always have competition on the backend, and there are always names who can sneak on the roster with a good summer. Who are some players on the back end of the roster who are not talked about as potential 53-man roster players but could make that move soon?
5. Tashawn Manning is a sleeper to make the Baltimore Ravens roster
Tashawn Manning is a rookie UDFA from Kentucky. Going undrafted does make it a hard proposition to make the roster, especially as a rookie. The thought with Manning is that he probably would spend a season on the practice squad in the best case and then compete for a job next year. So, that would make it a surprise if he did end up on the roster.
Manning has a shot because of the lack of guard depth. He has one year of left guard experience and one year of right guard experience, and he played one-year of splitting time between the left and right side. The Ravens are a bit thin when you look at their guard situation.
When you look at the right side, Kevin Zeitler indeed holds it down, but he is approaching an age where injury becomes a genuine concern. On the left side, Ben Cleveland is a complete question. The depth behind Zeitler is non-existent, and John Simpson will compete with Cleveland on the left.
The Baltimore Ravens have both Daniel Faalele and Sala Amuave-Laulu as backup right tackles. They have worked both at guard during OTAs, and as the roster stands right now, it would be both of them, one as an extra guard making the roster over Manning. Still, if the Ravens have questions about the depth at guard and trust Manning in there more than someone like SAL, they may keep the UDFA over the 6th-round pick. Or, they find a way to keep an extra lineman. Both would be surprises, but both end with Manning making it.
4. Could Ben Mason finally step into a roster spot for the Baltimore Ravens?
The Baltimore Ravens drafting Ben Mason in the fifth round was always a surprise, and you wondered what the plan was for him. It turned out they have not had one yet. He was cut and bounced to New England and Chicago before returning to the Ravens practice squad. He will compete with Patrick Ricard after spending a second season on the practice squad.
The odds are that Patrick Ricard is not going anywhere, and the Ravens would essentially have to move on from Ricard to make this work. Still, they drafted Mason and have kept him around, there has to be some attraction from the team, and beyond that, the clock is ticking on Ricard.
Ricard is still only 29 years old, but Mason is 24. If Mason showed up to training camp and proved to look as good as Ricard, the Baltimore Ravens could save $2M this season. They also could save $4M next offseason, so the odds are that even if this does not happen this year, it is even more likely to happen next year.
The Ravens are not up against the cap right now, but every dollar will help going forward now that Lamar Jackson is signed. If Mason gives the Ravens any reason to think that they can save a little money, they may take that path. It is on him, and it is an outside shot, but Ben Mason has to be in the plans at some point.
3. The Baltimore Ravens may need Trey Botts in year one
Trey Botts is a UDFA from Colorado State-Puebloe. I am not going to lie to you and tell you that I have done deep studies into that defense, and nobody in the media has a really firm grasp of him outside of a few highlight clips. However, the Baltimore Ravens obviously liked what they saw, and when you look at his measurables and his draft profile, there is enough to get interested in.
Still, the reason he can make this roster comes almost solely down to the depth chart and roster mechanics. The Baltimore Ravens usually keep six defensive linemen. Maybe they only keep five and add an extra offensive lineman, like we said.
That is because if you look at the Ravens' roster, they have five locks. Justin Madubuike, Broderick Washington, Travis Jones, Michael Pierce, and Brent Urban will make the roster, barring anything off-the-grid happening.
So, who will be the sixth man? The Ravens just signed Angelo Blackson; he is the best in-house option. However, he is a journeyman veteran and was phased out of the Chicago Bears' awful defense last year. Some of that is scheme fit, but if he could not play for Chicago, do the Ravens really want him?
From there, they have Rayshad Nichols, and then Trey Botts will be right in the mix. Nobody knows much yet, but this could be a player that fans love when the preseason gets going.
2. Could Keaton Mitchell crack the Baltimore Ravens roster in year one?
One of the more exciting UDFA rookie additions was Keaton Mitchell from East Carolina. Most thought Mitchell would get drafted after when he blazed his 40-yard dash at the NFL combine. He comes into a running back situation that is murky as well.
J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards should be holding things down, but they are both coming off of down 2022 seasons, and that is because 2021 was an injury season. Both of them have their questions. From there, the depth is scarce. Justice Hill will be ahead of Mitchell, mainly due to special teams and blocking. Still, Mitchell could also quickly prove to be the better runner.
Even if Mitchell does not win the number three job, most teams will keep a fourth running back. Even if the full-back is a fourth, like Patrick Ricard, teams can keep five. That is definitely a possibility, but with the team having a deep tight end and wide receiver room than in recent years, it is also not a lock.
Being behind Hill, and the Ravens unlikely to keep five running backs, has him an underdog to make the roster. However, at his odds, he would be worth betting on as he has a better chance than some may think.
1. Daryl Worley has an outisde shot at the Baltimore Ravens roster.
The Baltimore Ravens cornerback room is crowded. This can help or hurt any of the names on the roster. One name who is being completely forgotten about is Daryl Worley. That is easy to understand why, especially when the most he action he got last year was week 18 against the Bengals.
Still, he was on the roster last year, he was active for the playoff game, and now he is back. Most have him outside the roster, but there is definitely a case for him.
The case is against him is how many players the Ravens went out and added. They signed Trayvon Mullen and Rock Ya-Sin. Ya-Sin is expected to start, and be a lock to make the roster. They also drafted Kyu Blu Kelly. That is in addition to drafting Jayln Armour-Davis last year. The team tried Armour-Davis over Worley last year, and they have to hope that he gets better come his second NFL season.
There are a lot of names in front of Worley on the pecking order, but all of them have plenty of questions as well. Worley is the least talked about because he is the older and last one to be added to the group, but he could end up being a fifth cornerback on the roster.