ExtremeRavens Posted August 25 Posted August 25 Jay Higgins IV regrets making so many friends. Standing inside the visiting locker room at Northwest Stadium on Saturday, the undrafted rookie linebacker rested his hands on his hips and smiled. Baltimore’s preseason finale win over the Commanders was his last opportunity to prove himself worthy of making the Ravens’ initial 53-man roster. What happens between now and Tuesday’s 4 p.m. deadline is out of his hands. “I mean, we probably did it wrong. We got here and we got super close, which is probably what you shouldn’t do,” Higgins joked, “when you’re looking at the numbers of trying to make a 53-man roster.” Higgins’ name keeps bubbling up for two reasons: He has been one of the Ravens’ most dynamic preseason performers, and he fits in what has become commonplace in Baltimore, which is rostering a UDFA heading into Week 1. The Ravens have done so in 20 of the past 21 seasons. In three games this month, the Iowa product has a sack, a forced fumble and an interception. His success prompted defensive coordinator Zach Orr to declare Higgins “should have been drafted” based on his athletic ability and IQ for the game. “There’s no reason why he shouldn’t play a long time in this league,” Orr said. Mulling over the numbers, it’s likely Higgins gets iced out of the initial 53 and winds up on the practice squad if another team doesn’t see what Orr sees first. Baltimore is projected to take only four linebackers. That being Roquan Smith, Trenton Simpson, rookie Teddye Buchanan and special teams ace Jake Hummel. Higgins squeezing his way in would require the Ravens to go thinner on pass rushers, meaning releasing David Ojabo, or holding 10 defensive backs rather than 11. Both Higgins and fellow UDFA linebacker Chandler Martin fit the mold of the player Baltimore capitalizes on. Roster calculus makes it tough to see either squeezing in this week. “One thing I learned throughout this whole process is, anything can happen,” Higgins said. “I trust the leadership here. I feel like I did my best. I showed my strengths out there. I was me out there, and that’s all I can ask for.” The same can be said for a pair of mighty undersized defensive backs, Reuben Lowery and Keyon Martin. Lowery was one of the first UDFAs to flash in training camp, translating that success into the preseason, leaping for an end zone interception in Dallas. The Tennessee-Chattanooga product managed seven tackles and a pass deflection, too. Based on the preseason depth chart and a review of the past month, it appears Lowery wiggled his way inside the bubble as the fourth safety, leapfrogging Beau Brade to join Kyle Hamilton, Malaki Starks and Sanoussi Kane. Ravens cornerback Keyon Martin celebrates after intercepting a pass and running it back for a touchdown in a preseason win over the Commanders. Martin has made a strong case that he deserves to make the 53-man roster. (Nick Wass/AP) On Saturday, coach John Harbaugh had this to say about Lowery’s chances of making the roster: “I think you’re probably going to put more guys in that category that you’re talking about than can make the team, though. I think he’s definitely in that category, and that’ll be one of those decisions that we’ll have to make. He did it again today and played really well.” On the surplus of bubble guys with the talent to fill only a few roster spots category that Harbaugh referred to, Lowery is surely among the most probable. Martin, a cornerback, could be the other. Teammates were giddy for the rookie after Saturday’s win. As reporters swarmed to hear about his pick-six, nearby teammates flashed pictures of Martin cheesing under the spotlight, celebrating what has been an impressive month. He had a tackle for loss and a sack for a safety on consecutive plays the week before. “He keeps making big plays, and that’s something that is accounted for, for sure,” Harbaugh said. “I think he played sound as well; he did things the right way. He’s played just like that the whole camp.” Martin’s path onto the initial roster means the Ravens take seven cornerbacks, which means they’ll take 11 total defensive backs. That wouldn’t be surprising considering that positional group has already endured a pair of season-ending injuries to Bilhal Kone and Robert Longerbeam, while Jaire Alexander and Chidobe Awuzie have been absent from practice recently for respective injuries. That all plays to Martin’s favor. “Wherever the ball falls, that’s where it’s going to fall,” Martin said. “I just focus on me. I know if I do what I have to do, then things are going to play out in my favor. If I make the 53, I make the 53. It’s not something that’s on my mind these last couple of days.” Baltimore has such a rich history of hitting on UDFAs. The near-perfect two-decade streak will likely continue through Tuesday’s deadline. For some, making all those friends won’t go to waste. Have a news tip? Contact Sam Cohn at scohn@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/samdcohn. View the full article Quote
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