Updated 53-Man Roster Projections for Baltimore Ravens Post-Preseason Week 3
The Baltimore Ravens are only days away from the first round of roster cuts as they prepare to trim their final roster to 53 men for the start of the NFL season.
In many cases, teams enter camp with a pretty good idea of the top 40 guys on the roster, so it often comes down to the remainder playing for just over a dozen available spots.
With injuries acting as such a blight on the preseason, Baltimore has come out of it relatively unscathed.
Yes, there are guys who are dinged up and some whose status at the start of the season is in question. However, by comparison, the Ravens can’t complain when they consider how many teams have lost very significant players for the season before it's even begun.
For this roster projection of the final 53-man list, here is how it’ll break down by position. The exact split of players is tough to predict. With injuries on the offensive line and at wide receiver, Baltimore could keep one more of each and perhaps choose to carry only one quarterback as well as one fewer defensive back.
Offense
Quarterbacks: 3
Running Backs: 4
Wide Receivers: 6
Tight Ends: 3
Offensive Linemen: 8
Defense
Defensive Linemen: 8
Linebackers: 9
Defensive Backs: 9
Special Teams: 3
Quarterbacks
1 of 9
Joe Flacco, Matt Schaub, Bryn Renner
There’s a real possibility that Baltimore opts not to keep rookie quarterback Bryn Renner and just rolls with starter Joe Flacco and backup Matt Schaub. It could be a case where Baltimore tries to stash Renner away on its practice squad. He wouldn’t be completely protected but would still be available.
Renner has played pretty well as an undrafted rookie. The veteran Schaub is a better candidate to be the backup with his experience in the league, but make no mistake, Renner can play.
Obviously, the starter situation is rock-solid with Flacco under center, but the backup spots are so vitally important when they are just one play away from starting.
Running Backs
2 of 9
Justin Forsett, Lorenzo Taliaferro, Javorius Allen, Kyle Juszczyk (FB)
Things are shaping up nicely for the Ravens' running back situation. Baltimore is hoping that the Justin Forsett who racked up 1,529 yards of total offense and eight touchdowns is going to be back and even better.
Forsett isn’t going to sneak up on defenses this season like he did last year.
Fortunately for him and the Ravens, there is some quality depth behind him. Both Lorenzo Taliaferro and Javorius Allen are big, powerful backs who should do well to spell Forsett and give defenses a very different look in terms of style.
Unfortunately for Taliaferro, an MCL sprain against the Philadelphia Eagles will sideline him for a few weeks, per BaltimoreRavens.com writer Garrett Downing.
If Taliaferro ends up missing multiple weeks, Allen would step up as the primary backup, and the Ravens could consider keeping an extra back. The best bet in that case would be Fitzgerald Toussaint, even though he only has six carries in preseason.
Wide Receivers
3 of 9
Steve Smith, Marlon Brown, Kamar Aiken, Breshad Perriman, Michael Campanaro, Darren Waller
The wide receiver depth chart is still something of a mystery in Baltimore. The only certainty is that Steve Smith is ready to go and looks like he’s in midseason form already.
Beyond Smith, there’s no rhyme or reason as to which players will have which roles in this offense.
With no timetable on a return for rookie wide receiver Breshad Perriman, it is time for the rest of this group to take up the load that he was supposed to fill.
Perhaps the only surprise on this list is the inclusion of wide receiver Darren Waller.
It is likely that the sixth spot (if there is one) will be battled for between Waller, Jeremy Butler and DeAndre Carter. The advantage Waller has is his size. At 6’6” and 240 pounds, Waller is the most athletic and physically imposing of the three, and none can really make a case that they’ve had a more productive preseason.
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Tight Ends
4 of 9
Maxx Williams, Crockett Gillmore, Nick Boyle
With veteran tight end Dennis Pitta slated to start the season on the PUP list and Owen Daniels taking his talents to Denver, it’s time for a changing of the guard at tight end.
Fortunately for Baltimore, it has a couple of great ones on the roster.
It’s not clear if Crockett Gillmore (6'6", 251 lbs) or Maxx Williams (6'4", 250 lbs) will be listed as the starter, but it won’t likely matter. Baltimore is going to use plenty of two-TE sets, and that means Gillmore and Williams on the field at the same time.
Both provide Flacco with huge targets in the passing game, and neither are afraid to line up and butt heads in the run game.
Nick Boyle gets the third spot, but he’s most likely just a placeholder. Unless it is determined that Pitta can’t play in 2015, he will come back late, and it will probably be at Boyle's expense.
Offensive Line
5 of 9
Eugene Monroe, Kelechi Osemele, Jeremy Zuttah, Marshal Yanda, Rick Wagner, James Hurst, John Urschel, Ryan Jensen
I’m not terribly comfortable with only giving the Ravens eight offensive linemen, but it is just how the numbers have worked out at this point.
Ideally, a ninth offensive lineman would offer security for what could be questionable depth. This group is just an injury away from going from a strength to a weakness.
If this group is back to full health by the start of the regular season, this is the group, and it’s a great one. One of the best in the AFC. However, with the left side of that line dealing with some nagging injuries, things could be a little less rosy to start the year.
"LT Eugene Monroe and LG Kelechi Osemele are both out tonight. John Urschel starts at LG and Ryan Jensen at LT.
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 29, 2015"
Defensive Line
6 of 9
Timmy Jernigan, Brandon Williams, Chris Canty, Kapron Lewis-Moore, Carl Davis, Lawrence Guy, DeAngelo Tyson, Brent Urban
Another season is upon us, and once again the Ravens' defensive line is shaping up to be really impressive.
Even without veteran defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, there is no shortage of talent in this group. Nose tackle Brandon Williams and rookie defensive tackle Carl Davis are both having big preseasons and look to be future stars in this league.
Returning players Chris Canty and Timmy Jernigan anchor the outside of that Ravens base 3-4 defense, and Jernigan in particular has the look of a really special player.
Baltimore loves to rotate players in, so guys like Kapron Lewis-Moore and DeAngelo Tyson are valuable because they can play multiple spots.
Linebackers
7 of 9
Terrell Suggs, Elvis Dumervil, Courtney Upshaw, C.J. Mosley, Daryl Smith, Za’Darius Smith, Arthur Brown, Zach Orr, Brennen Beyer
Right now, the battle for the nine linebacker spots on the final roster is really heated. The first five spots are fairly locked in as Terrell Suggs and Courtney Upshaw are on the outside, C.J. Mosley and Daryl Smith are on the inside, and Elvis Dumervil will be firmly in the mix once he is 100 percent.
The remaining four spots are very much up in the air.
Veteran Arthur Brown is playing for a spot on this team after being a second-round pick, and he has performed well this preseason. Za’Darius Smith has huge pass-rushing potential, while youngsters Zach Orr and Brennen Beyer will need to win on special teams while they bide their time.
Defensive Backs
8 of 9
Cornerbacks: Jimmy Smith, Lardarius Webb, Kyle Arrington, Asa Jackson, Rashaan Melvin
Safeties: Will Hill, Kendrick Lewis, Terrence Brooks, Cassius Vaughn
On paper, the starting secondary of the Ravens is very talented.
Jimmy Smith and Lardarius Webb at cornerback and Will Hill and Kendrick Lewis at safety make for a group with gobs of upside. Size on the outside and a balance of coverage and run support up the middle make for a formidable group.
Depth is a bit less exciting, but the backups here are more than capable. Cornerback Asa Jackson makes the roster as a returner but could be the dime cornerback as well behind Kyle Arrington.
The surprise of this list is probably safety Terrence Brooks.
As reported by Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun, Brooks came off the PUP list and returned to practice only eight months after tearing his ACL and MCL in Week 14 of the 2014 season. A healthy Brooks makes this group much deeper and much more talented.
Special Teams
9 of 9
Justin Tucker, Sam Koch, Morgan Cox
No surprises here. Baltimore has been fortunate that it hasn't had to contend with any injuries on special teams.
Kicker Justin Tucker and punter Morgan Koch are among the best at their respective positions, and veteran long snapper Morgan Cox is back healthy and entering his sixth season.
Unless specified, player stats and data provided by NFL.com.
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