The Baltimore Ravens weren’t overly active during the first few days of NFL free agency, but the team added DeAndre Hopkins to the passing game and Jake Hummel to the special teams. The Ravens retained Ronnie Stanley, Patrick Ricard, and Tylan Wallace, while the restructure of Marlon Humphrey created $13 million in salary cap space.
Even with the inactivity and loss of Brandon Stephens, Malik Harrison, Patrick Mekari, Josh Jones, and Chris Board, the team is still in the midst of a Super Bowl window and has 11 2025 NFL draft picks to help restock. With draft night quickly approaching, we’re looking at ten players who will be building blocks for the future.
QB Lamar Jackson
As long as No. 8 is under center, Baltimore can win any game. The future begins and ends with the two-time MVP quarterback. Last season, the 28-year-old Jackson set career highs in touchdown passes (41), passing yards (4,172), and quarterback rating (119.6) while throwing just four interceptions. Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken is entering his third season coaching Jackson and expects the quarterback’s growth to continue and reach another level as he enters the prime of his career.
RB Keaton Mitchell
The 31-year-old Henry is an amazing player, but he’s not the future in Baltimore, and a healthy Keaton Mitchell could become the top guy. Mitchell will look to get back to full speed after missing much of the season recovering from a knee injury that ended his 2023 campaign.
WR Zay Flowers
Flowers had a team-high 73 receptions and four touchdowns, and his 1,047 receiving yards were the sixth-most in the AFC during the regular season. However, a knee injury in Week 18 against the Browns sidelined him for the Ravens‘ postseason run. Flowers’ 19 catches of 20 or more yards tied for fourth among receivers this season, and his 6.3 yards after the catch average ranked in the 85th percentile at his position. His five 100-yard games also tied for first in the NFL.
WR Rashod Bateman
Bateman caught four of five targets for 66 yards and a touchdown in the Ravens’ 27-25 divisional-round loss to the Bills. Overall, it was his most impactful regular season since getting drafted by Baltimore with career highs in receiving yards (756) and touchdowns (nine) on the second-highest catch total of his career (45) across 17 games. Bateman is signed through the 2026 season.
OL Roger Rosengarten
Ronnie Stanley is aging, and Rosengarten is the apparent choice outside of Tyler Linderbaum. Rosengarten was the ninth tackle selected in last April’s NFL draft, and on Tuesday, he earned a spot on the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team. Rosengarten and No. 5-overall pick Joe Alt of the Los Angeles Chargers were the all-rookie offensive tackles.
After alternating snaps in the first three weeks, Rosengarten took over as the Ravens’ starting right tackle in Week 4 and never looked back, starting 16 games (including the playoffs). Among offensive tackles who played at least 50% of the snaps, Rosengarten ranked No. 39 at his position, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). He was credited with four sacks allowed in 488 pass-blocking snaps.
OL Tyler Linderbaum
Linderbaum has been one of the NFL’s best centers since entering the league as a first-round pick for the Ravens in 2022.
TE Isaiah Likely
Mark Andrew is the big name, but Likely could ascend to the role of starter and big-play tight end. The expectation is that Likely will eventually leapfrog Andrews for the starters’ spot at tight end, and 2025 could be that year. Likely caught four of five targets for 73 yards and a touchdown in the Ravens‘ 27-25 divisional-round loss to the Bills. Likely recorded 126 receiving yards during the playoffs, and he had a career-best 42 catches for 477 yards and six touchdowns. Likely will play out the final year of his rookie contract in 2025, but Baltimore will have a decision to make.
DT Nnamdi Madubuike
Madubuike’s 6.5 sacks were the third-most among defensive tackles in the AFC, trailing the Dolphins’ Zach Sieler (8.5) and Steelers‘ Cameron Heyward (8.0). Madubuike was also a major reason why the Ravens had the league’s No. 1 run defense, allowing just 81.6 rushing yards per game.
LB Tavius Robinson
The former Ole Miss pass rusher had 3.5 sacks and 12 QB hits in a reserve role last season.
CB Nate Wiggins
Wiggins finished the 2024 regular season with 33 tackles (25 solo), one forced fumble, and 13 pass defenses, including a pick-six, across 15 games. Wiggins initially spent most of his rookie season in a rotational role at outside corner with Tre’Davious White, but managed to start in six games, including three of the Ravens’ last four games of the regular season as Marlon Humphrey moved inside to the slot cornerback position. Wiggins’ best moment of 2024 came midway through the first quarter of the Ravens’ regular-season finale against the Browns, when he picked off Bailey Zappe and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown.
DB Kyle Hamilton
Hamilton, the best pure player in the NFL at his position, had the second-highest Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade of any safety in the league, trailing only Lions safety Kerby Joseph and his league-leading nine interceptions. Hamilton was the NFL’s only defensive back to post at least 100 tackles, an interception, two sacks, and two forced fumbles.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Which 10 players are most vital to the Ravens future success?
The Baltimore Ravens weren’t overly active during the first few days of NFL free agency, but the team added DeAndre Hopkins to the passing game and Jake Hummel to the special teams. The Ravens retained Ronnie Stanley, Patrick Ricard, and Tylan Wallace, while the restructure of Marlon Humphrey created $13 million in salary cap space.
Even with the inactivity and loss of Brandon Stephens, Malik Harrison, Patrick Mekari, Josh Jones, and Chris Board, the team is still in the midst of a Super Bowl window and has 11 2025 NFL draft picks to help restock. With draft night quickly approaching, we’re looking at ten players who will be building blocks for the future.
QB Lamar Jackson
As long as No. 8 is under center, Baltimore can win any game. The future begins and ends with the two-time MVP quarterback. Last season, the 28-year-old Jackson set career highs in touchdown passes (41), passing yards (4,172), and quarterback rating (119.6) while throwing just four interceptions. Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken is entering his third season coaching Jackson and expects the quarterback’s growth to continue and reach another level as he enters the prime of his career.
RB Keaton Mitchell
The 31-year-old Henry is an amazing player, but he’s not the future in Baltimore, and a healthy Keaton Mitchell could become the top guy. Mitchell will look to get back to full speed after missing much of the season recovering from a knee injury that ended his 2023 campaign.
WR Zay Flowers
Flowers had a team-high 73 receptions and four touchdowns, and his 1,047 receiving yards were the sixth-most in the AFC during the regular season. However, a knee injury in Week 18 against the Browns sidelined him for the Ravens‘ postseason run. Flowers’ 19 catches of 20 or more yards tied for fourth among receivers this season, and his 6.3 yards after the catch average ranked in the 85th percentile at his position. His five 100-yard games also tied for first in the NFL.
WR Rashod Bateman
Bateman caught four of five targets for 66 yards and a touchdown in the Ravens’ 27-25 divisional-round loss to the Bills. Overall, it was his most impactful regular season since getting drafted by Baltimore with career highs in receiving yards (756) and touchdowns (nine) on the second-highest catch total of his career (45) across 17 games. Bateman is signed through the 2026 season.
OL Roger Rosengarten
Ronnie Stanley is aging, and Rosengarten is the apparent choice outside of Tyler Linderbaum. Rosengarten was the ninth tackle selected in last April’s NFL draft, and on Tuesday, he earned a spot on the Pro Football Writers of America All-Rookie team. Rosengarten and No. 5-overall pick Joe Alt of the Los Angeles Chargers were the all-rookie offensive tackles.
After alternating snaps in the first three weeks, Rosengarten took over as the Ravens’ starting right tackle in Week 4 and never looked back, starting 16 games (including the playoffs). Among offensive tackles who played at least 50% of the snaps, Rosengarten ranked No. 39 at his position, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). He was credited with four sacks allowed in 488 pass-blocking snaps.
OL Tyler Linderbaum
Linderbaum has been one of the NFL’s best centers since entering the league as a first-round pick for the Ravens in 2022.
TE Isaiah Likely
Mark Andrew is the big name, but Likely could ascend to the role of starter and big-play tight end. The expectation is that Likely will eventually leapfrog Andrews for the starters’ spot at tight end, and 2025 could be that year. Likely caught four of five targets for 73 yards and a touchdown in the Ravens‘ 27-25 divisional-round loss to the Bills. Likely recorded 126 receiving yards during the playoffs, and he had a career-best 42 catches for 477 yards and six touchdowns. Likely will play out the final year of his rookie contract in 2025, but Baltimore will have a decision to make.
DT Nnamdi Madubuike
Madubuike’s 6.5 sacks were the third-most among defensive tackles in the AFC, trailing the Dolphins’ Zach Sieler (8.5) and Steelers‘ Cameron Heyward (8.0). Madubuike was also a major reason why the Ravens had the league’s No. 1 run defense, allowing just 81.6 rushing yards per game.
LB Tavius Robinson
The former Ole Miss pass rusher had 3.5 sacks and 12 QB hits in a reserve role last season.
CB Nate Wiggins
Wiggins finished the 2024 regular season with 33 tackles (25 solo), one forced fumble, and 13 pass defenses, including a pick-six, across 15 games. Wiggins initially spent most of his rookie season in a rotational role at outside corner with Tre’Davious White, but managed to start in six games, including three of the Ravens’ last four games of the regular season as Marlon Humphrey moved inside to the slot cornerback position. Wiggins’ best moment of 2024 came midway through the first quarter of the Ravens’ regular-season finale against the Browns, when he picked off Bailey Zappe and returned it 26 yards for a touchdown.
DB Kyle Hamilton
Hamilton, the best pure player in the NFL at his position, had the second-highest Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade of any safety in the league, trailing only Lions safety Kerby Joseph and his league-leading nine interceptions. Hamilton was the NFL’s only defensive back to post at least 100 tackles, an interception, two sacks, and two forced fumbles.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Which 10 players are most vital to the Ravens future success?
