Trio of Players Shine Against Indy, OL Concerns Continue

A preseason game is typically a good chance to get a glimpse at the entirety of the roster, from younger starters to camp bodies just trying to land on the practice squad.

The Ravens didn’t have that experience on Thursday night, at least not on offense. Three players – Keaton Mitchell, Rasheen Ali, and LaJohntay Wester – produced most of the team’s positive yardage on the night, starting with a few explosive rushes from Mitchell.

The third-year running back’s performance wasn’t surprising after watching him dice up the Ravens defense throughout training camp. Mitchell was held to eight yards on his first three carries before exploding for a pair of 20-yard rushes; on the second, he fought hard to get into the end zone with a Colts defender wrapped around his legs. Both plays were reminiscent of Mitchell’s 2023 breakout with his athleticism erasing pursuit angles and his underrated toughness shedding would-be tacklers.

Keaton Mitchell only needed one yard and got 23 instead

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— NFL (@NFL) August 7, 2025

The only area in which Mitchell didn’t dazzle was returning kicks. He looked comfortable catching the ball, but he only collected 64 yards on his three returns with an average field position of the 28 yard-line.

Mitchell admitted after the game that he wanted to do more as a returner before shouting out teammates Rasheen Ali and LaJohntay Wester for their big plays on special teams.

Ali drove the Ravens down the field for a touchdown almost on his own, starting with a 69-yard kickoff return. A few plays later, he showed the same quick, decisive running he’s been displaying in camp on a 19-yard rush down to the 2-yard line, setting up a gritty, physical effort into the end zone.

The Ravens’ roster math seems to have Ali on the bubble, but contributing on special teams is a surefire way to make the team.

LaJohntay Wester was in a similar situation entering last night’s game after a few dropped punts in training camp. He hadn’t looked like the team’s best young receiver in practice, either, but he reversed both of those perceptions on Thursday night.

Wester’s first touch came on a punt return that started with a bobble and a brief collision with his teammates. The rookie wideout kept his cool and used his fast footwork to pick up 17 yards. After the Colts’ next drive, he turned in the play of the night.

.@la_wester TO THE HOUSE

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— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 7, 2025

Quick footwork again allowed Wester to navigate around the early traffic. He kept his legs churning through a few low tackle attempts; from there, he was off to the races.

In the post-game locker room, Wester said that he could “feel one coming” this week and told his teammates (and his dad) that he was going to take a punt return to the house.

Wester’s returning prowess was a major factor in the Ravens’ decision to draft him in the first place, and he knows it.

“That is one of the reasons why they brought me here, is to become a game changer in the special teams department,” said Wester. “I am taking that role head on. I just [have] to keep improving day in and day out, so I can go in and lock the job when the season starts.”

Wester’s last highlight play came as a receiver midway through the third quarter. He had a step on his man and made a late adjustment to an underthrown ball by Devin Leary for 30 yards, the Ravens’ biggest offensive gain of the night.

Mitchell, Ali, and Wester accounted for 64% of the Ravens’ yards from scrimmage and 78% of their total yards (including returns). They also scored all but six of the team’s points.

Those other six came from rookie kicker Tyler Loop, who went 3-for-3 on his extra point tries and 1-for-2 on his field goals. Loop’s miss came on a 46-yarder that sailed wide left, which is typically how he misses in practice.

“He stubbed his toe on the ground a little bit in that one, and just kind of made the ball move a little bit left.” said John Harbaugh. “Perfect other than that, but to see him bounce back on the next kick, especially after getting kind of pushed back into the longer field goal, I thought was really a big step up for him.”

The next kick Harbaugh was referring to was a 52-yard make after two false starts on the previous three plays. This time, Loop drove the ball right down the middle.

John Harbaugh later said that Loop’s performance “did not introduce more uncertainty” into the kicking competition.

“Tonight, he passed the test,” added Harbaugh. “It might not have been A++, B+.” (Harbaugh previously gave Loop a perfect grade after a 6-for-6 day at the Ravens’ stadium practice on Sunday.

The Ravens’ reliance on such a small group of players also reflects their overall struggles to move the ball on offense, particularly through the air. Wester was the only young receiver to flash, due in large part to poor quarterback play.

Cooper Rush’s first in-game throw as a Ravens was an interception, and he only had four more dropbacks on the next two drives before sitting down for the night. The pick was a slot fade floated to the inside – the kind of throw that a veteran shouldn’t make. The former Cowboy didn’t inspire much confidence that he could even game-manage the offense if needed.

Devin Leary played the rest of the game, and it wasn’t pretty. The second-year quarterback completed just three of his 12 passes for 43 yards (3.6 yards per attempt) and an unfortunate red zone interception. Leary, who said after the stadium practice that he was working on his decision-making, worked back to a checkdown with nothing open downfield, but didn’t see Colts linebacker Joe Bachie waiting to jump the pass.

Neither Rush nor Leary were helped by a porous offensive line that surrendered far too many pressures. Rush’s last drive ended on a sack allowed by Daniel Faalele and Roger Rosengarten. Faalele was bowled over by Adetomiwa Adebawore – who weighs 80 pounds less than the hulking guard – and Rosengarten was beaten around the edge by second-year UDFA Durell Nchami. Even Lamar Jackson would’ve struggled to get away on that play..

Leary similarly dealt with pressure for most of the night. He wisely tucked the ball for a few scrambles, but his lack of speed limited him to 15 yards on six carries.

Andrew Vorhees, Ben Cleveland, and Joe Noteboom were the bright spots for the offensive line. Vorhees mauled his man on a few run blocking reps and solidified his grip on the starting left guard job. Harbaugh previously said that Vorhees was leading the LG competition; on Thursday, he didn’t see anything to change his mind.

Harbaugh also said that Cleveland “played well,” a somewhat understated description for a strong night from the fifth-year lineman. He consistently hit his blocks and pushed defenders off the point of attack. One could even wonder if Cleveland might be a more serviceable right guard than Faalele.

Noteboom looked great at both tackle spots and will be a solid, inexpensive swing this year. He was often the first player off the ball and his quick feet consistently allowed him to out position rushers. He may not be a mover in the run game, but competent pass protection on either side of the line is more than enough for a swing tackle.

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