Baltimore Ravens depth chart – Syndication Server

Ravens news: Left guard position named Baltimore’s biggest weakness

Baltimore’s other position of need is backup quarterback, where a Lamar Jackson injury would force the Ravens to start 38-year-old Josh Johnson.

The Ravens finished the 2023 regular season with the NFL’s best record, and even after losing several quality starters and contributors, they’re still among a handful of Super Bowl contenders.

ESPN recently look at the biggest remaining roster hole for all 32 NFL teams, and the left guard position was deemed a weak spot.

Roster hole: Left guard

Right now, the penciled-in starter at left guard is Andrew Vorhees. Many scouts considered him a Day 2 prospect at USC until he tore his right ACL at the 2023 combine. That dropped him to the seventh round and cost him his rookie season in the NFL. If Vorhees isn’t ready to start, the Ravens could move over swing tackle Patrick Mekari or perhaps stick in 2023 sixth-round pick Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, who spent his entire rookie season as a healthy inactive.

Baltimore’s other position of need is backup quarterback, where a Lamar Jackson injury would force the Ravens to start 38-year-old Josh Johnson.

Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu battled John Simpson for the left guard battle last off-season, and he’ll give Vorhees a run for his money, while Ben Cleveland appears to be the favorite at right guard, with rookie Roger Rosengarten penciled in at right tackle.

What Kevin Zeitler signing means for Ravens’ offensive line

The Baltimore Ravens found a new starter at right guard in Kevin Zeitler but what does it mean for the rest of the Ravens depth chart?

The Baltimore Ravens came into this offseason needing the patch up the interior of their offensive line and they didn’t wait long to make a move. The Ravens have agreed to terms with former New York Giants guard Kevin Zeitler. However, with a bunch of young talent at the position, what does Zeitler’s signing mean for Baltimore short- and long-term?

Immediately, Zeitler’s signing fills one of two holes on the offensive line. After seeing Marshal Yanda retire last offseason, the Ravens started three different players at right guard, getting pretty lackluster play. Having missed just one game over the last six years, Zeitler should end that shuffling, giving Baltimore a stable and high-quality starter, even if he isn’t at Yanda’s level.

While it means young players like Ben Powers and Tyre Phillips could be relegated to the bench in 2021, that doesn’t necessarily mean we’ve seen the last of them. The offensive line gets hit on every single play, putting those players at an increased risk of injury. That means having capable depth is a necessity, especially if the NFL is heading toward a 17-game regular-season schedule. But when Baltimore makes a move, they tend to think a little more long-term, and with left guard Bradley Bozeman in the final year of his rookie deal, guys like Powers and Phillips give the Ravens much-needed leverage in any contract negotiations.

Zeitler’s signing could also help Baltimore transition at right tackle if they decide to trade Orlando Brown Jr. this offseason. That’s already a tall task considering Brown has earned Pro Bowl nods in each of the last two seasons, but having a high-quality starter at right guard would be a massive help for whoever lines up on the outside.

The Ravens earned an “A” grade for signing Zeitler and it’s easy to see why. He’s a solid player, a great fit schematically, affordable, and gives Baltimore some much-needed flexibility on the offensive line as they look to boost the offense for a Super Bowl push.

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Ravens’ Week 9 snap counts vs. Colts: A new offensive line stays steady

We take a closer look at the Baltimore Ravens’ snap counts in Week 9 to see who played and what changes the starting lineup made.

The Baltimore Ravens got back to their winning ways with a 24-10 victory over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. It wasn’t always pretty but the Ravens overcame a lot of hurdles in Week 9 to pick up a statement win, including battling with several new starters on the offensive line and injuries on defense.

At the midpoint of the season, all of those changes ultimately mean a time of uncertainty for Baltimore. Swapping starters at this point is never an ideal situation and it’ll take time for the Ravens to get back up to whatever full speed truly looks like. But at the same time, Baltimore’s snap counts against Indianapolis at least clues us into where the Ravens might be heading in terms of their personnel.

Let’s dive into the Ravens’ offensive and defensive snap counts from Week 9.

Brandon Williams excited to be back in his ‘natural habitat’ at nose tackle

The additions of Calais Campbell and Derek Wolfe push Ravens’ Brandon Williams back to nose tackle, which he calls his “natural habitat.”

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With the Baltimore Ravens revamping their defensive line this offseason, Brandon Williams is slated to slide back inside and play nose tackle again. For Williams, he believes playing in the middle of the defensive line is a return to his “natural habitat.”

“I’m pretty much back home, playing what I know, playing what I’m naturally used to doing all the time,” Williams said when asked about going back to nose tackle this season.

The Ravens added Calais Campbell via trade and Derek Wolfe in free agency this offseason. It’s hoped the two new additions will bring some more consistency to Baltimore’s defensive line, something of a sore point for the team in recent years. Not only are Campbell and Wolfe proven run stuffers, but they also offer upside as interior pass rushers — something the Ravens haven’t had since Haloti Ngata’s prime nearly a decade ago.

While the additions of Campbell and Wolfe are great, Williams being “back home” could be the biggest boost to Baltimore’s run defense this season. Pushed into more of a hybrid defensive tackle/end role after signing his mega-contract in 2017, Williams was expected to offer more of a pass-rushing presence after showing some promise there through his first four years in the NFL. Unfortunately, that never really materialized while the team’s run defense suffered.

In Williams’ first three seasons as a starter at nose tackle (2014-2016), he accounted for 151 combined tackles, 15 tackles for a loss, eight quarterback hits, and 3.5 sacks. In the three years to follow in that hybrid role, Williams has just 98 combined tackles, 10 tackles for a loss, eight quarterback hits, and two sacks. The effect on the entire defense has been immense, with the Ravens allowing seven more rushing touchdowns over the last three years than in the previous three.

After a defensive history of being impossible to run against, Baltimore struggled there at times last season. In 2019, the Ravens allowed 100-plus rushing yards in nine of their 17 total games. All of their three losses featured their opponent rushing for at least 140 yards while that terrible playoff loss against the Tennessee Titans topped the chart at 217 rushing yards.

Now, Williams goes back to nose tackle where he was a much more impressive force for Baltimore, and he couldn’t be any more excited.

“I’m back in my natural habitat,” Williams continued. “I’m ready to take on double teams, go against centers again, reek havoc in the middle.”

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Ravens give first hint at starting offensive line at training camp

Baltimore Ravens center Patrick Mekari posted a photo that hints at what the Baltimore Ravens’ starting offensive line looks like at camp.

The Baltimore Ravens have been ramping up at training camp for the last few weeks. While reporters aren’t yet allowed at the facility, the team has given little glimpses of what’s going on at the Under Armour Performance Center. One such glimpse included the first hint of what the offensive line could look like in Week 1.

Center Patrick Mekari posted a photo of practice for his birthday, showing four of the five offensive linemen lined up to snap the ball. With Orlando Brown Jr. manning right tackle and Bradley Bozeman at left guard, this looks to be the very first starting lineup Baltimore is putting on the field.

Grateful to be working on my birthday #23 pic.twitter.com/qEYRQPNlEq

— Patrick Mekari (@PMekari) August 14, 2020

Though we shouldn’t take this image as definitive proof since the Ravens are holding competitions for both starting guard jobs and potentially at center as well, it’s pretty much what many expected the starting lineup to look like. With veterans finally getting on the field for the first time this week, Brown and Bozeman being in their respective spots in the photo point to it being the current starting lineup at Ravens training camp.

Left tackle	Left guard	Center	Right guard	Right tackle
Ronnie Stanley	Bradley Bozeman	Patrick Mekari	D.J. Fluker	Orlando Brown Jr.

As the most experienced of the guards on the roster, Fluker was expected to get the first crack at replacing Marshal Yanda at right guard. Though he’ll also be competing with Ben Powers, Tyre Phillips, and Ben Bredeson; it seems like it’s Fluker’s job to lose right now.

With Matt Skura still on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, Mekari would be the next obvious choice at center. Mekari played well in Skura’s stead after he suffered a gruesome knee injury last season. Though Skura would likely hold the starting job once he returns, Mekari getting the nod right now is a good sign for a guy who could be on the roster bubble.

We still have several weeks remaining before the regular season starts and there is nearly an infinite number of things that can happen between now and then. This very well might not be anywhere close to what the Ravens’ starting offensive line looks like in Week 1, but for now, it seems to be what Baltimore is rolling with.

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Ravens defensive depth chart projection following the 2020 NFL Draft

With the 2020 NFL Draft finished and the team gearing up for training camp, let’s take a look at how the Baltimore Ravens depth chart looks

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.

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Ravens offensive depth chart prediction following 2020 NFL Draft

With the addition of 10 more players via the NFL Draft and five UDFAs, the Baltimore Ravens depth chart on offense has a lot of competition

The Baltimore Ravens have added 10 new players via the 2020 NFL Draft and another five undrafted free agents to their roster. With the offseason ticking down to training camp, Baltimore is beginning to iron out how their depth chart looks to find holes they still need to address and what jobs are up for competition.

Though the Ravens returned 10 of their 11 starters from last season’s top-scoring unit, Baltimore actually has a lot more competition than you might think. Most of the starters are in place but players behind them will be jockeying not only for playing time come the regular season but the chance to make the 53-man roster at all.

With the roster as it stands following the 2020 NFL Draft and the few UDFAs they’ve actually signed, here’s how the Ravens’ depth chart is shaping up.

Quarterback:

1st	2nd	3rd	4th
Lamar Jackson	Robert Griffin III	Trace McSorley	Tyler Huntley

As if it wasn’t obvious beforehand, Jackson’s MVP win makes sure he’s cemented into the top spot on the depth chart. With such an obvious starter in place, the questions really begin right after him.

While Griffin has earned trade talk before and could still be traded this offseason, he brings the most experience at quarterback which makes him better suited as the guy who would replace Jackson if an injury occurred. A similar skill set as the rest of the bunch doesn’t hurt either, making sure his backup role isn’t in jeopardy.

With Griffin the better choice as Jackson’s backup, that puts McSorley firmly in the third-string role at this point. The Ravens kept him on the 53-man roster all last season, even though he was active for just one game. That speaks volumes about how Baltimore feels about McSorley, not wanting to risk putting him on the practice squad where he could get poached.

As is usual for most teams at this time of the year, a fourth quarterback was added to the mix to be used as a training camp arm. Still, I wouldn’t discount Huntley from impressing enough to at least put a little fire under McSorley.

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Ranking the Ravens’ top roster needs after the 2020 NFL Draft

The Baltimore Ravens answered a lot of their top questions in the 2020 NFL Draft but still have some needs before the regular season starts.

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The Baltimore Ravens have wrapped up the 2020 NFL Draft, taking 10 players over the seven rounds. While they filled several of their needs, Baltimore clearly wasn’t afraid to go off script and pick up players they liked at positions with depth in place already.

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta moved both back and forth in the 2020 NFL Draft to marry both value and need. With undrafted free agents being signed and the second wave of free agency starting on Monday when players no longer count against the compensatory pick formula, Baltimore will look to further bolster their roster ahead of the regular season.

But where do the Ravens need to focus most of their energy? Let’s take a closer look at each of Baltimore’s remaining needs.

Outside linebacker

The Ravens didn’t add a single pass rusher in the 2020 NFL Draft. Though that might mean Baltimore believes in their young guys Tyus Bowser and Jaylon Ferguson, it more likely means no one was a good enough value in the draft to take. Considering it was a pretty weak class at the position overall, it’s probably more of the latter than the former.

There are some players already on the free-agent market that could bolster the Ravens’ depth chart at outside linebacker. With some more potentially getting added following the 2020 NFL Draft, Baltimore should be able to address this need quickly while still letting Bowser and Ferguson get a shot.

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8 remaining Ravens needs entering Day 2 of the 2020 NFL Draft

The Baltimore Ravens picked up their top need in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft and could try to fill the other eight on Day 2.

The Baltimore Ravens addressed their top need in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, taking linebacker Patrick Queen at No. 28. But with four picks on Day 2 of the draft, the Ravens could fill their remaining holes with immediate contributors if the board falls their way.

But first, we need to figure out what Baltimore still needs help with. Let’s take a look at the Ravens’ immediate and long-term needs entering Day 2 of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Ravens’ immediate needs

~~Inside linebacker~~
Interior offensive line
Outside linebacker
Wide receiver
Offensive tackle

Ravens’ long-term needs

Defensive line
Safety
Running back
Cornerback

Inside linebacker

Getting Queen really answers this for the most part. Baltimore could still use a little more depth but they’ll probably want someone with experience to balance out their youth at the position rather than double-dipping in the draft.

Interior offensive line

With Marshal Yanda’s retirement, right guard is far from settled. And with an offense that loves to run as much as the Ravens do, beefing up their offensive line would be smart. Granted, Ben Powers is likely penciled in as the starter at right guard currently but Baltimore typically creates competition for major starting jobs like that in training camp. It might not be something the Ravens have to go out and get tonight in the second or third round but it’s a position they’ll want to add someone at in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Outside linebacker

Signing Matthew Judon to the franchise tag was the very least Baltimore could have done this offseason. Adding Calais Campbell was a nice boost but it really wasn’t an answer to the lack of functional depth at outside linebacker.

Tyus Bowser and Jaylon Ferguson showed improvement down the stretch last season, which is good to see but counting on either of them to step up in 2020 would be foolish considering the importance of the position. The Ravens were pretty awful at getting any pass rush one-on-one and had to scheme it through blitzes. Finding a potential replacement for Judon would be great but just finding another player that can compete for a starting job opposite him is needed here.

Wide receiver

This is the position fans are hoping every pick is. While more exciting than a defensive lineman, it isn’t an absolute necessity this early on. This is a really deep draft class at wide receiver and we’re already beyond the guys that can do everything well, so the Ravens are going to be looking at a niche role player anyway. Might as well wait until one falls into their laps rather than reach for one.

But Baltimore could go in two directions with who they pick. Marquise Brown already stretches the field but having another deep speed option would make defenses cry. Then again, having a sure-handed possession guy who can win contested balls is something the Ravens are currently missing and would make them far more balanced.

Offensive tackle

This is a position I haven’t really seen anyone talking about but they should be. Ronnie Stanley and Orlando Brown Jr. are both Pro Bowlers, so Baltimore is set at the top of their depth chart. But behind them is effectively no one. One injury and all of a sudden, the Ravens’ Super Bowl chances could implode.

The Ravens signed Andre Smith to a one-year extension but he washed out with the offensive line-needy Cincinnati Bengals last year. Finding some capable depth behind their two starters is a necessity considering how mobile quarterback Lamar Jackson is and Baltimore’s offensive scheme that sees them test the edge often.

Long-term needs

Those four positions are ones that Baltimore will still be eyeing up in this draft and are liable to grab if someone falls to them. While the Ravens have starters in place there right now, all four positions could become a dramatic need as early as next offseason. Finding prospects that might not be starter quality right now but would be with a year or two of development would pay off massively.

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How Patrick Queen impacts the Ravens’ depth chart

With the Baltimore Ravens taking LB Patrick Queen in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, how does that shake up the depth chart?

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Now that the Baltimore Ravens have taken Patrick Queen with the 28th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, our focus shifts to how that affects to the Ravens’ roster.

Baltimore’s depth chart at linebacker was incredibly shallow prior to the draft, even though the Ravens had just signed Jake Ryan last week and gave an extension to L.J. Fort last season. Queen should be considered an immediate starter for Baltimore, which is something they didn’t have prior to the 2020 NFL Draft. But Queen might not fit in the spot many expect him to.

The depth chart as it stands right now should look like this:

Position	1st	2nd	3rd
MLB	Chris Board	Jake Ryan	Otaro Alaka
WLB	Patrick Queen	L.J. Fort

Queen as a more rangy player actually fits in best at weak-side linebacker initially. That’s where the Ravens can maximize his playmaking ability and his speed in both coverage and as a potential blitzer, two things he showed at LSU.

One of the bigger knocks on Queen was his ability to play inside in run support. As an undersized linebacker, Queen can get caught up in the mess and struggles at times to recognize gap assignments, which makes him less effective as a traditional middle linebacker. While those are things he’ll certainly work on and he has the ability to improve dramatically at with more experience, Baltimore will get the most out of him by giving him room to run.

That makes middle linebacker a pretty hotly contested battle right now. Board, Ryan, and Alaka are all in the mix there as larger and more stout linebackers. Where Ryan comes with more starting experience, Board has more time in the playbook, which might make all the difference. Alaka still sits in third right now but could surprise people when the Ravens get back on the field for training camp.

Still, this is a group that could use more depth. The 2020 NFL Draft is far from over and there are some linebackers in the mid-to-late rounds that could come in an compete for a job as an early-down linebacker next to Queen. The second wave of free agency could even see an experienced option hit the market, which might be more up Baltimore’s alley given their lack of experience at the position.

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