OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Baltimore Ravens have spent weeks building toward the preseason. Saturday night, they finally get to see what they have.Player evaluations feel premature until padded practices begin. Once they do, the next phase of the evaluation process comes when the games start. Coaches and team officials want to see how players — particularly the young ones — react when the lights go on.The Ravens have had 10 practices in training camp, enough of a sample to get a good idea of where guys currently stand. However, the real tests will come this week and next, starting with Saturday night’s preseason opener. The following week, the Ravens have two joint practices against the Minnesota Vikings and then preseason game No. 2 on Aug. 22.Until then, let’s examine the stock rosters and fallers through nearly two weeks of training camp.RisersJa’Kobi Lane, WRHis daily acrobatic catches and chunk plays have been the talk of training camp and silenced, at least for now, the talk that the Ravens need to go out and add a veteran receiver to join Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman. A rookie third-round pick, Lane’s roster spot was secure. However, it’s looking more and more like he’s going to be on the field a lot for the Ravens when the regular season begins. He’s authoring one of the more impressive training camps for a Ravens rookie in recent memory.Keyon Martin, CBMartin defied the odds to make the 53-man roster last year as an undrafted free agent. He’s well on his way to doing it again as long as the issue that kept him out of Baltimore’s last practice isn’t anything significant. His sticky coverage and penchant for being around the ball has made the slot corner an early practice standout. The Ravens probably have five cornerback locks in Marlon Humphrey, Nate Wiggins, Chidobe Awuzie, T.J. Tampa and fifth-round rookie Chandler Rivers. If they take a sixth, Martin seemingly has the lead over a host of young corners.Danny Pinter, CWhen the Ravens signed veteran Ethan Pocic about a week before training camp, the sense was that Pinter’s days working with the starting unit were numbered. That hasn’t been the case. Pinter continues to get almost all of the first-team starting center reps as Pocic works his way back from an Achilles injury and learns the offense. Meanwhile, coach Jesse Minter continues to say he views this as a legitimate competition at center. Pinter, without a doubt, is getting the longest audition, and the 30-year-old, who has made 10 career starts, has played well.Tavius Robinson, OLBRobinson was always going to have a notable role on this team as an early down edge setter who beats up on running backs and tight ends. Robinson, however, has clearly added to his pass-rushing repertoire and has given Ravens tackles headaches throughout training camp. Whether it’s on the edge or inside, Robinson seems intent on making it awfully hard for the coaching staff to take him off the field. He could become the latest defensive Raven to break out in a contract year.T.J. Tampa, CBThe Ravens have gotten trade calls on Tampa over the past 10 months, but they are reluctant to move him, because they view the 2024 fourth-round pick as a capable starter. Tampa hasn’t gotten that opportunity yet, but if he keeps playing like this, Minter will almost certainly find ways to get him on the field defensively. Tampa just hasn’t given up many plays in camp and he’s stood out both in one-on-one and team options. He could be pushing the veteran Awuzie for that No. 3 outside cornerback role.Carson Vinson, OTThe second-year offensive tackle has been far from flawless. He’s had some poor reps, but his overall consistency has improved significantly. He’s looked like one of the Ravens’ most improved players from last year. He’s cleaned up his technique and played with physicality and intensity, starring in several of the one-on-one periods against edge rushers. He appears well on his way to locking down the swing tackle role.Honorable mention: Dominic DeLuca, ILB; Keondre Jackson, S; Tyler Loop, K; Amani Oruwariye, CB; Adam Randall, RBFallersCorey Bullock, C/GMinter has repeatedly included Bullock in the starting center mix when asked, but to no fault of the former Terp, he’s probably out of time. He missed time early in camp while on the non-football illness list. He’s since returned, but he’s mostly just doing individual work and not participating in team sessions. His focus probably has to shift to making the team as a reserve interior lineman, and that could be an uphill battle.Aeneas Peebles, DLPeebles probably hasn’t lost any traction in his bid to secure one of the reserve defensive line spots. Yet with so many of the veteran defensive linemen still working their way back to practice, there was an opening for Peebles to get a ton of front-line reps. Instead, Peebles went down with an undisclosed injury and missed most of practice last week. If Nnamdi Madubuike, Calais Campbell, Travis Jones, Broderick Washington Jr. and John Jenkins are all healthy, they are probably roster locks, and that leaves maybe one other spot for Peebles, C.J. Okoye and rookie Rayshaun Benny.Dayton Wade, WRWade was a longshot to make the 53-man roster from the start. However, he had a shot to at least force the team’s decision-makers to make a tough call if he was able to continue his strong form from the offseason practices. He has not been able to do that and has missed about a week now with an undisclosed injury. Health issues have slowed Wade the past two years, and he’s dealing with them again at the most inopportune time.Devontez Walker, WRThe 2024 fourth-round pick has made his share of plays in camp. He looks far more comfortable and assertive than he did last summer, and he’s also managed to avoid the nagging injuries that have dogged him through his first two years. Still, the sense coming into camp was that he was the favorite to be the team’s No. 3 wide receiver. Lane clearly appears to be that guy now, and fellow rookie Elijah Sarratt figures to challenge Walker for snaps as well.K’Von Wallace, SSigned late in the offseason, Wallace has had a solid camp and done nothing with his play to get on this part of the list. Still, circumstances out of his control could create a roster squeeze that could impact the Ravens’ ability to keep Wallace as the fifth safety. One, core special teamer Keondre Jackson is having a strong training camp, and the coaching staff could be gaining more and more confidence in him as the No. 4 safety. And two, there are so many corners playing well. That could create a situation where the Ravens keep an extra corner at the expense of a fifth safety.
Ravens risers and fallers: Rookie WR Ja’Kobi Lane making case for key role
A rookie receiver, outside linebacker and center strengthen their positions, while two WRs appear to be losing ground.










