The Baltimore Ravens extended their preseason winning streak to 23 games on Saturday night against the Washington Commanders by the final score of 17-15. It marked their 23rd-straight exhibition victory, adding onto the NFL record that they broke during the 2021 preseason.
Baltimore was able to emerge victorious in large part due to the performance of many young players who were vying for roster spots. The team decided to rest the majority of their starters, letting other contributors step into the spotlight and put their skills on full display throughout the full 60 minutes of the contest.
Below we look at five takeaways from the Ravens’ Week 3 preseason matchup with the Commanders.
QB Anthony Brown is the perfect third option behind Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley
Brown had another tremendous performance to wrap up his preseason, finishing 15-of-19 for 256 yards to go along with one touchdown, showing poise and accuracy while also rushing three times for eight yards. The undrafted rookie out of Oregon might not make the team due to so many other positions needing depth, but he’s proven he at the very least belongs on the team’s practice squad moving forward.
WR Demarcus Robinson can play a key role in the Baltimore offense
Robinson wasted no time getting to work in his Ravens debut, finishing the contest with an impressive four-catch, 135-yard one touchdown stat line. He caught multiple long passes including a 67-yard touchdown strike, and showed that while he might not be the top option in the Baltimore offense, he can play a role that results in success for the team.
Isaiah Likely has locked up meaningful playing time
While playing time is important in the preseason for young players, sometimes not playing at all can indicate a certain status in an organization. For Likely, the rookie tight end Isaiah Likely didn’t suit up in the final exhibition game of the 2022 preseason, signaling that he will have a key role in the Baltimore offense come Week 1. He was extremely impressive in his preseason action, and earned snaps with the first-team offense once the games start to count.
ILB Josh Ross is the favorite to be the next undrafted free agent to make the Ravens' roster
Baltimore has had plenty of success finding diamond in the rough with undrafted free agents, and that theme appears to be true once again in 2022. Ross was brought in by the team after starring at the University of Michigan, and has quickly risen up the ranks by racking up big plays and showing off speed, tackling ability and a high IQ. He had a team-high 11 tackles against the Commanders, and looks to be a prime candidate to make the final 53-man roster.
Baltimore will likely have to do plenty of roster shuffling
With the deadline to get rosters down to 53 players on Tuesday, August 31st at 4pm EST, teams will have to get creative to keep as much talent as they can. The Ravens have multiple players that could be candidates for injured reserve, but those players must be on the final roster in order to be eligible to not miss the entire year. The team could also cut a few veterans on “handshake deals”, bringing them back a few days later after roster spots are cleared up. With so much talent on their roster, general manager Eric DeCosta and company have some tough decisions to make, but that’s a good problem to have when the team is so full of talent.
