After comfortably handling the Jacksonville Jaguars last week, the Baltimore Ravens are taking on the Green Bay Packers at M&T Bank Stadium in Week 2 of the preseason.
The Ravens’ starters saw only limited action against the Jaguars. While some are in line for more opportunities this time around, this game offers another opportunity for players lower down the roster to make a case to be on the Ravens when the real action starts in September. For a number of Baltimore’s players on the roster bubble, this game could seal their fate well in advance of the roster cut down.
Here are five Ravens that need to shine in the preseason against the Packers.
QB Trace McSorley
Lamar Jackson is going to see the same workload against the Packers as he did versus the Jaguars, meaning his work will be done after the first quarter. Robert Griffin is not expected to be healthy until the regular season, recovering from a fracture in his thumb. Meaning McSorley will once again play the bulk of the snaps at quarterback for Baltimore.
McSorley played 58% of the snaps against the Jaguars but didn’t look great. He completed only nine of his 22 pass attempts for a meager 85 yards for no touchdowns. He did throw an interception, however, and found himself on our duds list for the night.
With another week of extended playing time, McSorley needs to show he can run the offense efficiently and not make silly mistakes. Interceptions and fumbles will absolutely not help him make the roster. Moving the ball down the field and keeping the chains moving will.
WR Miles Boykin
Boykin is the talk of Baltimore after his deeds in the Ravens’ victory over the Jaguars. Boykin led the team with four catches for 39 yards and also had a touchdown wiped off the board due to a penalty. He’s looking like a player that the Ravens may want to keep on the field as much as possible.
It would be good if Boykin could continue to develop the chemistry he has developed with Lamar Jackson in practice, against the Packers. Three of Boykin’s receptions against Jacksonville, as well as 38 of his yards, came after Jackson had exited the game. It’ll be interesting to see how much Boykin is involved in the offense with Jackson at the helm.
If Boykin is not able to flash with Jackson, then he needs to maintain his developing partnership with McSorley and keep producing whenever he’s called upon. Another strong showing against Green Bay could be enough to earn Boykin a starting role for the Ravens in Week 1.
RB Kenneth Dixon
Some have already speculated that Dixon won’t make it onto the Ravens 53-man roster for the regular season. He wasn’t given a whole load of opportunities to prove anyone wrong against the Jaguars, playing on only 10 offensive snaps.
Still, Dixon was used when he was on the field. He rushed four times for 21 yards, but 16 of those yards came on a single carry. Dixon also drew a solitary target in the passing game without registering a catch.
Gus Edwards appears safe as the man immediately behind Mark Ingram on the depth chart, with rookie Justice Hill starting his NFL career as a change-of-pace/receiving option. This leaves Dixon as a man seemingly without a role. He needs to make the most of any opportunities he gets in the preseason if only to put his name out there for other teams should the Ravens deem him surplus to requirements.
OLB Shane Ray
It’s fair to say that life hasn’t gone according to plan for Ray since he was a first-round draft selection by the Denver Broncos back in 2015. He appeared set for a breakout after an 8-sack campaign in 2016, but injuries have restricted him to just 19 games and two sacks in the last two seasons. Ray was released by the Broncos at the end of the 2018 campaign and signed with the Ravens as a free agent.
Ray has struggled for consistency during practice. There’s a feeling he needs a big preseason in order to win a roster spot when the season begins. Ray played 24 snaps against the Jaguars but recorded just one tackle and only a half sack.
It was thought Ray would comfortably make the roster earlier this offseason, given his experience and pedigree. But he appears to have fallen behind several other players at his position. Ray needs to make the most of his chances against the Packers to force Baltimore’s hand and keep him around.
DL/FB Patrick Ricard
The NFL hasn’t seen too many two-way players in the last 50 years or so. The days of Chuck Bednarik earning his keep on the offense and defense are a long way in the past. But don’t tell Ricard this.
Ricard, entering his third NFL season out of Maine, played seven snaps on offense and a further 14 on defense against the Jaguars. These 14 snaps saw him register four tackles, two sacks and a pass defensed. He was truly one of the studs in the Ravens’ 29-0 victory.
He’s been something of a project by Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who suggested the team try Ricard out at fullback three years ago when he was serving as a consultant. Ricard’s ability to contribute in all three phases of the game (he played one special-teams snap against the Jaguars) is likely to make him attractive to the Ravens coaches, as versatile players can be worth their weight in gold in the NFL.
The Ravens may reward him with a few more defensive opportunities against the Packers, in order to help him cement a roster spot. If he has another game like he did last week, he’ll almost assuredly stay on Baltimore’s 53-man roster.
