The Baltimore Ravens will begin their first preseason under head coach Jesse Minter when they host the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday night at M&T Bank Stadium.
Baltimore will use the opener to continue evaluating a roster featuring established stars, promising draft picks and undrafted rookies competing for a limited number of positions. Minter has confirmed that Lamar Jackson will not play, and several other established starters are expected to be held out or receive limited work. That approach should create extended opportunities for Baltimore’s reserves.
The quarterback room underwent a late change when the Ravens placed Skylar Thompson on injured reserve and signed Austin Reed. Reed, who played for the Dallas Renegades of the United Football League, joins Tyler Huntley and rookie Joe Fagnano as the available quarterbacks behind Jackson.
Defensive tackle Travis Jones also returned to the active roster after passing his physical and being removed from the physically unable to perform list. Duplicate jersey numbers are permitted during the preseason and will be resolved as Baltimore moves toward its 53-man roster.
The Ravens and Eagles are scheduled to kick off Saturday at 7 p.m. at M&T Bank Stadium.
Here is Baltimore’s active roster entering the opener.
Quarterbacks
Lamar Jackson (No. 8), Tyler Huntley (5), Joe Fagnano (12) and Austin Reed (16).
Jackson will sit out the opener, placing Huntley in position to handle the starting assignment. Fagnano and Reed should receive opportunities later in the game as Baltimore evaluates its options for the third quarterback role.
Running backs and fullbacks
Derrick Henry (22), Adam Randall (23), Rasheen Ali (26), Elijah Tau-Tolliver (34), Dontae McMillan (36), Justice Hill (43) and Lucas Scott (47).
Henry and Hill give Baltimore an established veteran combination. The more consequential preseason snaps belong to Ali and rookies Randall, Tau-Tolliver and McMillan. Randall’s size also gives the Ravens flexibility to evaluate him in multiple offensive roles.
Wide receivers
Zay Flowers (4), Ja’Kobi Lane (6), Rashod Bateman (7), LaJohntay Wester (10), Elijah Sarratt (13), Xavier Guillory (16), Chris Moore (17), Dayton Wade (18), Devontez Walker (81), Cortez Braham Jr. (82), Cornelius Johnson (86) and Octavian Smith Jr. (87).
Flowers and Bateman enter the season as Baltimore’s established starters. Lane has generated considerable attention with his training camp catches, while Sarratt, Wester, Walker and the rest of the group are competing for snaps and roster spots behind the top receivers.
Tight ends
Durham Smythe (80), Ty Pezza (84), Josh Cuevas (85), Matt Hibner (88) and Mark Andrews (89).
Andrews remains the leader of the position, while Smythe offers proven NFL experience. With Isaiah Likely unavailable, the preseason should provide important work for rookies Pezza, Cuevas and Hibner.
Offensive line
Emery Jones Jr. (51), Nick Dawkins (53), Jovaughn Gwyn (54), Evan Beerntsen (60), Diego Pounds (61), Danny Pinter (63), Kendall Lamm (66), Corey Bullock (67), Roger Rosengarten (70), Vega Ioane (71), Andrew Vorhees (72), John Simpson (74), Carson Vinson (76), Ethan Pocic (77), Gerad Lichtenhan (78) and Ronnie Stanley (79).
The Ravens are continuing to evaluate their options at center, where Pocic, Pinter and Gwyn have received opportunities. Ioane, Baltimore’s first-round pick, is expected to play against Philadelphia as he begins adjusting to NFL competition. The opener will also be important for Dawkins, Beerntsen, Pounds and the other young linemen seeking reserve roles.
Defensive line
Dion Wilson Jr. (58), Aaron Graves (59), David Olajiga (65), Aeneas Peebles (90), Nnamdi Madubuike (92), Calais Campbell (93), John Jenkins (94), Broderick Washington Jr. (96), C.J. Okoye (97), Travis Jones (98) and Rayshaun Benny (99).
Baltimore’s defensive front features an experienced core led by Madubuike, Campbell, Jones and Washington. The preseason will allow the Ravens to evaluate a promising rookie group that includes Wilson, Graves and Benny.
Outside linebackers
Zion Young (9), Mike Green (15), Ethan Burke (45), Adisa Isaac (50), Kaimon Rucker (56), Trey Hendrickson (91) and Tavius Robinson (95).
Hendrickson provides an accomplished veteran presence, but Baltimore also has several young edge defenders vying for larger roles. Young and Burke are rookies, while Green, Isaac and Rucker remain developmental players with opportunities to strengthen the rotation.
Inside linebackers
Roquan Smith (0), Trenton Simpson (32), Dominic DeLuca (42), Jamon Johnson (47), Carl Jones Jr. (48), Jay Higgins IV (49) and Reid Williford (57).
Smith anchors the defense and may not need extensive preseason action. Baltimore will focus much of its evaluation on the depth behind him, including whether younger linebackers can handle defensive responsibilities while contributing on special teams.
Cornerbacks
Nate Wiggins (2), Chidobe Awuzie (3), Amani Oruwariye (25), T.J. Tampa Jr. (27), Marquise Robinson (28), Chandler Rivers (29), Bilhal Kone (31), Lardarius Webb Jr. (34), Robert Longerbeam (37), Keyon Martin (38) and Marlon Humphrey (44).
Wiggins and Humphrey are trending toward returning to practice after dealing with what Minter described as relatively minor issues. Their potential absence against Philadelphia would create additional snaps for Tampa, Oruwariye, Rivers, Webb and Baltimore’s other reserve cornerbacks.
Safeties
Kyle Hamilton (14), Jaylinn Hawkins (21), Malaki Starks (24), K’Von Wallace (26), Silas Walters (36), Keondre Jackson (39) and Jahquez Robinson (41).
Hamilton leads a deep safety group that includes Starks, Hawkins and Wallace. Walters and Robinson are among the rookies attempting to show they can provide defensive depth and immediate special-teams value.
Specialists
Ryan Eckley (30), Tyler Loop (33) and Nick Moore (46).
Loop enters his second season as Baltimore’s kicker, while Moore returns as the long snapper. Eckley, a sixth-round pick from Michigan State, will receive his first NFL game opportunity as the Ravens evaluate their new punter.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens’ 90-man roster for preseason opener vs. Eagles