The Baltimore Ravens christened the Jesse Minter era as the franchise’s fourth-ever head coach in a banger of a preseason opener last week with a 24-7 shellacking of the Philadelphia Eagles at home.
In Week 2 of the preseason, they’ll be on the road taking on the Minnesota Vikings, coming off a couple of days of very productive and highly competitive joint practices.
Some players were as advertised, if not better, in the opener, such as first-round rookie starting guard Olaivavega Ioane and third-round rookie wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane. There are others who either flashed or didn’t have ample opportunity to do so who are slated to get more run and have a lot to gain this week; here are half a dozen who fit that description.
IOL Ethan Pocic
With former leading candidate, Danny Pinter, expected to miss an “extended amount of time” according to head coach Jesse Minter as a result of a reported torn patellar tendon, the 10th-year veteran’s pathway to starting center position isn’t quite wide open, but it is much clearer.
Many had Pocic automatically penciled in as three-time Pro Bowler Tyler Linderbaum’s replacement as soon as he signed with the team at the onset of training camp. But he hadn’t taken any reps with the first-team offense through the first several weeks of training camp and didn’t check into the preseason opener until the Ravens’ second to last possession of the game.
Even before finding out about the severity of Pinter’s injury, Minter had disclosed that the team’s plan for Pocic would increase his workload with first-team reps heading into the second week of the preseason. With 99 career starts under his belt, including the postseason, the 31-year-old was already the most experienced candidate competing for this spot, with Pinter being the only other who had any, with just 10 in six years, and now he’s the only one left with previous time on task outside of preseason.
IOL Jovaughn Gwyn
Jul 30, 2026; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley (5) greets lineman Jovaughn Gwyn (54) during practice at Under Armour Peformance Center. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Despite having never started a regular-season game and with just 11 career offensive snaps to his name, the fourth-year pro is quietly emerging as a fan favorite among film watchers based on what he put on tape in the preseason opener as well as in footage from joint practice. Gwyn was the Ravens’ most impressive offensive lineman against the Philadelphia Eagles last week, finishing as the second-highest-graded player on the entire offense according to Pro Football Focus with an overall grade of 90.8.
The former seventh-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons spent the first three years of his career under the tutelage of renowned offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford and followed him to Baltimore after he got hired by the Ravens. He’s impressed the coaching staff and watchers of his tape alike with his physicality and athleticism, as his profile is an ideal fit for the blocking scheme they’re transitioning to, based on familiarity and traits.
Whether he gets the starting nod in Saturday’s game against the Vikings or is the second one to check in as he did in the opener before putting on a show, Gywn has a golden opportunity to continue boosting his odds of going from dark horse to frontrunner.
EDGE Adisa Isaac
After having what would’ve been the biggest play of his young, injury-interrupted career, called back following a review in last week’s preseason opener, the third-year pro is going to have to start making some plays that count and convince the Ravens that keeping a fifth outside linebacker on the final roster is a necessity, not a luxury.
Luckily for the 2024 third-rounder, there hasn’t been an unheralded player at the position who has vastly outperformed him in practice or exhibition action, but that might not remain the case for long if he doesn’t start to stand out on his own.
TE Matt Hibner
The fourth-round rookie had one hell of a debut last week with five catches for 61 receiving yards. But unlike Lane, who did the same and has been doing so all camp, his could be considered a flash in the pan if he doesn’t repeat it or follow it up with a similarly impressive encore.
If Hibner comes out on Saturday and has another strong showing as a pass-catcher, in particular, the complementary role behind and sometimes alongside three-time Pro Bowl veteran Mark Andrews that was vacated when Isaiah Likely left in free agency is as good as his because he’ll have proven he can be a gamer at this level.
DT Rayshaun Benny
After showing some nice flashes in limited action in the opener, the seventh rookie is going to have to hope he sees the field earlier and more often against the Vikings or ensure that he makes the most of whatever snaps he gets on defense when they come. Despite being regarded as a good value pick after being more highly rated coming into the draft, there’s no guarantee that Benny will make the team.
Right now, he’s one of three players in the mix for the sixth and likely final interior defensive lineman spot on the roster, with the other two being 2025 sixth-rounder Aeneas Peebles and former undrafted free agent C.J. Okoye, both of whom have been running with the first-team defense at times during camp.
WR Elijah Sarratt
With Lane likely to see little to no action in this game after showing out last week and running with the first-team offense consistently during joint practices, Saturday could be the fourth-round rookie’s time to shine. Sarratt finished as the Ravens’ leader in receptions (6), targets (7) and receiving yards (66) against the Eagles and could be poised to do the same in this game.
Just because the No. 3 wide receiver spot on the depth chart is all but locked up by Lane, it doesn’t mean there still isn’t a way the FBS 2025 leader in touchdown receptions can find a way onto the field as a rookie, whether it’s as a rotational chain-mover out of the slot, a boundary target on out-breaking routes or as another punt returner option.
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