Breaking down 2024 Ravens’ initial 53-man roster
Luke Jones, Baltimore Positive
WIDE RECEIVERS (6) — Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor, Tylan Wallace, Devontez Walker, Deonte Harty
Skinny: The rookie Walker didn’t look like someone ready to contribute and Harty didn’t exactly stand out as a return specialist in the preseason, so their roles will be worth monitoring early on.
OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (10) — Ronnie Stanley, Andrew Vorhees, Tyler Linderbaum, Daniel Faalele, Roger Rosengarten, Patrick Mekari, Josh Jones, Ben Cleveland, Nick Samac, Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu
Skinny: Whether talking about the starting five or reliable backups, this group still has plenty of questions and concerns, so you’d expect DeCosta and the personnel department to explore outside options to try to improve the depth at the very least.
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS (5) — Odafe Oweh, Kyle Van Noy, David Ojabo, Tavius Robinson, Adisa Isaac
Skinny: New defensive coordinator Zach Orr is really counting on Ojabo and Robinson — Isaac is currently dealing with a hamstring injury — to provide impact depth behind Oweh and Van Noy, so the edge rush remains a fair question entering the regular season.
SAFETIES (6) — Kyle Hamilton, Marcus Williams, Eddie Jackson, Ar’Darius Washington, Beau Brade, Sanoussi Kane
Skinny: Jackson should be a steady replacement for Geno Stone in three-safety packages while Brade and Kane are likely to see extensive time on special teams as rookies.
NFL roster cut tracker 2024: Live updates for all 32 teams
Jamison Hensley, ESPN
Biggest move: The Ravens kept three running backs, but they may have to make a decision at the No. 3 spot behind Derrick Henry and Justice Hill. Rookie fifth-round pick Rasheen Ali is questionable for the season opener because he’s in the concussion protocol. There is hope that Keaton Mitchell, who is on the Physically Unable to Perform list after suffering a season-ending knee injury last year, could return sometime in November. All of this could lead Baltimore to adding a running back who was cut from another team. — Jamison Hensley
Waived/released: P Jack Browning, OT Corey Bullock, RB Chris Collier, CB Bump Cooper Jr., WR Malik Cunningham, OL Darrian Dalcourt, OLB Joe Evans, WR Russell Gage, CB Ka’dar Hollman, TE Qadir Ismail, QB Emory Jones, RB John Kelly Jr., QB Devin Leary, WR Keith Kirkwood, OL Tashawn Manning, WR Anthony Miller, OT Julian Pearl, DE C.J. Ravenell, ILB Yvandy Rigby, TE Mike Rigerman, ILB Josh Ross, WR Sean Ryan, NT Deadrin Senat, TE Riley Sharp, OT Darrell Simpson, DT Josh Tupou, WR Dayton Wade, DT Tramel Walthour, CB Damarion Williams, DB Daryl Worley
Nate Wiggins Will Be ‘Counted on Heavily’ As a Rookie
Ryan Mink, BaltimoreRavens.com
One top of his standout preseason performances, Head Coach John Harbaugh said Wiggins had a “heck of a camp.”
“He’s definitely everything we thought he was,” Harbaugh said. “Not that he can get better, because he can, and I’m sure he will, because he works at it. He’s going to be counted on heavily this year for us.”
The Ravens have a star-studded secondary and are led by Marlon Humphrey and Brandon Stephens at cornerback. But with Wiggins playing so well this summer, it confirmed that Baltimore will find ways to get their talented rookie on the field early and often.
That’s not always a given. Humphrey, who was a first-round pick in 2017 and was selected 14 picks ahead of Wiggins, didn’t become a starter as a rookie until Week 13. He played an average of 40% of the defensive snaps before then, boosted heavily by one game in which he stepped in for nearly every snap due to injury.
Humphrey said during training camp that there have been discussions about using himself or Stephens more inside at nickel, which would free up room for Wiggins to be on the outside.
Wiggins could get a good test in Week 1 if he were to line up opposite Chiefs rookie wide receiver Xavier Worthy. That would be speed vs. speed between two players picked just two spots apart. Worthy ran the 40-yard dash in a record 4.21 seconds while Wiggins blazed it in 4.28 seconds.
Grading all 32 first-round picks after Week 3 of the 2024 NFL preseason
Dalton Wasserman, PFF
PICK NO. 30: BALTIMORE RAVENS: CB NATE WIGGINS
Overall Rookie Grade: 90.6 (Rank: 1/67)
Principal Opponent: Grant DuBose
Preseason Week 3 Snaps: 30
Preseason Week 3 Grade: 81.4
Wiggins returned after a week away to have another fine performance in coverage this week against Green Bay. He was targeted twice and didn’t allow either to be caught, as he was in very tight coverage on both occasions. Wiggins finished the preseason with an elite 91.1 PFF coverage grade. His plus speed and length give him a chance to win a lot of matchups. He should get early playing time in Baltimore.
2024 NFL Survivor Squad: Building a 32-man juggernaut with one pick from every single team
Jared Dubin, CBS Sports
Quarterback: Lamar Jackson (Ravens)
Yes, we’re going with the reigning MVP under center. Playing under a different offensive coordinator (Todd Monken) for the first time, Jackson last season hit career highs in both completion rate and yards per attempt. His interception rate hit a career low of 1.5%. He topped 750 rushing yards for the seventh consecutive season, and led the NFL in yards per rush for the third time. He is as dynamic a playmaker as there is in the NFL outside of Mahomes, and his versatility brings an extra elite dimension to our offense.