Predicting Baltimore Ravens' 1st Wave of Roster Cuts

Now that the Baltimore Ravens' 2015 NFL training camp is already in full swing, it’s time to start thinking about what 53-player combination will comprise the team’s final roster. Right now, the Ravens have 90 guys out there working their butts off in hopes of finding themselves suiting up on Sundays.

The reality is that around 40 of those 53 spots are already spoken for, leaving just over a dozen spots and 50 guys competing for them. Long odds, but that doesn’t deter them. Baltimore has built a physical roster with a nice mix of veterans and youth. However, with teams required to get down to 75 players by September 1, there is going to be plenty of movement between now and then.

The first round of cuts typically doesn't carry a lot of mystery or intrigue. Many players are brought in as “camp bodies” and face the longest of odds to make the team. Here’s a prediction for the first five guys who get to face The Turk.

Tom Nelson, Wide Receiver

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You can see that the Ravens are making a serious commitment to improving their wide receiver corps. With a dozen wide receivers on the roster, this battle is going to be intense, and for half of these guys, it's going to be a crushing disappointment.

The first one to get the ax is probably Tom Nelson. Per the Ravens' Twitter account, they have added former Army quarterback Trent Steelman as a late addition to attempt to convert to wide receiver, so Nelson, as a former safety, is likely the odd man out.

It’s hard enough to make a position change in the NFL, but doing it while you are fighting for a roster spot on a deep team makes things doubly challenging. Nelson could last through a good portion of the month if he can show some positives on special teams, but when you look at the rest of this group, he’s got his work cut out for him.

Aldrick Robinson, Wide Receiver

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The second (and final) wide receiver to make this list is veteran Aldrick Robinson. Up to this point in camp, things have been very quiet on Robinson, and that’s a bad thing. This is the time of year when players are helped by buzz. If you are a Ravens wide receiver right now, you have to make the most of every rep you get because there are a lot of guys fighting for a couple of spots.

Unfortunately for Robinson, it’s not what he has done, but what he hasn’t. Social media has made it so we can know every move a player makes during training camp, and things have been mum on Robinson. With several very talented rookies in a similar spot as he is, Robinson goes to add reps for the youngsters.

Brennen Beyer, Linebacker

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A player like linebacker Brennen Beyer is the type of player you really root for. Coming in as an undrafted free agent, Beyer was a successful college player who is finding himself without an NFL position—well, sort of. As Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun reported, Beyer is working to go from defensive end to outside linebacker. 

What this could mean for the former Michigan star is that he’s an early exit in the cuts, but then he is brought back and added to the practice squad. It isn’t like he’s a guy who's going to get cut loose and immediately snatched up by another team, so it's a safe risk to take early in the cuts and then bring him back later.

De’Ondre Wesley, Offensive Tackle

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As an undrafted free agent, the odds are long to make an NFL roster. When you are an undrafted free-agent offensive tackle on the Ravens roster, the odds are even longer.

Baltimore's depth in camp at offensive tackle is really impressive. Well beyond projected starters Eugene Monroe and Ricky Wagner, there are some very good football players offensive tackle De'Ondre Wesley's competing against. That's why he makes this list.

One caveat to this is Wesley's another player who could find himself on an NFL practice squad, either in Baltimore or on another team where offensive line is more of a need. There're some physical tools there, as well as the potential to be a contributor. It’s just that a team like the Ravens can afford to move on and focus on other positions and players.

Leon Brown, Offensive Guard

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Former Alabama offensive guard Leon Brown finds himself in a similar situation as Wesley from the previous slide. The Ravens are getting a good look at these young players, and they have some really nice depth along the interior offensive line.

He and fellow offensive lineman Nick Easton could find themselves in this first wave of cuts simply because Baltimore is already firmly two-deep along the inside. And similar to Wesley, Brown has enough potential to find himself back in the league on a practice squad, if a team wants to try and stash him away.