5 Ravens Training Camp Battles to Watch (and Who is Most Likely to Be Cut)

Unlike years past, there aren't many starting jobs up for grabs or shrouded in uncertainty for the Baltimore Ravens heading into training camp as they build toward the start of the 2026 season.

However, that doesn't mean there won't be fierce battles for some critical and essential depth spots on both sides of the ball, as all primary backups are one injury away from being thrust into the starting lineup. They could get called upon at any time to assume a larger role if the player ahead of them begins to struggle or has to miss time for any reason.

With that in mind, here's a look at five positional battles to follow closely at Ravens’ training camp in the following weeks:

Interior defensive line

All signs are pointing to good news on the horizon for the status of two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike, who underwent surgery to address the neck injury that prematurely ended his 2025 season and was rumored to threaten his career at one point. This means that there will be one less spot on the depth chart come final cutdown time if he doesn't begin training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform list and remain there through the start of the regular season.

This offseason, the Ravens reunited with six-time Pro Bowl defensive end Calais Campbell, and during last season, they signed nose tackles Travis Jones and John Jenkins. With those four as locks to be on the team, there are likely only two spots, at most, left up for grabs in the middle of the defensive trenches. The four players who will be competing for those spots include veteran Broderick Washington, fourth-year pro C.J. Okoye, second-year pro Aeneas Peebles and rookie Rayshaun Benny.

Many pundits had Washington pegged as a salary cap casualty heading into the offseason and were surprised he remained on the team after the new league year began. The Ravens can save just over $4 million if they move on from him, making him the most obvious cut candidate unless he absolutely balls out during training camp.

Peebles and Benny were late-round picks in each of the last two years, who have preexisting connections to the coaching staff and still have multiple cost-controlled seasons left given that they're on rookie deals. They'd have to be abysmal during training camp and preseason not to get the edge over Washington and Okoye, who is still a developmental project.

Wide receiver

The Ravens are set at the top of the depth chart with two-time Pro Bowler Zay Flowers and sixth-year veteran Rashod Bateman, who is poised to rebound from a down 2025 season. However, since they are expected to deploy more 11 personnel under new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, which makes the No. 3 receiver spot on the depth chart is a more prominent role than it ever has before since Lamar Jackson's first year as a full-time starter.

Since the team bucked the sometimes fruitful trend of adding or re-signing a well-seasoned wideout to provide veteran leadership and proven pedigree to the position group this offseason, they're clearly betting on the cream of their recently drafted crop to rise to the top in this battle, for now. The top three candidates vying for that role include third-year pro Devontez Walker and mid-round rookies Ja'Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt.

There's a strong chance that more than one of them carves out a role for themselves in the offense, but the spot for the first man up when the Ravens trot out three-receiver sets, and Flowers moves inside to the slot, will be an exciting one to keep tabs on during training camp and the preseason. With second-year pro LaJohntay Wester slated to be the top punt returner again, there likely won't be any room for another receiver like Dayton Wade or anyone else to make the roster, barring injury.

Inside linebacker

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Teddye Buchanan runs through a drill during an OTA practice at Under Armour Performance Center. — Jun 11, 2025; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens linebacker Teddye Buchanan (40) runs during an NFL OTA at Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The weakside/WILL role next to four-time Pro Bowler Roquan Smith in base defense is the only starting job that is still to be determined for this team on either side of the ball heading into training camp. Even though the Ravens are expected to deploy personnel packages that more heavily utilize defensive backs and rely less on two off-ball linebackers, there will still be times when they need another one on the field or to fill in Smith at MIKE if he misses any time.

This competition is really a two-horse race between fourth-year pro Trenton Simpson, heading into a contract year, and second-year pro Teddye Buchanan, who started () games as a rookie before suffering a season-ending torn ACL in December. While Buchanan was on the mend, Simpson took advantage of the extra first-team reps during the offseason program, but now that both are slated to be ready for the start of camp, the battle will really begin.

As far as depth behind the top three, second-year pro Jay Higgins, who made the team as an undrafted free agent out of Iowa last season, probably has the edge for the fourth and likely final spot heading into camp. However, he'll still need to do his best to fend off this crop of undrafted rookies, which includes Reid Williford of UNC Charlotte and Dominic DeLuca of Penn State, both of whom were special teams aces for their respective colleges.

Offensive line depth

Jun 10, 2025; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Corey Bullock (67) looks on during an NFL OTA at Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Prior to the signing of 10th-year veteran Ethan Pocic earlier this week, the top position battle to watch for was between the host of mostly unheralded and inexperienced starting candidates that they had for most of the offseason and went into the summer break with. While the Ravens will still likely give the likes of Danny Pinter and Jovaughn Gwyn a fair chance to prove otherwise, the most likely outcome is that they go with the player who is three starts short of 100 in his nearly-decade-long career over the two who have a combined 10, all of which belong to Pinter.

With the starting lineup essentially set, the remaining battles will be for the depth spots after second-year pro Emery Jones and fourth-year pro Andrew Vorhees, both of whom are locks to make the roster. The Ravens just spent a third-round pick on Jones last year, and Vorhees has started 20 games of the past two seasons, including all 17 last year.

Pinter will likely be a lock as well, even if he loses the competition to replace three-time Pro Bowler Tyler Linderbaum, because he not only has previous experience serving as a quality backup, but he also possesses positional flexibility to play guard as well. That leaves the likes of third-year pro Corey Bullock and seventh-round rookie Evan Beerntsen to contend for one of the last interior depth spots.

The battle for backup/developmental left tackle spot should also be a fun one to watch between second-year pro Carson Vinson and undrafted rookie Diego Pounds. Both possess prototypical size and length but the early edge is likely in Vinson's favor since he served as Ronnie Stanley's primary backup for most of the second half of the season and was the first man up running with the starters in the offseason when the two-time Pro Bowler missed some time.

Cornerback depth

Jul 24, 2025; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens cornerback T.J. Tampa Jr. (27) runs drills during training camp at the Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Ravens returned just about this entire position group from last year, and even though their top three are all set, that doesn't mean that there won't be important battles taking place to serve as their primary backups. In Baltimore, corner is the spot where there is almost always a player or two who has to miss time over the course of the season for a short or extended stretch.

This means that any of the top depth pieces the Ravens carry into the regular season could see the field for meaningful snaps. Third-year pro T.J. Tampa is a lock to make the team and could even challenge or at least rotate with 10th-year veteran Chidobe Awuzie for the No. 3 spot that plays on the perimeter when fourth-time Pro Bowler Marlon Humphrey plays in the slot.

Other intriguing boundary corner candidates include second-year pros Marquise Robinson, Bilhal Kone and Robert Longerbeam, all of whom have flashed at different points. Longerbeam could also be competing with fifth-round rookie Chandler Rivers and second-year pro Keyon Martin for the top backup nickel role behind Humphrey.

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