While these preseason games might not count toward their chances at a Super Bowl win, the Ravens need to redeem themselves after their 16-13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles last Friday.
It was an ugly showing that raised even more questions. Ahead of the game against the Eagles, we listed things to watch, among them: the competition for the three starting offensive line spots and the third safety position, linebacker Trenton Simpson’s performance, the wide receiver depth, the tight end usage and the new kickoff play.
Simpson played extremely well, and now the question is whether he can translate it to the regular season once he’s facing starters. Ar’Darius Washington has extended his lead in the race for third safety, through his performance in both the game and practices. The kickoff is still a work in progress but seemed that it went smoothly for the most part.
Other than that, a lot of the other questions remain. The Ravens couldn’t get anything going on offense, which doesn’t speak well to the offensive line’s showing. The group gave up three sacks. Dayton Wade led the way for the receivers, but there weren’t any strong performances. And neither starting tight end played.
Those are all still things to keep an eye on, but here are a few more storylines that emerged from the loss to the Eagles or in the week of practice ahead of this game against the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday at noon.
Can Josh Johnson rebound?
Starting quarterback Lamar Jackson is the Ravens’ ticket to the Super Bowl. But if he is out for a few games, it would be nice to know the backup quarterback can keep the team competitive and in the playoff race.
Backup Josh Johnson did not look like a guy who can do that. Facing mostly backups from the Eagles defense, Johnson put together a less than inspiring performance. He threw for just 62 yards and finished with a completion percentage of 33.3%. With Johnson at the helm, they had just six first downs in the first half.
And rookie Devin Leary isn’t ready to take over as QB2 yet. The Ravens said from the start that the 2024 sixth-round pick would need time to develop.
There aren’t many options better than Johnson on the free-agent market. In many cases, a trade might be hard to make. At least one pundit thinks the Atlanta Falcons should look to trade Taylor Heinicke after they signed veteran starter Kirk Cousins and drafted Michael Penix Jr. in the first round this offseason. Heinicke’s potential is limited — but he at least played in an NFL game last season and is six years younger.
How many starters will play?
Coach John Harbaugh said Jackson won’t play, and that shouldn’t be a surprise. The question is how many other starters will? Harbaugh said you’d see a lot of them at some point in the preseason, but it wasn’t last game.
With safety Kyle Hamilton’s recent injury and Mark Andrews recently in a car crash, will the Ravens play it safe? Rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins, who stood out against the Eagles before being injured, returned to practice Thursday. He’s an interesting case where they want to protect his health, but they will also want to get him game reps if they want him to contribute early in the season.
Harbaugh announced after the loss that outside linebacker David Ojabo hadn’t been cleared for the game despite participating in team drills throughout camp. Wide receiver Deonte Harty had also been in and out of practices, and outside linebacker Adisa Isaac recently returned from a hamstring injury. None played against the Eagles. Will they be ready by Saturday?
Where is Devontez Walker?
The fourth-round pick was targeted just twice and did not make any catches. After the game, Harbaugh said he’s been dealing with a rib injury. The receiver then disappeared from practice Thursday.
Walker has been quiet throughout training camp. The North Carolina product had an opportunity to step into a significant role, even as a rookie, with the Ravens only returning three starting wide receivers from last season. They lost a large chunk of production when Odell Beckham Jr. departed in free agency, and with Rashod Bateman out for several practices, there were more reps to go around.
Lots of receivers have taken advantage of those opportunities. Tylan Wallace, who was known more for his special teams contributions, has had a solid handle on first-team reps. Sean Ryan has stood out for several weeks. He’s used his length to stretch out for some impressive catches. Newly signed veteran Anthony Miller has had some highlight plays in just a few practices. Players further down the depth chart such as Keith Kirkwood and Scotty Washington have had days where they stand out. Walker has not.
Depending on the severity of the injury, Walker could use the Atlanta Falcons game as his time to shine. But the longer the rookie stays quiet, the harder the hill for him to get looks at the start of the regular season.
Will Roger Rosengarten earn his flowers?
When the Ravens drafted Roger Rosengarten in the second round, they picked him over some other offensive linemen who were expected to go higher. But he has rewarded their faith in him thus far. As camp has progressed, Rosengarten has worked his way up the depth chart. Ahead of the Eagles game, he had been splitting first-team reps with Patrick Mekari.
With starting center Tyler Linderbaum still sidelined following the Eagles game, Mekari moved to take snaps at center from Ben Cleveland, opening up more opportunities for Rosengarten. The rookie will most likely get plenty of playing time since the Ravens want to give him experience, but keep an eye on what share he gets at right tackle and how he manages there. Harbaugh said after the Eagles game that he’d be comfortable if Rosengarten plays right tackle in Week 1 after his performance against the Eagles, but then he added he’s not ready to declare anyone a starter on the offensive line.
Likewise, it will be interesting if Mekari plays significant time at center or if they will continue to give reps to Cleveland.
Welcome back, Matthew Judon
For five years, Matthew Judon terrorized quarterbacks as part of the Ravens’ formidable pass rush. When he reached free agency, he decided to sign with the New England Patriots in 2021. In the three seasons he played there, he and the Patriots did not go up against his former team.
Amid a contract dispute, the Patriots traded him Wednesday to the Falcons, the very team traveling to Baltimore for Saturday’s preseason matchup.
During his time with the Ravens, Judon recorded 34.5 sacks in 76 games. He also had 236 tackles, 54 tackles for loss, and 103 quarterback hits, according to Pro Football Reference. As a Raven, Judon was a two-time Pro Bowler. He was also a two-time Pro Bowler for the Patriots. His final season with the Patriots was limited by injury to just four games.
