Getty Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Jaylon Moore makes a catch during 2021 training camp.
The Baltimore Ravens will officially kick off their 2022 campaign with the first of their three preseason games on Thursday night. They will welcome a familiar foe to town in the Tennessee Titans who they have a storied rivalry within both the regular and postseason, especially in recent years.
While there isn’t a trip to the divisional round or conference title round of the playoffs at stake, this exhibition game still holds significance and could have major implications on deciding who gets the leg up on both position and roster battles for both teams.
“I think preseason is very important, especially for young guys and then guys in my position who are trying to show that they’ve still got something in there,” safety Tony Jefferson said in a press conference on August 9. “I think you have to turn it on once it’s game time, because it’s life or death, really, for a lot of guys.”
Here are five storylines to monitor for the Ravens heading into Week 1 of the preseason:
Which Young WRs Will Show Out in Live Action?
This will continue to be a closely monitored and highly criticized position by fans and media pundits alike until one of their young wideouts besides Rashod Bateman proves themselves.
They’ve had several unheralded players at the position make some impressive plays in practice over the past few weeks but this will be their first opportunity to show what they can do in a live game against defensive backs they haven’t been going up against in practice for months.
Third-year pro James Proche has been one of the brightest standouts in training camp thus far as have former undrafted free agents Jaylon Moore and Binjimen Victor. Three undrafted rookies to keep an eye on as well are Slade Bolden, Makai Polk, and Shemar Bridges.
Will the Preseason Streak Continue?
The Ravens are proud owners of one of the most impressive yet relatively meaningless streaks in the league. The team has won 20 consecutive exhibition games dating back to six years with their last loss coming against the Atlanta Falcons on September 3, 2015.
Impressive defensive depth has been key to their dominance in the preseason and the team has a standard of high effort that has translated well from practice to live games during training camp.
“I think we prepare just with the way we practice,” Jefferson said. “When we go out there, we really [have] got to hone in on the details, and everything we do is 100%; we want to run to the ball.”
Which Running Backs Will Begin to Separate Themselves From the Pack?
The Ravens are excited about their depth at the position behind J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards and even though they have all looked good in practice, their first real test will be tonight when the Titans come to town.
Veteran Mike Davis, fourth-year pro Justice Hill, and rookie Tyler Badie are vying for the last spot or two at the running back spot. The Ravens will likely carry four players at the position into the regular season since reports suggest that Edwards likely won’t be ready to start the season.
Will the Outside Linebacker Depth Chart Hold Up & Stand Out?
The Ravens are razor thin at outside linebacker at the moment after losing veteran Vince Biegel for the season to a torn Achilles and both Tyus Bowser and David Ojabo recovering from the very same injury.
With veteran Justin Houston already ruled out and second-year pro Odafe Oweh likely to play little to no snaps as well, the team will get an extensive look at players like Daelin Hayes and Steven Means as well as undrafted rookies Jeremiah Moon and Chuck Wiley.
Who has the Upper Hand in the Left Guard Competition?
Much like the running back competition, battles for starting jobs and primary backup roles in the trenches are often sorted out and decided based on preseason performances in addition to consistently strong practices.
Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman said that fourth-year pro Ben Powers had “taken the lead” in the competition in a press conference on July 29, 2022, but since then, Ben Cleveland has passed his conditioning test and the team still has high hopes for third-year pro Tyre Phillips.
The next three weeks will go a long way in helping the coaching staff determine who is the best option at the spot and which player will have seized the opportunity.