Ranking the Thinnest Position Groups on Baltimore Ravens Roster

The Ravens have had the same trouble spots, and potential warts, on their roster since a host of young talent departed the offense in free agency.

They haven’t spent money on their offensive line the way winning teams do – they are second in the NFL in projected spending but just 17th in spending on the OL – and they are trying to plug holes on that side of the ball, by and large, with rookies, and they are dealing with some serious potential age/injury risks across key position groups on that side of the ball.

There are definite reasons for concern here, especially if 30-year-old offensive coordinator Declan Doyle has a steeper learning curve than people might want to admit. If these rookies are more developmental than plug-and-play, then this defense is going to need to be air-tight from the get up.

Only one position group on offense merited any consideration on the list of deepest positions – quarterback, because of the singular genius that is Lamar Jackson – and really I don’t think another position group on this side of the ball would crack the top five.

These are the positions that are the greatest concern as the Ravens head into the season, finalize their initial 53-man roster, and look to improve their personnel through the course of the season.

1. Kicker

No matter who they sign and what they do here, it’s problematic. We are late in the game and the Ravens are scrambling.

There is no lack of hubris and stubbornness in this front office – one meaningful playoff run with a GM who has been here forever, but okay – and not giving second-year kicker Tyler Loop real competition to pus him all offseason was super silly. We aren’t second-guessing it – we begged for it was back in the early spring.

Whether they have him compete with a free agent or scoop up someone who is cut this weekend to replace him, this is a massively important position, especially with a rookie play caller on offense. The margins are so slim, and Eric DeCosta is dealing with a self-inflicted personnel crisis now.

2. Tight End

I just don’t buy this group right now. Mark Andrews is clearly on the decline, there is not a metric trending in the right direction and his age is a concern. I’d have let him walk or traded him before 2025 for a ham sandwich (and they tried!); they opted to pay him $13M a year instead.

The tight ends they drafted have serious issues at the line of scrimmage and will have to springled in judiciously. They have a really good blocking tight end. Okay. Not signing Darren Waller might be a mistake. They are gambling on day three kids holding this down as rookies. Odd.

3. Wide Receiver

Zay Flowers has been a little beat up lately. Not only is Rashod Bateman still here, he is facing three counts of family violence charges from the spring. Maybe Devontez Walker has a breakthrough. Maybe Ja’Kobi Lane is the real deal from day one.

But far too many receivers have struggled here over the years, their evaluations of them tend to kind of stink, and I expect this team to be leaning heavily into 11 personnel early this season. And as I size up the roster they have an in-form Flowers as a proven playmaker in the pass catching department and then a ton of questions. Lane kind of has to be a playmaker right away, or this could start getting tight pretty quickly.

I’m glad they didn’t add another 35-year old receiver at the end of his career, but we did make the case early in the offseason to trade for Kayshon Butte from New England, and that’s another move they might regret not making.

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