The Ravens won’t reveal their first depth chart until a few days before their Aug. 8 preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars. That version is more of an estimation with a nod given to veterans and returning players.
At certain positions, such as left guard, it will likely be several weeks into training camp before the Ravens settle on a starter. The starting competition at weak-side linebacker between second-year pros Chris Board and Kenny Young could remain undecided even longer.
Advertisement
The Ravens will be on the field as a team for the first full-squad practice on Thursday. Team media rules generally prohibit reporting on who is working with the first team, second team and so on. Here’s our best estimate on how the team’s depth chart looks heading into training camp.
Offense
Quarterback: Lamar Jackson, Robert Griffin III, Trace McSorley (R)
Running back: Mark Ingram, Gus Edwards, Justice Hill (R), Kenneth Dixon, De’Lance Turner, Tyler Ervin
X receiver: Willie Snead IV, Miles Boykin (R), Seth Roberts, Jaleel Scott, Sean Modster (R), Jaylen Smith (R), Joe Horn Jr. (R)
Tight end: Mark Andrews, Hayden Hurst, Cole Herdman (R)
Left tackle: Ronnie Stanley, Greg Senat, Darrell Williams
Left guard: James Hurst, Alex Lewis, Jermaine Eluemunor, Patrick Vahe (R)
Center: Matt Skura, Bradley Bozeman
Right guard: Marshal Yanda, Ben Powers (R), R.J. Prince, Randin Crecelius, Patrick Mekari (R)
Right tackle: Orlando Brown Jr., Marcus Applefield (R)
Blocking tight end/fullback: Nick Boyle, Patrick Ricard, Charles Scarff (R), Christopher Ezeala
Z receiver: Chris Moore, Marquise Brown (R), Michael Floyd, Jordan Lasley, Quincy Adeboyejo, Antoine Wesley (R)
Defense
Rush linebacker: Matthew Judon, Tim Williams, Jaylon Ferguson (R), Aaron Adeoye (R), Markus Jones (R)
5-technique DE: Chris Wormley, Zach Sieler
Defensive tackle: Michael Pierce, Willie Henry, Gerald Willis (R)
Nose tackle: Brandon Williams, Daylon Mack(R), Patrick Ricard
Strong-side linebacker: Pernell McPhee, Tyus Bowser, Shane Ray, Matthew Thomas, Mike Onuoha (R)
Middle linebacker: Patrick Onwuasor, Otaro Alaka (R), Alvin Jones
Weak-side linebacker: Chris Board, Kenny Young, E.J. Ejiya (R), Silas Stewart (R)
Strong safety: Tony Jefferson, Chuck Clark, DeShon Elliott
Free safety: Earl Thomas, Bennett Jackson
Left cornerback: Jimmy Smith, Brandon Carr, Maurice Canady, Stanley Jean-Baptiste
Advertisement
Right cornerback: Marlon Humphrey, Anthony Averett, Iman Marshall (R), Terrell Bonds (R)
Nickel cornerback: Tavon Young, Anthony Levine Sr., Justin Bethel, Cyrus Jones
Special teams
Kicker: Justin Tucker, Kaare Vedvik
Punter: Sam Koch, Kaare Vedvik
Long snapper: Morgan Cox, Matthew Orzech (R)
Kick returner: Chris Moore, Tyler Ervin, Justice Hill (R)
Punt returner: Cyrus Jones, Tyler Ervin, Willie Snead IV, Tavon Young, Joe Horn Jr. (R)
(R) — Rookie
Notes and observations
• The Ravens used multi-tight end sets more than any team in the NFL last season, and that’s expected to continue under new offensive coordinator Greg Roman. Their offensive depth chart is presented as if they’re in 12 personnel, which means one running back, two wide receivers and two tight ends on the field. In two tight-end sets, the Ravens will pair either Andrews or Hurst with Boyle, who is considered one of the best blocking tight ends in the league. There could be times when all three are on the field.
• While Ingram is the undisputed starter and Edwards will likely be the next man up after his strong rookie season, it will be interesting to see whom the Ravens use as their third-down back. Ingram can block and he’s an underrated receiver so he’s the logical choice, but the Ravens will also need to find ways to get the explosive Hill on the field. For Hill to step into that third-down role, he’s going to have to prove that he can diagnose and pick up a blitz.
• Ricard, a natural defensive lineman, played 96 offensive snaps last year and 150 in 2017. He remains the team’s top option at fullback, yet he more than justifies his roster spot by also playing special teams and providing defensive line depth. If the Ravens decide not to use a fullback or believe one of their tight ends can handle the lead-blocking role, Ricard would go on the roster bubble.
Advertisement
• In three wide-receiver sets, Snead will likely move into the slot with a combination of Moore, Brown, Boykin and Roberts on the outside. Brown is currently on the non-football injury list as he recovers from Lisfranc foot surgery. It’s hard to pencil him in as a starter until he returns to practice and proves he’s healthy. The Ravens will want their first-round pick on the field. The wide receiver competition is difficult to project because nine of the team’s 13 receivers have never caught a pass in an NFL regular-season game and 11 of the 13 have never caught a pass for the Ravens. Roberts and Floyd are quality blocking receivers, and that could factor in the roster decisions with the Ravens employing a run-first attack.
• In their perfect world, the Ravens would use Hurst as their sixth offensive lineman, and he’d be the top backup at every position except center. That’s an important and difficult role, but Hurst has done it before and has the experience and professionalism to handle it. For that to work, the Ravens will have to feel they have a better starting option at left guard. It’s not clear that they do. Lewis has struggled to stay healthy, Eluemunor hasn’t distinguished himself in limited action and Powers is a rookie with a lot to learn.
• For parts of last season, the Ravens avoided having Brandon Williams and Pierce, their twin inside run stuffers, on the field at the same time. The Ravens are on their base defense very infrequently, often opting to get an extra defensive back or two on the field. It would help the team immensely if one of their interior defensive linemen, such as Henry or Wormley, emerge as more consistent pass-rushing threats.
• The only certainty at outside linebacker is that Judon will be one of the starters. Otherwise, ultra-aggressive defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale will mix and match in passing situations. The veteran McPhee will move inside on third downs like Za’Darius Smith did last year, and that allows Martindale to get either Tim Williams or Shane Ray on the field across from Judon. Bowser is a candidate to play on early downs because he holds his own in coverage.
• Onwuasor moves from the weak side to the middle, where he’ll be replacing C.J. Mosley. There will be a competition between Board and Kenny Young to decide the starter on the weak side. For much of the offseason, it was presumed Young, who flashed at times as a rookie, had the edge. However, Board took just about all of the first-team reps in the June minicamp. The Ravens are light on experience at inside linebacker. Onwuasor has 26 starts on his résumé, but he’s a converted safety who didn’t first play linebacker until he got to the NFL In 2016. The rest of the group are first or second-year players.
• Carr has started 176 consecutive games, and Martindale has made clear that he’s not going to be the guy to end that streak. The Ravens will likely continue to have Humphrey, Smith and Carr rotating series on the outside. Tavon Young is their top slot corner, but Martindale knows that good things happen for the Ravens defense when Levine is also out there.
• It will be interesting to see how/if the Ravens use Elliott, the second-year player who missed his entire rookie season with a broken forearm. Elliott is a physical hitter who showed nice range and ball skills during the early offensive practices. He’ll play special teams, but if he has a good summer, Martindale will have to find spots to use him.
Advertisement
• Training camp/preseason will be one extensive audition for the return men. Cyrus Jones and Moore, who handled punt and kick return duties last year, are both back. However, Jones is hardly a lock to make the roster. Moore figures to have a bigger role on offense, and Harbaugh might not want to put him at increased injury risk by having him return kicks. The Ravens had a ton of guys getting return reps in the offseason practices. Ervin is the most experienced option, but is he a reliable enough returner to have him taking up a roster spot when he likely won’t factor on offense?
(Photo of Marlon Humphrey: Mitch Stringer / USA Today)
