Ravens' Top 5 Training Camp Position Battles

This spot is an open competition for the third year in a row and for the second year straight, 2023 seventh-rounder Andrew Vorhees is the favorite. Although he is technically the incumbent, having won last year's battle and opened the 2024 regular season as the starter, the third-year pro will have to earn the top spot on the depth chart all over again. His top competition this time around will be fifth-year veteran Ben Cleveland, who is a mountain of a man that was brought back on a one-year deal and is a former third-round pick who has looked good when he has played.

A darkhorse who could emerge down the road is rookie third-rounder Emery Jones Jr., who had to observe OTAs and both minicamps from the sideline while recovering from a shoulder injury. The career college tackle is someone the Ravens envision being a potential swing tackle option as well as a candidate to move inside to guard. Once healthy and cleared to practice, now that the pads will be coming on, Jones Jr. could have a chance to challenge both Vorhees and Cleveland.

No. 3 Safety

With 2024 breakout Ar'Darius Washington projected to be out of commission until November at the earliest after suffering a torn Achilles tendon, the Ravens have a key role in their secondary up for grabs for the time being. The team hasn't ruled out the possibility of bringing in a veteran to the competition, but recent history suggests that they are better off giving their young homegrown players a shot first. Last year, they signed former Pro Bowler Eddie Jackson around this time, only to release him during the season and have Washington emerge as both a stabilizing force and playmaker down the stretch once inserted into the starting lineup.

The Ravens' top internal candidates to fill Washington's pivotal void that will give their coverage unit even greater schematic flexibility are second-year pros Sanoussi Kane and Beau Brade, as well as fourth-year pro Jalyn Armour-Davis, who was exclusively playing corner before this offseason. All three players made plays and garnered praise during OTAs and minicamp and will have ample opportunities to seize a larger role on defense. This competition is another that could go down to the wire unless one player begins to separate from the pack with their consistency and playmaking ability. Even then, the Ravens still might not outright reveal the victor for the sake of maintaining a competitive advantage heading into the season opener, since all three players are likely to make the roster as long as they stay healthy.

Inside Linebacker

As is the case with the left guard spot, the leader in the clubhouse to win the starting job next to three-time First Team All Pro selection Roquan Smith is another third-year pro who is technically the incumbent that opened last season as the starter but didn't hold onto his job. Unlike Vorhees, who lost his starting spot due to injury, 2023 third-rounder Trenton Simpson was benched after the Ravens' Week 14 bye and replaced in the lineup by a two-man rotation of veterans Malik Harrison and Chris Board, who both signed elsewhere in free agency.

In the offseason, the only moves the Ravens made at the position were signing special-teams ace Jake Hummel from the Los Angeles Rams, selecting Teddye Buchanan in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft and signing All-American Jay Higgins as an undrafted rookie. Of that trio, Buchanan is the early favorite to push Simpson for the starting Weakside/WILL linebacker spot outright or as part of a rotation, but Higgins could emerge as a potential sleeper if he outshines or plays comparably to one or both in the preseason.

Skill Position Depth

Championship teams are often led by their stars but are carried, buoyed and sometimes even propelled by the depth at premium and non-premium positions alike. The Ravens have a solidified pecking order at the top three spots for every skill position on the roster except for safety, so the roles to serve as primary backups who could be thrust into being a full-time starter or at least contribute more on a situational basis are up for grabs.

On offense, second-year pro Devontez Walker and fifth-year pro Tylan Wallace will be competing for the No. 4 spot behind the dynamic trio of Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and DeAndre Hopkins. A second-year player who is not only competing for a role but a roster spot altogether is running back Rasheen Ali. He will need to shine bright on both offense and special teams, in particular, to convince the Ravens to carry four running backs with Derrick Henry, Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell being locks to make the roster.

Defensively, the top depth position battles to monitor are at cornerback and outside linebacker. With Pro Bowl veterans Marlon Humphrey and Jaire Alexander and second-year rising star Nate Wiggins set to be the top three corners, the battle for the fourth and fifth spot as the primary backup will be between veteran Chidobe Awuzie, second-year pro T.J. Tampa and Armour-Davis. Out on the edge, fourth-year pro David Ojabo is fighting for a roster spot in addition to competing with second-year pro Adisa Issac and second-round rookie Mike Green for a rotational role on defense behind Kyle Van Noy, Odafe Oweh and Tavius Robinson.