The whole Baltimore Ravens roster will hit the practice field for the start of training camp tomorrow. While all eyes on are on the rookies and quarterback Lamar Jackson, there are a bunch of other young players that will make up the bulk of the roster.
The Ravens got younger this offseason and are hoping some of their young talent can step up and fill the holes left by departing players. But there are also a number of young players who have a very short clock on their chances to make the team. These players are riding the roster bubble as Baltimore enters training camp. They’ll have to make a quick impression, stack practices together and perform in the preseason games. If they don’t, they likely won’t make the 53-man roster.
I’ve chosen seven players all entering either their second or third seasons with the Ravens in need of a big training camp to make the team.
OLB Tim Williams
Outside linebacker is easily the weakest position on Baltimore’s roster right now. Outside of Matthew Judon, no one else has managed to step up to guarantee themselves a roster spot. To help illustrate this point, the Ravens went picking in the bargain bin of free agency to sign Pernell McPhee and Shane Ray this offseason in an effort to increase their chances of finding a starter.
Williams is a player who is running out of chances. Taken in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL draft, Williams was a raw prospect that was expected to contribute as a situational pass rusher. Sadly, Williams hasn’t even amounted to that much, being active in just 15 of 32 possible games. Over that span, he has just two sacks.
Entering the Ravens’ 2019 training camp, Williams is likely on thin ice. The team would love to see him break out given he’s on his rookie deal still. But if he doesn’t figure it out, they might decide enough is enough and move on from Williams much like they’ve done with other lackluster young defenders like linebacker Kamalei Correa last year.
DL Zach Sieler
Baltimore’s defensive line is deep and really good. But because of that and their 3-4 defensive scheme, there are just not a lot of open roster spots there. That puts pressure on Sieler to make a bigger impact in training camp and the preseason to secure a job.
Sieler showed some flashes as a rookie and steadily improved from training camp to the end of the season. But he’ll be tasked with making a bigger jump in his second year if he wants to make the 53-man roster once again this year.
Listed as a defensive tackle on the Ravens’ official roster, Sieler can actually play both inside and outside at defensive end. That helps him out quite a bit as Baltimore only has Chris Wormley at defensive end right now. But with the addition of rookies Daylon Mack and Gerald Willis, Sieler is going to have a little more top competition for what is likely one of the few roster spots still available.
FB/DL Patrick Ricard
Much like Sieler, Ricard isn’t safe from being cut this offseason. Ricard has flashed as a defensive lineman and he plays at fullback as well, giving him quite a bit of versatility on his resume. That helps but isn’t quite enough to save Ricard a spot on the 53-man roster.
Baltimore has used their tight ends and running backs in a fullback role previously. While it’s nice having Ricard pull double duty, it’s not as necessary as it was previously. Ricard was only active for 10 games last season and not a single on after Week 11 on top of playing just 96 offensive snaps.
If Ricard’s value as a fullback isn’t as big as previously, that means he’s going to have to make the 53-man roster on the merits of his defensive play. He’s in a tough spot there as well as he only saw 47 defensive snaps last season and none following Week 8.
There’s more competition on the defensive line than last year, including rookies Willis and Mack, that will push Ricard for his roster spot. If he can’t become a more productive defensive lineman, he’s likely out of a job this year.
RB Kenneth Dixon
Dixon has all the talent and physical ability to be a game-changing running back, as evidenced by his career 4.8 yard-per-carry average. But what’s landing him on this list is his history of injuries and suspensions that caused him to miss 30 of a possible 48 games over the last three seasons.
His frequent unavailability could cost him a spot on the roster, especially after Baltimore drafted Justice Hill in the spring, who seems like he’ll round out the Ravens’ running back stables.
Dixon will not only have to prove he can stay healthy and out of trouble at training camp in order to secure a roster spot, he’ll have to put his physical talent to work. Even if he’s at every practice and game, he doesn’t have much wiggle room for a lackluster showing with guys like Hill and De’Lance turner nipping at his heels.
WR Jaleel Scott
When Scott was drafted last year, he was heralded for having the size, physicality and hands needed to become a weapon at receiver for the Ravens. But he showed none of that during the preseason and was ultimately stashed on injured reserve at the end of August, making his rookie season a lost year.
With Baltimore adding two new wide receivers in the first three rounds of the 2019 NFL draft, Scott has quite a lot of pressure on his shoulders. Marquise Brown and Miles Boykin are going to be guaranteed roster spots. When added to Willie Snead and Chris Moore, Scott is likely fighting for one of the just two or three roster spots remaining.
If Scott wants to remain with the team, he’ll have to show off the traits that caused the Ravens to draft him in the first place. While it’s only Scott’s second year and he was a fourth-round pick, there seems to be little wiggle room for a player that can’t produce on the field at wide receiver right now.
G Alex Lewis
Lewis is a lot like Dixon, who was also taken in the 2016 NFL draft. He has talent but his injury issues keep getting in the way, with Lewis being active for just 20 out of 48 possible games over three years.
With the team having taken Ben Powers in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL draft, it seems like they’re looking to find someone that can replace the oft-injured lineman. While it seems inevitable Powers will take the starting job at left guard at some point, Lewis will have to show that he can stay healthy if he wants to keep Powers at bay in 2019.
Sadly, Lewis isn’t starting training camp off on the right foot. The Ravens placed Lewis on the PUP list over the weekend. He’s still rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery and any missed time at the start of camp isn’t going to look good.
OLB Tyus Bowser
Much like Williams, Bowser has been a pretty big disappointment after being selected in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft. While he’s been active for far more games than Williams, he’s yet to step up as a pass rusher and has been rather hit-or-miss as an early-down linebacker.
Bowser has quite a bit of speed and agility that make him an intriguing option on defense. He might not necessarily fit Baltimore’s standard role at outside linebacker and he might not really be stout enough to bounce to inside linebacker. The Ravens haven’t done a great job of managing hybrid linebackers like that in the past, pushing Correa all over the defense before eventually giving up and trading him to the Tennessee Titans last offseason. That doesn’t bode well for Bowser unless he’s able to become more well rounded in his third season.
He’ll have perhaps his best opportunity to find that role this offseason. With the losses of Terrell Suggs and Za’Darius Smith in free agency, Bowser becomes one of the most experienced outside linebackers on the roster. But there also doesn’t seem to be a ton of confidence in him stepping up after the Ravens selected Jaylon Ferguson in the third round and added McPhee and Ray in free agency.
Bowser will have to make some big splash plays on defense at training camp to warrant his roster spot. Whether that comes in coverage, run defense or as a pass rusher, Bowser has to cut out a role for himself in just a few weeks or he could find himself dangled for a trade or outright cut.
