Preview: Ravens Open the Preseason Against the Eagles
The Baltimore Ravens open the 2023 preseason against the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles. The Ravens will put their 23-game preseason win streak on the line at home, the only time this preseason the Ravens will be in front of the home crowd this preseason.
Head Coach John Harbaugh has already said that established starters will not play meaning the likes of Lamar Jackson, Mark Andrews, Roquan Smith, and Marlon Humphrey will all have the night off, as has been accustomed the past few seasons. The Eagles will likely do the same as they look to remain healthy heading into the regular season in hopes of making another Super Bowl appearance.
While Saturday night wont have the star power like it does in the regular season, their will be plenty of rookies and veterans alike looking to make a place for themselves and show why they deserve to make the final 53-man roster. Here is some notable players to watch.
Players to Watch:
Quarterback Josh Johnson: Johnson returns to the Ravens for his third stint with the team. Johnson is looking to make a statement that he should be QB2 behind Lamar Jackson. Reports out of camp have said Tyler Huntley has been struggling, and strong performance by Johnson could cause a discussion to be had.
Running back Keaton Mitchell: The undrafted running back out of East Carolina has been turning heads at camp, with his speed and pass catching ability out of the back field. If Mitchell can translate that during the preseason he could easily carve out a role for himself during the regular season.
Wide Receiver Zay Flowers: Head Coach John Harbaugh was bullish in his response about whether rookie first-round pick Zay Flowers would play during the preseason. If Flowers is too play at all during the preseason it would likely be against the Eagles in his first ever NFL game. Flowers has been getting national media attention for his strong camp thus far and I know Ravens fans are eager to see his impressive skill set live.
Cornerback Jayln Armour-Davis: Armour-Davis played in just four games in 2022 as a rookie. But 2023 is a new year and he desperately needs a strong preseason to stake his claim as the third cornerback on this team. With fellow 2022 draftee Pepe Williams injured and free agent signing Rock Ya-Sin also sidelined, Armour-Davis is one to keep an eye on as he will get plenty of opportunity to show why he deserves to see the field on Sundays in 2023.
