Three competitions to key in on for the Ravens’ mandatory minicamp this week.
The Baltimore Ravens gather for mandatory minicamp on Tuesday and there’s a host of roles players will be vying for. In unique circumstance, the majority of the Ravens’ top players are returning, yet many important positions will be sifted through to find the starters.
Starting Left Guard
The left guard role has been a revolving door for a few years. It hasn’t been a bad rotation — especially when they had Mekari throughout the years to be a sixth-man before seizing the role in 2024, it’s been a cycle of players.
- 2024: Patrick Mekari
- 2023: John Simpson
- 2022: Ben Powers
- 2021: Powers/Mekari
- 2020: D.J. Fluker/Mekari/Bozeman
Once more, it will be a competition as the Jacksonville Jaguars signed Mekari to a three-year, $37.5 million deal.
The current favorite is expected to be Andrew Vorhees, who many anticipated being the starter last season. He was the Week 1 starter but a combination of poor play and an ankle injury opened the door for Mekari to seize the role for himself as Vorhees rehabilitated the injury and learned from the veteran.
Vorhees isn’t competing unopposed, with fifth-year Ben Cleveland attempting to earn a starting role.
Cleveland, a third round pick in 2021, has long been a player many have optimism for. His size and production when he does play in games has flashed, but consistency and earning the role has been a tall task.
There’s also the potential for Cleveland to face league discipline after he was arrested on Feb. 12 for driving under the influence and failure to dive within a single lane.
No. 3 Safety
The Ravens’ safety unit was all but secured this offseason with the addition of first-round pick Malaki Starks and Ar’Darius Washington signing his tender offer. But Washington suffered a torn Achilles on May 13 and is unlikely to play until late in the 2025, if at all.
This injury has given critical rotational snaps for the No. 3 safety role for either of the younger safeties, Sanoussi Kane and Beau Brade.
According to WNST’s Luke Jones, Kane is a player to keep an eye on during minicamp.
“Sanoussi Kane, who was a late-round safety that they drafted last year, played special teams, kind of had a body that looked like a strong safety/linebacker,” Jones said. “He slimmed down, and John Harbaugh was kind of over-the-top the other day. It was a little more praise than usual, talking about Sanoussi Kane, who, like I said, I think he’s in better shape as for what the role might be for him that they’re asking him to play. Of their internal options, I think Sanoussi Kane is someone to at least keep an eye on.”
As Jones said, Harbaugh was giving him props after OTAs on June 11.
“I saw [Sanoussi Kane] flashing today,” Harbaugh said. “You saw it too, right? Flying around, showing up where he’s supposed to show up. I think he’s taken a big step this year. It’s starting to look like he could be that guy, maybe play that role as a third safety, perhaps. [He’s] got a long way to go still, but he’s looking like he’s got a shot.”
However, both Jones and The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec both are all but expecting a veteran safety addition before it’s all said and done.
“It’s possible the team’s No. 3 safety in September isn’t currently on the roster,” Zrebiec wrote. “There are quite a few free-agent safeties still available, including Justin Simmons, Julian Blackmon and Quandre Diggs.”
“I still think when it’s all said and done if you asked me to bet a dollar, they’re going to sign a veteran safety to add to the mix,” Jones said.
Kicker
Hearty competition will follow the two rookie kickers this offseason as both sixth-round pick Tyler Loop and undrafted John Hoyland will kick for the starting job this season. As it stands, Loop is the favorite after the team spent their first-ever draft pick on a kicker, but the decision will come down to who performs best in training camp and the preseason.
The competition has been as fierce as a kicking competition can be. Both Loop and Hoyland have done well but stumbled. Most notably, Loop went 4 of 9 last week (all misses from 50+) in the presence of owner Steve Bisciotti. This occurring a day after Hoyland went 6-for-6 on his attempts.
This is the most open and notable competition for the Ravens. The winner will be the player they can count on most in 2025 and beyond.