The Baltimore Ravens’ roster is going to look much different this season. On top of the fact that multiple starters on both sides of the ball said goodbye in free agency, the additions of headline-worthy names like Derrick Henry and Nate Wiggins highlighted a season of change that swept through the state of Maryland.
There were a few holdovers from last year’s teams who managed to survive Baltimore’s yearly offseason purge, effortlessly dodging trade rumors while (mostly) avoiding being thrown into competitions with hotshot rookies. In effect, Baltimore gave those players a vote of confidence by trusting them to be reliable starters.
With these three players all figuring to start at some point during Baltimore’s 2024 push for a championship, it’s fair to say their stock is as high as it has been in months. Time will tell if they can carry that momentum over to the regular season.
3 Baltimore Ravens whose stock soared after 2024 roster changes
3. Trenton Simpson
The Ravens have been quick to say that Simpson is by no means a locked-in starter following Patrick Queen’s surprising defection to the Steelers, but their refusal to use one of their top picks on a linebacker could show the confidence they have in the former Clemson star as a player.
The Ravens likely invested in Simpson with the thought that Queen could leave in free agency. Taking a top-shelf athlete with elite coverage skills and great speed for his position is certainly a good way to guard against Queen departing, and Simpson is now ready to assume that starting role next to Roquan Smith.
The Baltimore Ravens will lean on Trenton Simpson
Simpson will also have the benefit of playing next to one of the game’s great mistake erasers in Smith. This could give Simpson more margin for error and new defensive coordinator Zach Orr some welcome relief as he relies on a second-year player to replicate All-Pro production from Queen in 2024.
Simpson certainly fits the mold of what Baltimore wants from their linebackers, as he possesses many of the same traits that helped Queen eventually start performing like a cornerstone. While asking him to be Queen could be a very tall order right off the bat, Baltimore is clearly very bullish on his potential.
2. Rashod Bateman
Bateman hasn’t hit the meteoric heights many projected when he arrived in Baltimore, culminating in a 2023 season where he and Jackson never seem to get on the same page. Bateman has since been signed to an extension, and he is the unquestioned No. 2 wide receiver to start the season.
While the Ravens did make some additions to the receiver room by adding Devontez Walker via the Draft and Deonte Harty in free agency, the former is a fourth-rounder who is more likely to compete with Nelson Agholor and the latter will likely be deployed primarily as a special teams return ace.
Rashod Bateman will be an impact player for the Baltimore Ravens
Bateman was able to stay healthy last season, and his trademark separation skills on intermediate routes actually helped him stand out on film more than his production would indicate. Zay Flowers is clearly the top dog in the Ravens’ rotation room, but Bateman is the no-doubt No. 2 option.
Baltimore had the ability to make some seismic moves for Pro Bowl wide receivers via both free agency and trades, and they chose instead to commit to Bateman and his emerging skillset. This may look risky to the outside observer, but Baltimore thinks Year 2 of Todd Monken will do wonders for him.
1. Andrew Vorhees
The Ravens had multiple golden opportunities to improve the offensive line following the departures of John Simpson and Kevin Zeitler, including drafting players with premium picks or signing a veteran like Dalton Risner. They have eschewed those opportunities to place faith in Vorhees.
Looking at Vorhees, Ben Cleveland, and new veteran Josh Jones, it seems as though two of them will be the starting guard duo sandwiching Tyler Linderbaum in at center. Fresh off an injury that delayed his pro debut by a year, Vorhees should be the favorite to start at left guard.
Andrew Vorhees will likely start for the Baltimore Ravens
Vorhees was regarded as a player who could have been picked in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft if he had not torn his ACL at the NFL Combine. The Ravens could view Vorhees as an extra draft pick this year, and they seem very excited to get him on the field.
The Ravens wouldn’t roll out an offensive line featuring Vorhees with a win-now veteran like Derrick Henry in the backfield unless they had a solid gold plan to build him a worthwhile offensive line. If this new alignment works, the Ravens could end up with multiple high-end starters on rookie deals for the next few seasons.
