NFL Training Camp 2021: 5 Baltimore Ravens players on the roster bubble heading into training camp
The Baltimore Ravens know they need to give Lamar Jackson better weapons if they want him to become elite as a passer. The team improved in last year's playoffs, but Baltimore still has a long way to go if they want to challenge the AFC finalists.
The preseason will provide more opportunities for young players to demonstrate their talent and contribute to the team, and, as is common, some veteran players will lose their jobs after the cuts to make the 53-man roster.
On that note, let's take a look at 5 Baltimore Ravens players on the roster bubble.
#1 - Miles Boykin, WR
Boykin didn't translate into the receiver the Ravens expected when they picked him in the third round of the 2019 draft. After Baltimore used two draft picks on wide receivers and signed Sammy Watkins along with Marquise Brown in free agency this year, Boykin's roster spot is threatened.
Boykin has 7 touchdown catches in his two-year career, but only 32 catches for 464 yards overall. When the Ravens needed it most, he didn't have the necessary impact. Now, with better receiving competition, it doesn't seem like he has much of a future in Baltimore.
#2 - Davontae Harris, CB
Davontae Harris played on a few occasions last year, but the team chose not to activate him from injury reserve during the playoffs when they could. This is proof that he didn't fully have the trust of the coaching staff.
Now in 2021, despite having re-signed the team at the start of the offseason, Baltimore has used two draft picks on cornerbacks and still has other more established veteran players in the position. Harris is likely to fight for the last cornerback spot on the roster and he must stand out in training camp to stay with the Ravens.
#3 - Tyler Huntley, QB
It's still uncertain whether the Ravens will keep two or three quarterbacks on the roster. If they decide with three, Huntley can rest easy; now, if Baltimore decides to keep just two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, then Huntley's spot is threatened.
Lamar Jackson is the obvious starter and it looks like Trace McSorley is officially number 2 on the team. Huntley will have to impress in training camp to stay with the Ravens after roster cuts. Both are inexperienced, but McSorley seems to have handled his backup status better with the opportunities he's had.
#4 - Anthony Levine, S
Levine has been with the Ravens since 2012 and, in all these years, his main influence has always been on special teams, not the defense. Now 34 years old and not a great depth piece, this could be the year he and the franchise go their separate ways.
Levine was at the Ravens' last Super Bowl triumph, and he's a respected locker room veteran. But all good things come to an end. His spot on the 53-man roster is far from guaranteed.
#5 - Justin Ellis, DT
Ellis never managed to live up to the expectations created by his early years with the Raiders. Now in Baltimore, he's just a rotating part of the Ravens defensive line and the team may prefer to give the backup nose tackle position to Aaron Crawford, a younger and cheaper option.
Ellis had more defensive snaps last year when compared to his first year in Baltimore, rising from 6% to 34%. With Brandon Williams starting and Aaron Crawford back on the roster after spending 2020 on the practice squad, the Ravens may prefer to stick with the younger, cheaper option over the veteran.