Ravens News 5/7: CB Strength

One major 2024 NFL Draft takeaway for all 32 NFL teams

Dalton Wasserman, PFF

BALTIMORE RAVENS: CORNERBACK IS NOW ONE OF THE STRENGTHS OF THE TEAM

Baltimore’s cornerback room last season consisted of a mix of stable, if unspectacular, veterans, many who battled injuries throughout the year. Only one, Ronald Darby, earned a 70.0-plus overall grade, and only Brandon Stephens played at least 600 snaps during the team’s 19 games. The Ravens added two incredibly talented cornerbacks in the draft who could raise the production ceiling of that group.

Clemson’s Nate Wiggins brings incredible speed and length and posted an excellent 83.5 single-coverage grade in 2023. If he adds a few pounds to his frame, he could be the best cornerback in this year’s class.

Baltimore also got a fourth-round steal in Iowa State’s T.J. Tampa, who ranked 51st overall on the PFF big board. At 6-foot-1 and 189 pounds, Tampa brings a physical presence to the table and allowed just 9.6 yards per reception last season, the third-best mark in the Big 12. Baltimore’s pass defense just got a lot better with the addition of Wiggins, Tampa and edge rusher Adisa Isaac.

Devontez Walker Is Battle Tested Entering NFL

Clifton Brown, BaltimoreRavens.com

Now Walker hopes to make an immediate impact with the Ravens, joining a wide receiver room led by Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor. Walker has 4.36 speed and the potential to be a deep-ball threat right away, but the 6-foot-1, 193-pound target wants to prove he’s not one-dimensional.

“I feel like I can do a really good job getting over top of any defense,” Walker said. “The thing I’m trying to work on is underneath routes, like those routes 20-yards-and-under. Getting open in those types of spaces and things like that, that’s something I’ve been working on [in] minicamp and before minicamp when I was at home training.”

“My biggest takeaway is attention to detail,” Walker said. “In college, they just throw a play at you, and you just go out there and do it. Here, you have to remember every little thing. Any little, small thing, it messes up the whole play.

“(Greg Lewis) has giving me a lot of tools, helping me get open better and how to code plays. Like the first day, I was covered. Then, I came back today and ran those routes. I was a little more open, so him just giving me those tools and giving me that knowledge of playing the game and coaching for as long as he has, it’s been really good with him so far.”

Andrew Vorhees Represents Combination Of Intrigue, Potential For Ravens

Bo Smolka, PressBox

Despite missing his entire rookie season, Vorhees is expected to enter training camp in the running for a starting job, since the Ravens lost both 2023 starting guards to free agency.

Seeing Vorhees on the field in his No. 72 jersey, and with no brace on his surgically repaired knee, had to be encouraging for the Ravens.

Vorhees (6-foot-6, 310 pounds) represents a combination of intrigue and potential as the 2024 offseason officially begins. He was a first-team All-American in 2022, playing in front of Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, and the Ravens had a Day Two draft grade on him before he suffered a torn ACL at the Combine. Even after the injury, Vorhees elected to participate in the bench press and completed 38 reps, the most of any player that year.

ALI EASING BACK: Rookie fifth-round running back Rasheen Ali, who is recovering from a biceps injury sustained at the Senior Bowl, took part in some individual work in the minicamp practice open to the media. Harbaugh said the training staff would be cautious with Ali, but he is expected to gradually increase his workload and Harbaugh said Ali would be “more than ready” for training camp.

ISAAC, BRADE SIT OUT: Third-round pick Adisa Isaac watched the May 4 workout from the sideline after tweaking a hamstring, Harbaugh said. Undrafted rookie safety Beau Brade (Maryland) also missed the practice after rolling his ankle in the workout the previous day. Brade was wearing a walking boot during the May 4 practice.

Who improved the most after the 2024 NFL Draft? Outlook for all 32 teams

Jeff Zrebiec, The Athletic

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens still have roster questions. When 14 unrestricted free agents depart, you’re going to have potential shortcomings that a nine-player rookie class can’t change. However, GM Eric DeCosta did his best work late last year in the offseason and training camp, when he added veterans such as Arthur Maulet, Ronald Darby and Jadeveon Clowney. He then signed Kyle Van Noy after Week 3 of the regular season. He’ll need to hit on a few veterans again in the coming months. The Ravens don’t have any gaping holes, and they still have one of the better rosters in football. With a few additional veteran signings, there’s no reason to think the Ravens won’t be one of the handful of contenders in the AFC.

List of 2024 season opponents ahead of NFL schedule release

ESPN

Baltimore Ravens

Home: Bengals, Browns, Steelers, Broncos, Raiders, Eagles, Commanders, Bills

Away: Bengals, Browns, Steelers, Chiefs, Chargers, Cowboys, Giants, Texans, Buccaneers

Who will the Chiefs face in the NFL season opener? Let’s look at the candidates

Frank Schwab, Yahoo Sports

Probably saving it for later: Ravens

The NFL likes to give us a good game in the opener, but not too good. Again, we’re watching no matter what. Last season, games against the Bills or Bengals would have been spicier than Lions-Chiefs, but those Bills and Bengals games ended up getting prime real estate for the networks in the late Sunday afternoon slot. The best possible game for this season’s opener might be an AFC championship game rematch with the Ravens, but you’ll probably see that one in prime time this fall.