From one-on-one battles to 11-on-11 drills, Ravens reporters have had their notebooks out this training camp, jotting down observations on another team with Super Bowl aspirations.
Unlike the Ravens teams at recent camps, where multiple roster spots and starting jobs were up for grabs, the 2025 squad seems almost completely set.
The Ravens’ two biggest offseason battles, at left guard and kicker, are nearly wrapped up. Coach John Harbaugh said Saturday that guard Andrew Vorhees is in the lead and that “something would have to change” for challenger Ben Cleveland to supplant him. Rookie kicker Tyler Loop, meanwhile, has impressed in camp, and now has no competition after the Ravens waived promising undrafted rookie John Hoyland. Elsewhere on the depth chart, players are battling for backup spots, special teams roles and practice squad contracts.
Eleven practices into camp, the Ravens have competed only against themselves. They will host a joint practice Tuesday with the Indianapolis Colts in Owings Mills before facing them in their preseason opener Thursday at M&T Bank Stadium.
Ahead of the start of preseason play, The Banner polled 21 media members who have been at the majority of the Ravens’ practices to find out who’s impressed — and who hasn’t.
Stock up
| Player | Votes |
| WR Devontez Walker | 7 |
| K Tyler Loop | 3 |
| RB Keaton Mitchell | 3 |
| CB Nate Wiggins | 2 |
| WR Keith Kirkwood | 2 |
| ILB Teddye Buchanan | 2 |
| DL Broderick Washington | 1 |
| CB Chidobe Awuzie | 1 |
Last year, media members were asked to identify the Ravens player whose stock had risen the most after about a month of camp. Two eventual contributors rose to the top of the pile: defensive back Ar’Darius Washington and tight end Isaiah Likely.
This year, Walker is the early favorite. After contributing primarily on special teams as a rookie, and getting a few opportunities on offense near the end of last season, Walker has taken a step forward as a receiver this offseason. He’s beaten cornerbacks using his speed and athleticism and is responsible for a number of this camp’s passing game highlights. Last year, he topped the stock-down votes. Now, he leads in stock-up votes.
Loop’s stock, meanwhile, automatically went up after the Ravens waived the rookie’s only competition, Hoyland, on Saturday. The Ravens could still bring in a veteran kicker, but Loop impressed at Sunday’s practice at M&T Bank Stadium, going 12-for-12 and making a 60-yard field goal.
The Ravens have been high on Mitchell since they brought him in as an undrafted free agent in 2023. No one knew how he would come back from the torn ACL he suffered in December of his rookie season. This camp, Mitchell has proven he’s ready to hit the ground running.
Stock down
| Player | Votes |
| OLB Adisa Isaac | 6 |
| G Ben Cleveland | 4 |
| S Beau Brade | 1 |
| WR Malik Cunningham | 1 |
| WR DeAndre Hopkins | 1 |
| CB Robert Longerbeam | 1 |
| OLB David Ojabo | 1 |
| ILB Trenton Simpson | 1 |
| CB T.J. Tampa | 1 |
| LG Andrew Vorhees | 1 |
| WR Dayton Wade | 1 |
| WR Tylan Wallace | 1 |
| WR LaJohntay Wester | 1 |
As a rookie last year, Isaac dealt with a hamstring injury through much of the offseason and even into the regular season. It stunted the third-round pick’s development, so he took the offseason to focus on his health. The Ravens have acknowledged that Isaac is essentially still a rookie, and his roster spot is likely secure. But Isaac has had a very quiet camp, and the competition at outside linebacker has only gotten fiercer since the team drafted Mike Green in the second round.
Cleveland, meanwhile, lost the left guard battle last summer to Vorhees. Vorhees then lost the job to versatile lineman Patrick Mekari after an early-season injury. With Mekari leaving in free agency, the job was again there for the taking. Vorhees was not a shoo-in for the spot, but he has been consistently good throughout camp, while Cleveland has only recently started to stack impressive performances.
Dark horse
| Player | Votes |
| CB Reuben Lowery | 6 |
| WR Dayton Wade | 5 |
| S Sanoussi Kane | 2 |
| RB Rasheen Ali | 1 |
| CB Chidobe Awuzie | 1 |
| OL Darrian Dalcourt | 1 |
| WR Xavier Guillory | 1 |
| RB Keaton Mitchell | 1 |
| WR Devontez Walker | 1 |
| TE Scotty Washington | 1 |
| WR LaJohntay Wester | 1 |
There aren’t many roster spots open, so this category has morphed from “dark horse to make the roster” to “dark horse to do something surprising this training camp and preseason.”
So far, Lowery has looked like the Ravens’ top undrafted rookie. A cornerback with experience at safety and a nose for the ball, Lowery has regularly won one-on-ones against the Ravens’ second-string wide receivers. He’s also made plays in team drills. Ravens coaches have spoken highly of his performance.
On offense, Wade has made the most of his opportunities as the Ravens’ top wide receivers have bounced in and out of practice. Wade made an incredible toe-tap catch on the sideline with Tampa in coverage Sunday, and he’s worked his way up to earning reps with the first-team offense. Wade made the practice squad as an undrafted rookie last year, and he’s making a case that he should stick around in 2025.
Grading Lamar Jackson
| Grade | Votes |
| A | 3 |
| A-minus | 3 |
| B | 8 |
| B-minus | 7 |
The two-time NFL Most Valuable Player has had good days, and he’s had bad days. Some of the media members graded Jackson here solely off his training camp performance, while others gave him high marks because they’re not worried about him heading into the regular season.
Jackson has said that he’s trying out new things in camp, which means there’s going to be some trial and error. His accuracy hasn’t always been consistent, and bold decisions have led to the occasional interception. But Jackson also hasn’t had his top receivers available for a lot of reps together. The B-minus grades shouldn’t be a cause for concern, even if Jackson hasn’t shown off his best work this camp.
Third starting cornerback
| Player | Votes |
| Jaire Alexander | 17 |
| Chidobe Awuzie | 4 |
When Awuzie signed with the Ravens in March, he looked like the favorite for the team’s third starting cornerback spot, behind Wiggins and Marlon Humphrey. Awuzie’s main competition was Jalyn Armour-Davis, a talented corner who hasn’t been able to stay healthy, and Tampa, a 2024 fourth-round pick who barely played as a rookie.
Then Jackson’s friend and former Louisville teammate Jaire Alexander decided to join the quarterback’s quest for a Super Bowl ring. Alexander, like Awuzie, is a veteran who has been limited by injuries. While Awuzie is no scrub, Alexander has two Pro Bowl seasons on his resume.
So far, Awuzie has taken most of the first-team reps in nickel personnel (five defensive backs), with Alexander also rotating in as he learns the defense. Both have looked solid in coverage — Alexander has had the higher highs and the lower lows, while Awuzie has rarely been tested downfield.
Secondary coach Chuck Pagano mentioned Saturday that Alexander has had be eased in, since he hadn’t played regularly since November. Defensive coordinator Zach Orr said Monday that both Alexander and Awuzie will play this year. But who will earn the Week 1 starting job? The majority of the media members polled believe it will be Alexander.
A lot can change in the next few weeks. Stay tuned for the next media poll, which will come at the end of training camp.
Baltimore Banner reporter Jonas Shaffer contributed to this report.
