OTL: Players to Watch in Ravens Preseason Opener

The long wait is over, and the Baltimore Ravens are set to take the field for preseason game number 1 this Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium. There’s plenty to be excited about in Baltimore, as Jesse Minter and company prepare for a new era of Ravens football. For the Ravens, preseason has always been more than just scrimmage games. It’s become an opportunity for UDFA’s to shine, as well as get serious reps for the depth pieces looking to break out. There are a number of players this year looking to be that next preseason breakout for the Ravens. Here’s a look at a few to keep your eye on Saturday evening.

CB Chandler Rivers

The Ravens will unfortunately be without CB Nate Wiggins for a bit, after the third-year corner left practice Tuesday with a leg injury. On top of that, veteran corner Marlon Humphrey also left Wednesday’s practice early with an apparent injury. Fortunately, there was no structural damage for Wiggins, a bullet the coaching staff is glad to have avoided. With the loss of Wiggins and uncertainty about Humphrey, the Ravens have a chance to see a plethora of their young corners potentially fill that role during their absence.

One of those promising young corners is Chandler Rivers, the team’s 5th-round pick in this past April’s draft. Rivers played all four years at Duke, showing a knack for making plays on the ball and a willingness to make tackles. Across four seasons, Rivers recorded 180 tackles, 3 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 7 interceptions, 19 PBUs, and a 62.3% completion percentage allowed. The rookie corner has had a solid camp up to this point and could make some more noise with a solid preseason.

The Eagles will present a real battle on the outside for Rivers, which could be viewed as a best-case scenario.

CB T.J. Tampa Jr.

Keeping it in the secondary, T.J. Tampa looks to build off his best camp yet and show out during the Ravens’ three preseason matchups. The third-year corner is looking to take that next step, after just 18 total snaps in 2024 and 148 last season. The Ravens view Tampa as a capable starter in the NFL, and following the camp he’s had, we could see that belief come to fruition this year. Tampa has looked comfortable and in sync during 1-on-1’s and team periods. Jeff Zrebiec of the Athletic believes Tampa could also be coming for Chidobe Awuzie’s CB3 position. The Ravens have dismissed trade calls on their 2024 draftee, per Zrebiec, and this season could prove exactly why. Tampa told reporters Wednesday that his goal this summer has been to prove his reliability to the coaching staff. Saturday could be a solid chance to prove it, in-game.

Centers. Any of Them.

The Ravens offensive line enters the year with some new faces on the interior. Vega Ioane was selected in the first round to take over the LG position, while John Simpson reunited with the organization to replace Daniel Faalele at RG. Center is where things become very uncertain. Tyler Linderbaum is a Raider, and prior to the signing of free agent Ethan Pocic, only Danny Pinter held real game snaps amongst the three centers on the roster pre-camp (Pinter, Gwyn, and Bullock).

Offensive Coordinator Declan Doyle gave some insight on the battle for the position on Wednesday, stating the team is very far from determining their Week 1 starter. He added that communication is going to be key in finding their starting center. The three preseason games are going to help determine exactly what the team is looking for. Pocic has slowly ramped himself back into the picture, following his season-ending Achilles tear last year. I wouldn’t expect him to get many, if any, snaps in exhibition games, but it gives Pinter, Gwyn, and Bullock an opportunity to showcase their talents. Pinter and Gwyn have gotten a majority of the reps, with Bullock and Pocic both missing the start of camp.

They don’t have a Linderbaum on the roster, but that doesn’t mean the Ravens don’t have a capable player at the position.

K Tyler Loop

Coaches and front office personnel will have their eyes on their specific players as training camp and preseason games unfold. However, there might not be a player under more of a watchful eye by the fans than kicker Tyler Loop. The Ravens 2025 season, as we all know, ended off the foot of Loop, who sent a 44-yard go-ahead field goal wide right as time expired in the Week 18 loss to Pittsburgh.

The second-year kicker will have a lot to prove this season as he attempts to right his wrongs from a year ago. Loop has had a strong start to camp, hitting with consistency and showing improvement on distance, something he struggled with on kicks from 50+ last season. The Ravens front office hasn’t brought in any competition for their young kicker, giving him every upcoming preseason rep, similar to last season following the release of John Hoyland. Loop will get two outdoor games to kick in this preseason, both at home in Weeks 1 and 3. His second game will be indoors in Minnesota, a stadium where he finished 1/1 on XPs and 4/5 on field goal attempts, with his lone miss from 56 yards.

Fans will also have a close eye on Loop’s kickoffs. He lead the NFL in kickoffs out of bounds last year with eight (the next closest kicker, Jake Bates of Detroit, had five). That will certainly need to improve in 2026.

Special Teams coordinator Anthony Levine Sr. said the second-year kicker took a different approach this training camp. These next three games will be a great opportunity for Loop to showcase those changes, as well as get off on the right foot to change the narrative surrounding his faults.

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