As Ravens prepare for preseason opener, is there room for another roster surprise?

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Jesse Minter did the math in his head Tuesday afternoon.

In training camp, the Ravens have a 90-man roster. By Aug. 30, they’ll have a 53-man roster. Not everyone will play in the preseason, either. Quarterback Lamar Jackson hasn’t suited up since 2021.

“If, say, 20-some guys aren’t playing,” Minter said, “there are 33 spots up for grabs.”

Well, maybe. But probably not. As the Ravens prepare for their preseason opener Saturday night against the Philadelphia Eagles at M&T Bank Stadium, general manager Eric DeCosta and his first-year head coach have a roster bubble that might not budge much.

There are still starting jobs to be won this preseason — at center, at inside linebacker, at kick returner. There are still injuries and recoveries to monitor — with defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike, with cornerback Nate Wiggins, with whoever might get hurt over the next two-plus weeks.

But a year after three undrafted rookies made a 53-man roster considered one of the NFL’s deepest, there appear to be few openings for a surprise charge up the team’s depth chart. The Ravens entered camp last month with an idea of their Week 1 makeup, and not much has changed.

Start with the offense, where the Ravens might already have 20 virtual locks on their 53-man roster:

• Quarterback (2): Jackson, Tyler Huntley
• Running back (2): Derrick Henry, Justice Hill
• Wide receiver (6): Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Ja’Kobi Lane, Devontez Walker, Elijah Sarratt, LaJohntay Wester
• Tight end (4): Mark Andrews, Durham Smythe, Matt Hibner, Josh Cuevas
• Offensive line (6): Ronnie Stanley, John Simpson, Vega Ioane, Roger Rosengarten, Emery Jones Jr., Carson Vinson

There are four others who seem safe:

• RB Rasheen Ali: The third-year back has missed the Ravens’ past two practices with an undisclosed injury and needs to protect the ball. But he could win the kick return job and he’s shown good vision on the ground in team drills.
• RB Adam Randall: The fifth-round pick, a converted wide receiver, is oozing with potential and was owner Steve Bisciotti’s first-ever selection in the NFL draft. But, with the surplus of running backs who become available on cut-down day, could the Ravens keep only three on their initial 53-man roster and look to reunite after further roster moves?
• C Ethan Pocic: The Ravens signed him to a one-year deal with $3 million guaranteed, but would DeCosta be willing to stomach the dead-money hit if Pocic’s recovery from a torn Achilles tendon continues to limit him in the center competition?
• C Danny Pinter: The Ravens signed him to a one-year deal with $1.5 million guaranteed, and he has enough recent experience at guard to be a useful reserve. But what if two or more centers outplay him in the preseason?

If DeCosta opens the season with 25 offensive players, as he typically does, that would leave one or two spots up for grabs.

An offensive lineman would be the likely beneficiary. Could it be guard Andrew Vorhees, a 17-game starter on last year’s disappointing unit? Or center/guard Jovaughn Gwyn, who worked with offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford in Atlanta? Guard/center Corey Bullock is working his way back into the mix after an offseason illness but has the mobility that Ledford treasures. Seventh-round pick Evan Beerntsen, another guard candidate, and undrafted rookie tackle Diego Pounds, who was considered a Day 3 talent, could also make a case.

There’s slightly more roster uncertainty on defense, where the Ravens might already have 21 virtual locks:

• Defensive line (4): Travis Jones, Calais Campbell, John Jenkins, Madubuike
• Outside linebacker (4): Trey Hendrickson, Tavius Robinson, Mike Green, Zion Young
• Inside linebacker (3): Roquan Smith, Teddye Buchanan, Trenton Simpson
• Cornerback (6): Wiggins, Marlon Humphrey, Chidobe Awuzie, T.J. Tampa, Keyon Martin, Chandler Rivers
• Safety (4): Kyle Hamilton, Malaki Starks, Jaylinn Hawkins, Keondre Jackson

Madubuike is working his way back from offseason neck surgery and has yet to participate in team drills. Because the Ravens already activated him off the physically-unable-to-perform list, he’s projected to open the season on their initial 53-man roster. If a longer ramp-up is necessary, the team would have to wait to place Madubuike on injured reserve, which would sideline him for at least four games, until after roster cuts are finalized.

Buchanan remains on the PUP list as he recovers from the season-ending knee injury he suffered in December. If he isn’t activated before Aug. 30, he likewise would miss at least the Ravens’ first four games. But, even if Buchanan’s not ready to start in Week 1, all indications point to him being expected to contribute in the team’s opening month.

If DeCosta opens the season with 25 defensive players, as he typically does, that would leave four spots up for grabs. That field of contenders is more tightly packed:

• Defensive line: Broderick Washington is experienced, versatile and recently took a pay cut. C.J. Okoye has a massive frame and played over 200 defensive snaps in Baltimore last year. Aeneas Peebles is young, cheap and has value as an interior rusher. Rookie Rayshaun Benny, a seventh-rounder who missed practice Wednesday with an undisclosed injury, has flashed in camp. David Olajiga is another dark horse. The Ravens could open the season with five or six defensive linemen on their roster overall.
• Outside linebacker: The injury-prone Adisa Isaac, who missed nearly all of the Ravens’ offseason workouts while recovering from elbow surgery, has practiced for two weeks without issue. He has the athleticism to contribute on special teams, an important consideration for a potential fifth outside linebacker. Kaimon Rucker, a practice squad player as a rookie last year, and undrafted rookie Ethan Burke could also be in the mix.
• Inside linebacker: Jay Higgins appeared in 11 games as a rookie, contributing primarily on special teams. Carl Jones, a late-season pickup, played in four games last year, helping exclusively on special teams, though he’s been sidelined at practice recently. The Ravens kept five inside linebackers on their initial 53-man roster last year, and they could do so again this year, especially if Simpson is needed to cross-train with a four-man outside linebacker room. Undrafted rookie Dominic DeLuca has impressed in camp and could pick up buzz in the preseason.
• Cornerback: Bilhal Kone, a sixth-round pick in the 2025 draft who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the preseason last year, has the kind of tools the Ravens like to bet on. But there’s plenty of competition for a potential seventh cornerback spot. Amani Oruwariye has had a solid camp, and Marquise Robinson and 2025 draft pick Robert Longerbeam could mount their own pushes.
• Safety: K’Von Wallace has special teams experience and 20 career starts, but the Ravens might value having a seventh cornerback more than a fifth safety.

On special teams, there are two virtual locks in rookie punter Ryan Eckley and long snapper Nick Moore. Kicker Tyler Loop, meanwhile, has kicked well enough in camp that a shaky performance Saturday might not be enough to compel DeCosta to bring in competition.

One game could change everything or nothing on the depth chart. The Ravens know their audition time this month is limited, no matter where they may fall on the roster bubble.

“You only get so many opportunities, and right now our, motto … is, ‘You have time until you don’t,’” special teams coordinator Anthony Levine Sr. said Wednesday. “So right now you have to make sure you take advantage of your opportunities. … So I make sure I go out there and tell these guys, ‘Look, when you go out there, just trust that everything you’ve been working on is going to be paid for. So go out there, man, have fun, and let the chips fall where they may.’"