The Baltimore Ravens nearly have their 90-man roster set up. With the addition of UDFAs, some free-agent help, and a 10-man 2020 NFL Draft class, the Ravens’ roster is pretty close to the final version we’ll see in training camp. As Baltimore begins preparing for on-field work, the front office will take a close look at their depth chart to find any potential holes still remaining and identify some of their more important roster battles.
On defense, the Ravens are returning most of their starters but have completely revamped their defensive line and inside linebacker corps this offseason. It’s a strategy that looks to stop their biggest flaw from last season while continuing to build towards the future. However, those changes mean more battles and new faces on Baltimore’s defensive depth chart.
Just as I did for the offense, we’re taking a look at the defense with the roster of players currently signed. Also, the Ravens tend to move players around into different roles depending on what packages they’re running, so this is ultimately an oversimplification of Baltimore’s defense and the jobs within.
Here’s how the Ravens’ depth chart on defense is shaping up right now:
Defensive tackle:
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
| Derek Wolfe | Justin Madubuike | Broderick Washington Jr. |
Though the Ravens label this position as “defensive tackle” it’s really more of a defensive end in a 3-4 front. However, Baltimore tends to play their in-betweeners here . . . those guys that can rush the quarterback but offer more as a run defender.
Wolfe was signed to be that guy for the Ravens. He’s a complimentary piece on the defensive line that is solid against the run and has been able to get pressure on the quarterback as well, though that’s not exactly his strong suit. The same goes for Madubuike and Washington, though with both being rookies, they’re going to be relegated to backup roles initially and be groomed to replace Wolfe as early as next season.
Nose tackle:
| 1st | 2nd |
| Brandon Williams | Justin Ellis Daylon Mack |
Wolfe’s signing means Williams can go back to the position he plays best. The Ravens have experimented with putting Williams in a position to rush the quarterback and he just isn’t very effective or consistent in that role. But he does an excellent job of taking on double teams and clogging up the middle of the line.
As bigger-bodied players, Ellis and Mack also fit into this role and will compete for snaps behind Williams. Neither are very good at getting upfield but their size and strength make them harder to move and against a power-rushing offense, they’ll make up the “big team” defensive line.
Defensive end:
| 1st | 2nd |
| Calais Campbell | Patrick Ricard Jihad Ward |
Much like defensive tackle was, this is an odd position for the Ravens’ 3-4 defense. Typically, defensive end has been more of an edge-setting position for Baltimore with players asked to play the run first and then go after the quarterback. That might change a little bit with the influx of new talent this offseason.
Campbell is a stout run defender but he’s a better pass rusher. That makes him the odd-man-out on this portion of the depth chart, as both Ricard and Ward fit the typical role of the position as run defenders first with pass-rush upside secondary. Still, this is the best spot for him on the Ravens’ defensive line and creates the best starting unit when combined with Wolfe at defensive tackle and Williams at nose tackle.
Rush outside linebacker:
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
| Jaylon Ferguson Pernell McPhee |
Aaron Adeoye Mike Onuoha |
Marcus Willoughby Chauncey Rivers |
Baltimore labels this as their “rush” linebacker, tasking this position with attacking the quarterback primarily. These guys will still have to play the run as well but it’s typically where Baltimore has put their more inexperienced outside linebackers as they develop.
Both Ferguson and McPhee can stand up or put their hand in the dirt to rush off the edge while being solid tacklers in the run game, fitting this role perfectly. However, while I’d expect the Ravens to have a competition for the starting job, this is really Ferguson’s spot to lose.
There isn’t much in the way of capable depth behind Ferguson and McPhee, and none of the players have experience. Adeoye and Onuoha are the most experienced of the group, having been on the practice squad last year. Willoughby and Rivers might be in the last spot but there isn’t a huge gap between second- and third-string right now, with all four likely competing for one or two final roster spots.
Middle linebacker:
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
| Malik Harrison Jake Ryan |
Chris Board | Otaro Alaka |
This position is typically reserved for the bigger linebackers that are more stout against the run. The Ravens tend to ask the middle linebacker to blitz as well, leaving the “WILL” linebacker to handle most of the coverage and chase down outside runs.
Here, Harrison and Ryan will be competing for the starting job. Harrison is more athletic and probably the better player right now but Ryan’s experience gives him an edge in the competition.
After getting a shot at the starting job last season and failing to impress or even really get on the field on defense, Board is solidly in the backup role behind Harrison and Ryan. Alaka was a practice squad player last year and could fight Board for that last linebacker spot on the 53-man roster.
Will linebacker:
| 1st | 2nd |
| Patrick Queen | L.J. Fort |
This position has typically been manned by the more athletic players in Baltimore’s scheme. They often drop back into coverage on tight ends and running backs while offering better sideline-to-sideline ability against the run than a middle linebacker.
With the Ravens running nickel most of the time, they’ll leave the “Will” linebacker on the field while often replacing the middle linebacker with a strong safety. So while Queen might end up getting labeled as the middle linebacker, he’s going to get most of his playing time in this role, which is exactly why Baltimore selected him in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Fort was the Ravens’ insurance option all along, signing him to a two-year extension last season just in case they couldn’t find someone else. That puts him in the backup role behind Queen this season, though they’ll probably split more snaps early until Queen becomes acclimated with the speed and complexity of the NFL.
SAM outside linebacker:
| 1st | 2nd |
| Matthew Judon | Tyus Bowser |
The “SAM” is the edge-setting outside linebacker in Baltimore’s defense. While they’ll pressure the quarterback, they’ll also drop back into coverage and seal the edge in run defense, depending on the play called. This is typically where the Ravens have put their more experienced and athletic outside linebackers, thanks to it being a more expansive and diverse role.
Judon was the top “SAM” outside linebacker last season and he’ll be the unquestioned starter in 2020 as well. Bowser has shown flashes over the years and started to become more consistent down the stretch last season, earning him a pretty solidified backup role here.
Cornerback 1:
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
| Marcus Peters | Jimmy Smith | Iman Marshall | Jeff Hector Josh Nurse |
The Ravens split their cornerback groups into those that play on the outside and those that can play inside. For the “cornerback 1” group that will play nearly exclusively outside, they’ll need to be taller and have a bigger frame to handle the bigger outside wide receivers they’ll see.
While Peters doesn’t fit that description as well as the rest of this depth chart, he’s clearly their top outside cornerback, playing a majority of the defensive snaps but only seeing the slot 6.3% of the time. Smith got bumped into the backup spot when Baltimore traded for Peters and, when re-signed this offseason, is pretty firmly relegated to that role in 2020.
Marshall spent most of the season on injured reserve, playing just four snaps over the three games he was active for. But he’s the most experienced player of those remaining here with Hector and Nurse each being freshly-signed UDFAs. Marshall being taken in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft should insulate him some from competition for a roster spot but he’s pretty clearly on the back end of the depth chart.
Strong safety:
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
| Chuck Clark | Anthony Levine Sr. DeShon Elliott |
Nigel Warrior |
After getting a three-year contract extension this offseason, Clark has cemented himself as the starter after the release of Tony Jefferson. He earned that job last season, stepping in for the injured Jefferson and performing exceptionally well.
Behind Clark is a pretty tough competition, however. Both Levine and Elliott should be in the mix for serious playing time this season, on special teams and as the extra defensive back in nickel formations. While Levine should have the edge due to his experience, Elliott’s playmaking ability and athleticism will make this one of the better training camp battles.
As one of Baltimore’s UDFAs, Warrior is on the outside looking in and is more likely fighting for a spot on the practice squad.
Free safety:
| 1st | 2nd |
| Earl Thomas | Geno Stone Jordan Richards |
Free safety is one of the Ravens’ shallowest positions on defense right now. Thomas is the unquestioned leader of the secondary and is the obvious starter at free safety. But there’s going to be a battle for Thomas’ top backup if Baltimore doesn’t address the position further in the second wave of free agency.
Thomas played nearly all the defensive snaps last season and the lack of depth here likely won’t see that stop in 2020. But Stone and Richards will compete for the second-string job, with the winner likely coming from the player with better special-teams play. Stone should have the edge as a draft pick with serious upside but it’s hard to discount Richards since he was brought in as a special-teams ace last season.
Cornerback 2:
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
| Marlon Humphrey | Tavon Young | Anthony Averett | Terrell Bonds Khalil Dorsey |
The flip side of the other cornerback role, this is for those players that play inside. That means quicker athletes that are often a little undersized to match up against the bigger outside receivers but are the perfect size to handle the smaller slot receivers.
Humphrey is Baltimore’s top cornerback but sits in the “cornerback 2” group because he plays both outside and inside, often shadowing receivers last season. Depending on what package the Ravens want to run, Humphrey could be the slot cornerback while Peters and Smith play outside.
While Young is technically behind Humphrey on the depth chart, he’s the primary slot cornerback. He’ll likely be on the field at the same time as Humphrey and Peters, who will usually play on the outside.
Averett got some starting time last season with Smith’s injury but struggled, ultimately getting pushed into a reserve role with the trade for Peters and Smith returning later in the season. While Averett didn’t play much from the slot, he’s really a better fit there, especially given the depth and his struggles on the outside.
Bonds might have the edge over UDFA Dorsey but both players are on the wrong side of the roster bubble right now, so that has them both sitting in the fourth-string spot on my depth chart.
Baltimore Ravens defensive depth chart:
| Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
| DT | Derek Wolfe | Justin Madubuike | Broderick Washington Jr. | |
| NT | Brandon Williams | Justin Ellis Daylon Mack |
||
| DE | Calais Campbell | Patrick Ricard Jihad Ward |
||
| Rush | Jaylon Ferguson Pernell McPhee |
Aaron Adeoye Mike Onuoha |
Marcus Willoughby Chauncey Rivers |
|
| MLB | Malik Harrison Jake Ryan |
Chris Board | Otaro Alaka | |
| WLB | Patrick Queen | L.J. Fort | ||
| SAM | Matthew Judon | Tyus Bowser | ||
| CB1 | Marcus Peters | Jimmy Smith | Iman Marshall | Jeff Hector Josh Nurse |
| SS | Chuck Clark | Anthony Levine Sr. DeShon Elliott |
Nigel Warrior | |
| FS | Earl Thomas | Geno Stone Jordan Richards |
||
| CB2 | Marlon Humphrey | Tavon Young | Anthony Averett | Terrell Bonds Khalil Dorsey |
