June can often be a very rough month for those who prefer football over all other sports. Other than mini-camp, which is pretty short, the gridiron is very quiet this time of year. The doldrums won’t last too much longer, however, as you can start counting down the days until training camp. The Baltimore Ravens will hold their first full practice on Wednesday, July 29, which isn’t that long off, actually- it’s only 25 days after our nation’s 250th birthday party!
And when we finally get there, as football life begins again with the opening of training camp, here are three position battles to watch on offense.
Starting Center
Let’s start right at the top, with the biggest question mark in the squad. Tyler Linderbaum was a special player, and he will be missed dearly. The former Iowa Hawkeye left Baltimore to sign a lucrative free agent deal with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Danny Pinter and Jovaughn Gwyn split the first-team reps during mini-camp, and they currently lead the way, in what is the most wide-open position battle on the entire team. Last year’s backup to Linderbaum, Corey Bullock, was limited by injury in mini-camp, but he’ll be in the mix once things really start to ramp up.
Wide Receiver 2 and Wide Receiver 3
Zay Flowers is elite, and a true No. 1, but after him, there is a drop-off. Rashod Bateman, one of the most enigmatic players in recent Ravens history, finally broke through and put together a solid season in 2024, only to regress in 2025. If you are somebody who publishes words, somewhere online, about the Baltimore Ravens, then you have almost certainly expressed the following sentiments at some point:
“When will Bateman break through and live up to his potential as a first round pick? Is this the year?”
Another season, another set of questions with him. As for No. 3, it’s currently Devontez Walker, a fourth-round pick in 2024 who has only produced seven catches for 157 yards through his first two seasons.
It is worth noting, though, that four of those seven catches went for touchdowns.
When you get to WR3 and WR4, things start to get really interesting. LaJohntay Wester will be part of the plan, sure, but keep a close eye on the two rookies. Fourth-round pick Elijah “Waffle House” Sarratt is a guy whose career has been defined by persistently leveling up. And every time he moves up a level, he gets better. Ja’Kobi Lane could be a guy where someday we look back, and we say to ourselves, “what a steal of a third-round pick.”
The early returns on both of these Big Ten products is overwhelmingly positive. They are both here to make an immediate impact in a significant role.
TE
With Isaiah Likely and Mark Andrews, there was a sort of tight end 1a and 1b thing going on the past couple of years. Now, Andrews is again the undisputed alpha of the position group. When all is said and done, he’ll end up holding a distinctive place in the Ravens receiving record book. Durham Smythe was signed this offseason, and he is expected to have a major role, but mostly as a blocker, and not a pass-catcher. He also could play some H-back, adding extra value to the team.
This position got a makeover during the draft in April. Fourth round pick Matthew Hibner is kind of the inverse- he’s more of a pass-catcher, not a blocker. Fifth-round pick Josh Cuevas, like Smythe, could also play some H-back. With serial Pro Bowler Patrick Ricard joining Likely in following John Harbaugh to New York, the Ravens are going to need some help at H-back.
All four guys should have a significant role, and we may not see a true TE2 and/or TE3, but instead, a steady rotation that includes everybody.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Three key offensive position battles to watch at Ravens training camp
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