Week 2 of OTA

[tsylvester]

Stock up
Andrew Vorhees, OL: The Ravens haven’t declared Vorhees the starting left guard, but he’ll enter training camp in the driver’s seat. It certainly helps that his primary competition for the job appears to be Ben Cleveland, who might not even be available in early September because he’s being reviewed for potential league discipline following his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence. The coaching staff has never embraced the idea of Cleveland being a weekly starter anyway.

Meanwhile, Vorhees has gotten bigger and stronger since he lost the starting left guard position early last year following a Week 2 ankle injury. He looks poised to re-earn that job.

Devontez Walker, WR: If there were a most improved award given to a returning player at the end of the offseason program, Walker would have won it in a landslide. As a fourth-round rookie last season, Walker was barely noticeable through the offseason workouts and training camp. This season, he made a play or two in nearly every practice, showcasing his size and speed.

With a year under his belt, he’s playing faster and exhibiting more confidence and polish.

“He’s got a chance to be really good,” coach John Harbaugh said.

Keaton Mitchell, RB: There was a play during one of the OTAs where Mitchell caught a screen pass, sidestepped a defender and burst upfield, showing the speed and explosiveness he possessed in his rookie season before a significant knee injury altered the trajectory of his young career. Mitchell acknowledged earlier this month that he was still navigating physical and mental hurdles upon his return last November.

He’s looked both quicker and more assertive in recent weeks, and that’s a great development for the Ravens, who’ll need to get him some touches on offense and as a kick returner. He’s far too explosive not to get utilized.

 

Malaki Starks, S: Each phase of the offseason brought a new story about Starks’ intangibles. The one about Starks organizing walk-throughs for the rookies at the team hotel is hard to top.

From his communication skills to his leadership to his playmaking ability on the field, the first-round pick has been as advertised. He’s probably been better than advertised. Starks has the look of a player who will be a core piece on Baltimore’s defense for a long time.

Mark Andrews, TE: When he caught a pass from Lamar Jackson and rumbled downfield on the first day of the mandatory minicamp, Andrews got loud applause from fans on the sideline. That’s a much different reaction than he’s gotten for much of the offseason from other Ravens fans, who still haven’t gotten over Andrews’ fumble and dropped two-point conversion in the playoff loss in Buffalo.

What’s done is done. All Andrews can do — and all he has done — is get back to work. He hasn’t sulked about all of the speculation that he could be traded or released. He hasn’t complained publicly that he seems primed to play out the final year on a contract that he’s outperformed. Andrews has remained focused on getting ready for the season. He didn’t miss a rep at OTAs, and he treated each practice like the Ravens had an important game to play later in the week. He looked quick and healthy.

Reuben Lowery, DB: The Ravens have 20 undrafted rookie free agents, and it’s going to be extremely difficult for any of them to crack the regular-season roster for Week 1 (more on that later). However, the one that probably opened the most eyes over the past couple of weeks was Lowery, who played in college at Tennessee-Chattanooga.

Lowery had a few interceptions and was regularly around the ball. During one practice, Harbaugh called Lowery over for a chat. It’s going to be hard for Lowery to win a job in Baltimore’s crowded secondary, but it’s a good thing that he already has the attention of the head coach.

Sanoussi Kane, S: Washington’s injury creates a need for a No. 3 safety, and Kane has established himself as the front-runner for that role. One of the team’s busiest special-teams players last season as a rookie, Kane has looked leaner and more explosive this offseason. He also got his hands on quite a few footballs during the offseason practices. He was going to have a special-teams role regardless, but he’s playing like a guy who is intent on earning defensive snaps as well.

The Ravens could still sign a veteran safety in the coming weeks, but with his play, Kane provided an argument that Baltimore should stand pat and let a drafted young player get the first crack at the No. 3 safety role.

Tavius Robinson, OLB: The Ravens have some decisions to make at outside linebacker after using a second-round pick on Mike Green. However, one thing is clear: Robinson will remain a major part of the team’s outside linebacker rotation.

Harbaugh and pass rush coach Chuck Smith raved last week about Robinson, the 2023 fourth-round pick who had 3 1/2 sacks and 12 quarterback hits last season. They consider him one of the team’s unsung heroes. Robinson’s ability to set the edge and also bump inside will ensure that he has a significant role in 2025.

Stock down
Back-end wide receivers: This is not because of anything they did or didn’t do. It’s more the reality that there may not be a receiver spot to win when training camp begins. Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and DeAndre Hopkins are entrenched as the team’s top three. Veteran receiver Tylan Wallace is viewed as a virtual lock due to his contributions as a pass catcher, perimeter blocker and core special-teams player.

It seems highly unlikely that the Ravens would give up on Walker this early, particularly with how good he’s looked over the past month. If the Ravens take a sixth wide receiver, it would presumably be as a punt returner, and that’s how rookie sixth-round pick LaJohntay Wester could win a job. It will be an uphill battle for Anthony Miller, Keith Kirkwood, Dayton Wade and Malik Cunningham.

Chidobe Awuzie, CB: Assuming the recently signed Jaire Alexander stays healthy, he’s going to play, and it doesn’t seem likely that either Marlon Humphrey or Nate Wiggins are coming off the field. Alexander’s arrival has the potential to impact Awuzie’s snaps more than anyone, as Awuzie had been the likely No. 3 corner.

This may push Awuzie more into a hybrid role, and he starts getting some looks at safety. Awuzie missed a few practices this offseason, first due to illness and then an ankle injury, but he was in good form by the end of the mandatory minicamp. However, his role seems less certain than it did before the addition of Alexander.

Cooper Rush, QB: Rush is learning a new offense and working with coaches, wide receivers and tight ends that he has never worked with before. He was also thrust into a starter’s role with Jackson missing all but one of the team’s nine OTAs. All those front-line reps are expected to shorten his learning curve.

Rush had some rough outings during the various offseason practices and put the ball in harm’s way too often. The former Dallas Cowboy will be the No. 2 quarterback with 2024 sixth-round pick Devin Leary competing for a spot on the practice squad. The Ravens will want Rush to clean up the mistakes and play more consistently in the future.

Emery Jones Jr., OT: When the Ravens used a third-round pick on Jones in April, it didn’t seem out of the question that he could compete for one of the starting guard jobs. However, that ship has probably sailed. Not only do the Ravens seem committed to starting Jones out at tackle, but he’s missed so many reps while rehabbing from shoulder surgery.

Harbaugh said last week that the expectation is that Jones returns to action “at some point” during training camp. It’s too early to say Jones is heading toward a redshirt season, but it’s hard to imagine he’ll be a factor early in the season if he’s not able to make his practice debut until midway through training camp or later.

Tyler Loop, K: Ravens senior special teams coach and kicking guru Randy Brown has made some changes with Loop, which was the plan from the beginning. The goal is for Loop to be at his best come September, not in June. However, that doesn’t mean it’s not alarming when the rookie sixth-round pick misses multiple kicks in practices. There was already going to be a ton of pressure on Loop in his kicking competition with the undrafted John Hoyland.

Replacing Justin Tucker, arguably the best kicker in NFL history, is a big-time challenge. Doing it for a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations and no room for a weak link makes it more significant. Loop’s issues during OTAs and minicamp with reporters and owner Steve Bisciotti looking on only put him under the microscope more. He’ll probably be the most scrutinized Raven this summer.

Undrafted free-agent class: The Ravens have had a rookie undrafted free agent on the Week 1 roster in 20 of the past 21 years. It would be foolish to dismiss the possibility that it will happen again. Team officials take great pride in assembling a talented college free-agent class, but will there even be an open spot for one to stick?

The late additions of Alexander and nose tackle John Jenkins underscore just how few roster spots are unaccounted for heading into training camp. The best shot probably belongs to Hoyland, who is locked in a legitimate kicking competition with Loop.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6443690/2025/06/24/ravens-stock-report-minicamp-organized-team-activities/

 

[tsylvester]

Say what they want about Rush, but he is by far the best backup qb this team has had behind Lamar. The other ones either always through it to the other team or couldn't throw the ball further than 10 yards.

This is training camp, where qbs are expected to not just learn the offense, but take chances testing the defense. Rush will be fine after real practices start. He is a smart kid with a lot of upside 

[papasmurfbell]

I am expecting pretty big things from walker.
i did hear if jones isn’t healthy for camp we should just ir him.  Makes sense to me.

[oldno82]

Yep, lots of good reports. Walker is probably ready but may not get much opportunity to play, though wide receivers are a bit like cornerbacks, you can never have enough of them because of injuries.

I'm torn on the TE front. I think Andrews has a few good years to go yet but Likely is ready. Maybe we can keep both???

[tsylvester]

Tez has the perfect coach in Hopkins, same body style, skill set. 

[papasmurfbell]

46 minutes ago, oldno82 said:

Yep, lots of good reports. Walker is probably ready but may not get much opportunity to play, though wide receivers are a bit like cornerbacks, you can never have enough of them because of injuries.

I'm torn on the TE front. I think Andrews has a few good years to go yet but Likely is ready. Maybe we can keep both???

No.  One stays and one leaves.  I ink the young guy now before he gets to market.

[tsylvester]

Unless Likely prices himself out, no way he leaves. But this is likely the last year for Andrews as a Raven

[papasmurfbell]

If you ink him now you might save 10%.