Staff reactions: Ravens release first 53-man roster

On Tuesday, the Baltimore Ravens released their first 53-man roster. Below is reaction from the Baltimore Beatdown team.

That's about as big as you can imagine. All the expert predictions I read were above 50/53. I went for 52/53 myself, FYI, but Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic had full marks.

I'm surprised I was wrong, as I expected the Ravens to pull some roster acrobatics where they would release running back Rasheen Ali, sign him to the practice squad, and then promote him since he's unlikely to see the field on anything other than special teams. But perhaps the injury would have forced them to either keep him or place him on the injured list.

The squad is really only makes sense. They filled the spots with the players they had, and few contests were either win or lose. Even the offensive line, their biggest competition for three starting positions, wasn't very successful, as the Ravens kept 10 linemen and parted ways with expected moves.

This roster is far from complete, as changes will be made over the next few days to develop the structure for Week 1 and beyond. But overall, the roster is top-heavy with its stars and ample replacements in most areas. — Kyle Phoenix

The only surprising thing about the Ravens' final 53-man roster announcement was how long it took to finally be announced. Other than that, not much stands out or comes across as surprising. Veteran Josh Johnson has established himself and inspired confidence as the uncontested No. 2 quarterback behind Lamar Jackson. After being a handshake release guy since returning to the Ravens, it was nice to see veteran defensive end Brent Urban join the team right away. I'm also glad the Ravens are keeping versatile 2023 sixth-round pick Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu as their No. 10 offensive lineman to provide additional depth, not only because he's from Alaska, but because his late position coach Joe D'Alessandris believed in what he could become. The team wasn't willing to risk losing his potential.

Undrafted rookie safety Beau Brade has earned his spot after the former Maryland star proved he should be called back up in late April with his impressive performance throughout the preseason. The opposite was true for sixth-round rookie quarterback Devin Leary, who was unsurprisingly released along with undrafted signal caller Emory Jones. Seventh-round rookie Sanoussi Kane has all the tools to be an ace on special teams for years to come. I was hoping undrafted rookie outside linebacker and team favorite Joe Evans would make the team as third-round pick Adisa Isaac is dealing with another minor leg injury, but hopefully he can be brought back up to the practice squad. Even after excelling in the preseason, undrafted rookie wide receiver Dayton Wade had little chance of making the team and ultimately didn't make the cut, but he's another young player I'd like to see on the practice squad. — Joshua Reed

This roster release was late, but mostly a no-brainer. The most notable points are that the Ravens were able to keep only two quarterbacks after having three for years since Jackson's draft. Undrafted rookie Beau Brade, local Terp and Howard County graduate and seventh-round pick Sanoussi Kane all made the roster as a safety. Brent Urban made the roster instead of being signed on a handshake. And finally, Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu made the roster despite competition and a potential reduction in the number of players.

The biggest disappointment is that wide receiver Dayton Wade is not on the roster. Aside from Tylan Wallace, Wade was by far the most consistent and flashy wide receiver in the preseason. Deonte Harty made the roster as a returner despite not showing much in training camp and the preseason and not contributing much as a receiver. Hopefully Wade can sneak through the waiver list and land on the practice squad.

The final part to consider is the transfers from here. All three, Rasheen Ali, Devontez Walker and Adisa Isaac, have been battling injuries for much of training camp. Any of them could go on injured reserve tomorrow. The Ravens will need a third running back for Week 1, as Ali's status is “questionable,” according to head coach John Harbaugh. Whether that ends up being a roster player or a practice squad player remains to be seen. — Zach Canter