The Baltimore Ravens are set to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1 of the preseason on Thursday. In preparation for the first live action of the 2019 season, Baltimore released their very first depth chart.
In placing the players in ranked order, it sent some shockwaves out. Some players are put into starting roles while others find themselves down pretty far on the depth chart. For players who are locks to make the team and those on the roster bubble, the very first depth chart is important.
Taking a deeper look at the depth chart, there were a number of surprises Ravens fans should take notice of.
OLB Pernell McPhee
McPhee was a late free-agent signing this offseason after Baltimore lost their top-two outside linebackers in Terrell Suggs and Za’Darius Smith. With little in the way of proven production at the position, the Ravens brought in McPhee to likely be the unit’s leader and mentor. But with the first depth chart, McPhee is actually starting opposite Matthew Judon.
Baltimore’s outside linebacker corps is still pretty shaky and far too thin but McPhee has taken the top spot and run with it thus far in training camp. He’s been regularly practicing with the first-team defense and has been disruptive when on the field. If that can continue, there’s no reason McPhee can’t return to the Ravens’ starting defense for the second time in his career.
WR Seth Roberts
Roberts felt almost like a throwaway signing this offseason. He was cut by the Oakland Raiders and didn’t really produce much when he was there. But as is usually offseason tradition for the Ravens, they brought in a veteran wide receiver to bolster their wide receiver corps.
But Roberts has really impressed throughout the first week of training camp. He’s been a part of some really big plays and seemingly has earned the trust of quarterback Lamar Jackson. Though he’s put a few balls on the ground, he’s consistently showing up in practices, which is exactly what Baltimore wants to see.
For all that hard work, Roberts finds himself in the top spot on the depth chart. He’s beating out fellow veteran Michael Floyd along with draft picks Jaleel Scott (2018 fourth-round pick) and Miles Boykin (2019 third-round pick).
RT James Hurst
The fact Hurst isn’t on the depth chart at left guard is the big shocker here. The team’s biggest competition is at left guard with a number of players vying for the starting job. Yet, Hurst has plenty of experience playing there. In fact, the reason Hurst received his extension last offseason was because of his excellent play at left guard during the 2017 season.
Yet, Hurst finds himself playing second fiddle to second-year player Orlando Brown Jr. at right tackle instead. While the Ravens could decide to put Hurst back at left guard if they absolutely need him, not giving him a chance to start in spite of his 42 starts over five seasons seems like an oversight right now.
WR Miles Boykin
Boykin is the flip side of Roberts. While Roberts finds himself at the top of the depth chart, Boykin finds himself at the very bottom of it for some reason. This might be the biggest shock on this entire list.
Boykin has been on fire throughout training camp. He’s been difficult to defend and has caught a bunch of big passes from Jackson. Boykin has done so well, he’s actually earned lofty praise, comparing him to the highest-paid wide receiver in the league, Michael Thomas.
Yet, in spite of Boykin showing up early at training camp, he’s below Scott, Floyd and tied with undrafted free agent Antoine Wesley. That’s an absolute shocker.
LG Jermaine Eluemunor
In a competition at left guard, I don’t think it’s a huge stretch to say most people didn’t have Eluemunor winning it. That’s not a knock on the former fifth-round draft pick but more pointing out the level of competition he had.
Eluemunor was fighting with rookie Ben Powers and last year’s starter, Alex Lewis, for the job. Considering Eluemunor didn’t make the 53-man roster last season, going from the practice squad to starter in a season is a pretty massive jump up.
However, Elueumunor seems to have a grip on the starting job. He finds himself at the top of the depth chart right now and with Lewis cut on Monday, he has one less opponent to beat out for the job.
DE Patrick Ricard
While I haven’t had Ricard making the team on my 53-man roster predictions, many fans likely have him as a lock.
Thanks to playing both fullback on offense and on the defensive line, Ricard is one of the league’s few players that play on offense and defense. But his third-string placement on the depth chart behind Chris Wormley and Zach Sieler show just how precarious his roster spot actually is. It also likely shocks some fans who might not be as familiar with Wormley and Sieler.
The Ravens didn’t play Ricard at all beyond Week 11 last season. They used tight ends at fullback and went with other defensive linemen instead of Ricard at either spot. That means entering training camp, Ricard really needs to earn a roster spot based on his defensive line play.
