The Baltimore Ravens continued and completed their 2022 preseason on a high note with a 17-15 win over the Washington Commanders on August 27, 2022 to extend their historic preseason winning streak to 23 games in a row.
Plenty of players entered the night with their livelihoods and careers on the line and many of them didn’t disappoint by rising to the occasion for what could be the last taste of NFL action for some of them.
Stock Up
The brightest star on the night for the Ravens was the newest addition to their wide receiver much-maligned wide receiver group. Less than a week after officially signing with the team, Robinson made quite the explosive debut with 135 receiving yards and a touchdown on four catches. He put on a clinic on how to perfectly execute double moves on a pair of long gains with the first being a sluggo (slant-and-go) for a 67-yard touchdown and the second being on an out-and-up for another 50-plus yard big play.
SHEESH @Demarcus
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QB Anthony Brown
The undrafted rookie out of Oregon took over for Tyler Huntley after the first quarter and took full advantage of his extensive opportunity to showcase his skills. Brown was excellent operating from the pocket with the way he was decisive with his decisions, progressed throw his reads, and threw the ball with tremendous touch and accuracy. He went 15-of-19 for 256 passing yards and a touchdown and ran in another from six yards out.
S Tony Jefferson
The nine-year veteran pretty much cemented his spot on the Ravens roster with his strong performance against the Commanders even if he is initially released and brought back to get an injured player on short-term injured reserve. He finished tied for the second most total tackles on the team in the preseason finale with nine, including six solos.
WR Binjimen Victor
While many were expecting the undrafted rookies at the position to stand out, it was the third-year pro that made a strong final push for one of the last spots on the wide receiver depth chart. He tied Robinson for the team lead in receptions with four and finished second in receiving yards with 74 which included an impressive 50-yard snag where he tracked the ball deep downfield, made a nice adjustment, and held on through a hard landing on the turf.
What a catch by @BinjimenVictor 🙌 #RavensFlock
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The undrafted rookie put one last strong stamp on what has been a sensational preseason by the first-year pro as he looks to earn the fourth and final spot on the inside linebacker depth chart. Ross led the team in both total and solo tackles with 11 and seven respectively. He had an up-and-down game in coverage but still has the potential to be the next in a long line of young inside linebackers that didn’t get drafted to make the team and eventually push for a starting spot.
S Geno Stone
The third-year pro completed another strong preseason and likely solidified a roster spot with a solid overall performance against the Commanders. He finished with six total tackles, half a sack, and made a nice hit to break up a pass from its intended receiver. Stone’s natural feel for the passing game, and ability to both close quickly and be physical in run support helps him join Jefferson in rounding out the league’s best and deepest safety room.
C Tyler Linderbaum
The first-round rookie made his NFL debut against the Commanders and even though he was only on the field for less than 10 snaps, he showed enough to entice excitement about what he can bring to the table. He was particularly impressive when it came to climbing to the second level and making some nice combo blocks.
Tyler Linderbaum only played 9 snaps, and yet there’s plenty of good tape on him, including on the big TD to Demarcus Robinson.
Another great breakdown from @BaldyNFL
DB Ar’Darius Washington
The second-year pro was one of many players on the bubble that gave the organization a lot to think about with a stand-out performance against the Commanders. He held up well in coverage for the most part and was by far the best open-field tackler in the game of either team, especially in run support with six total tackles.
Interior Defensive Line
The Ravens young defensive lineman continued their trend of consistently flashing their pass rushing ability with both Broderick Washington and Isaiah Mack registering sacks. Undrafted rookie Rayshad Nichols led the group in tackles with eight including five solos. Third-year pro Aaron Crawford recorded a pair of tackles that included one for a loss where he brilliantly split a double team to bring down the ball carrier behind the line of scrimmage.
ILB Kristian Welch
The third-year pro has been in a tight battle with Ross for the last spot in the inside linebacker depth chart and made a strong push with a stand-out performance in the preseason finale. He led the team with 2.5 sacks, recorded nine total tackles, and looked good playing downhill in the run game and as a blitzer.
Undrafted Rookie OLBs
While the team might and likely will explore the waiver wire and veteran free agent market to address their lack of depth at edge defender, undrafted rookies Jeremiah Moon and Chuck Wiley showed a lot of promise in the preseason finale. They both generated consistent pressure and forced incompletions, rushed throws, and had several near sacks and quarterback hits. Moon did register half a sack and a pair of tackles while Wiley made a tackle on special teams.
TE Josh Oliver
With sensational rookie, Isaiah Likely, sitting out after showing all he needed to in the team’s first two preseason games, the fourth-year pro showed some similar impressive run-after-the-catch ability on his two receptions that went for 24 and 17 yards. With rookie Charlie Kolar likely to miss the start of the season as he recovers from sports hernia surgery, he could be a candidate to be brought back for a brief stint after the initial cuts or be signed to the practice squad as insurance.
Stock Down
Undrafted Rookie WRs
While Victor totaled 74 receiving yards on four grabs, the trio of Shemar Bridges, Malik Polk, and Raleigh Webb combined for just 26 receiving yards on three catches. They were all heavily involved on special teams and Webb even got in on defense at safety at the end of the game but none of them flashed as pass catchers in the way they had in the previous games at times. They should all be practice candidates if they don’t get claimed off waivers.
DB Brandon Stephens
The second-year pro lands on the ‘stock down’ portion of the list for the second-straight week despite playing tight in coverage for most of the game because he still doesn’t consistently play with proper technique and allows receivers to gain inside leverage to make catches for first downs. He isn’t in jeopardy of being cut since he was just drafted in the third round of last year’s draft but his game definitely still requires refinement if he is going to be expected to step up at outside corner in case of injury.
RB Tyler Badie
The sixth-round rookie got his most extensive playing time of the preseason and didn’t stand out as a runner or pass catcher outside of a nice 12-yard run where he showed off nice vision to find a cutback lane. He only totaled 12 yards from scrimmage on six combined touches but didn’t show much in terms of elusiveness, power, or tackle-breaking ability. Badie is still likely to make the roster given that Gus Edwards will start the year on reserve/PUP list but if cut, he could possibly be snuck onto the practice squad.
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Ravens Final Preseason Stock Monitor: Newest Addition Shines in Debut