The Baltimore Ravens open their 2022 preseason against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday, and will hope to extend their record straight preseason win streak. However, they’ll do it without many of their key players as quarterback Lamar Jackson and others won’t suit up.
With plenty of established veterans not taking the field, it will provide an enormous opportunity for the younger players on the roster to showcase their abilities and make names for themselves. Roster spots and playing time is up for grabs, and the preseason is a big determining factor in figuring out who earns what.
Below we take a look at six bold predictions for Baltimore in their Week 1 preseason matchup with Tennessee.
RB Justice Hill rushes for two touchdowns
Hill’s career hasn’t gone quite as planned ever since being selected in the fourth round of the 2019 draft by the Ravens. He missed all of the 2021 season with an injury, and even before the ailment wasn’t performing up to the standards that many had for him coming out of Oklahoma State.
By all accounts, Hill has looked good during 2022 training camp. He needs a big preseason in order to have a shot to make the final 53-man roster, and he could start off on a high note against Tennessee.
– Kevin Oestreicher
TE Isaiah Likely scores two touchdowns
Baltimore selected Likely in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Coastal Carolina. Likely has turned heads at training camp with lots of positive reviews on the rookie coming from teammates, coaches and the media as well.
With tight ends Mark Andrews and Nick Boyle expected to have little to no playing time, Likely will get plenty of snaps and find the end zone twice, lining up all over the field and showing his versatility in a big way.
– Robert Sobus
OT Daniel Faalele dominates and shows why he'll be an important piece of the future
Faalele was one of the Ravens’ six fourth-round selections in the 2022 NFL draft. He is viewed as a developmental piece, so preseason games will be a key part of getting him reps to better his craft and go up against live professional competition.
Against Tennessee, his play shows what kind of player he can be and what type of potential he has. Faalele doesn’t allow a sack or a pressure in Week 1 of the preseason, showcasing his talent in a big way.
– Steve Rudden
DL Travis Jones racks up three sacks
Jones somehow fell to Baltimore at pick No. 76 in the 2022 NFL draft. He was expected to be taken much earlier, but the former Connecticut star’s fall was the Ravens’ gain, as they secured a talented defensive lineman in a spot they likely thought they wouldn’t be able to get him.
The rookie provides a big interior pass rushing presence, and he could showcase it in Week 1 of the preseason. Two sacks would be a great professional debut, and Jones certainly has the skills to pull it off.
– Kevin Oestreicher
Ravens continue preseason dominance
The Ravens will play their first exhibition game of 2022 against the Tennessee Titans at M&T Bank Stadium. Baltimore has an exceptional track record in the preseason over the last seven years, winning a record setting 20-consecutive games in a row.
Baltimore’s last preseason loss came in 2015 against the Atlanta Falcons. With the plenty of young and new talent looking to find spots on the roster, the Ravens will add on to their preseason record with consecutive win No. 21.
– Robert Sobus
Ravens rookie CBs stand out
Baltimore drafted safety Kyle Hamilton with their first pick in the 2022 draft, but in the Ravens’ opening preseason game, it’s Jalyn Armour-Davis and Pepe Williams who play stout defense to hold the Titans to 10 total points.
It’s unclear if Armour-Davis will play after missing some practice time, but if he does, he and Williams each notch an interception and have 10 combined tackles. They make a compelling case for playing time early on and show the organization why they invested in them.
– Steve Rudden
