Ravens Week 11 Rookie Report: Wiggins’ role continues to grow; Rosengarten passes toughest test to date

The first-round cornerback out-snapped a starter while the second-round tackle held his own against a former Defensive Player of the Year.

The Baltimore Ravens faced the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 11 and received significant contributions from several members of their 2024 rookie class.

Though only four of the team’s nine draft picks dressed for the game, their first two selections played major roles in Baltimore’s failed comeback attempt. The Ravens have now lost eight of their last nine meetings with the Steelers, including the last four straight.

Fourth-round wide receiver Devontez Walker, fifth-round running back Rasheen Ali and sixth-round center Nick Samac were all inactive for Sunday’s game. Undrafted rookie safety Beau Brade was active for the fifth time in the last six games for special teams duties.

Here is how the first-year players fared in their latest taste of regular season NFL action.

---

CB Nate Wiggins

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Wiggins’ role on defense continued to expand in Week 11. His 62 snaps were his second-most of the season and edged out fourth-year pro Brandon Stephens, who has started every game this season. The 30th overall pick was suffocating in coverage, only allowing four yards on three targets.

Wiggins’ only negative play was a questionable defensive holding penalty that negated a Nnamdi Madubuike sack on the final drive of the first half. Aside from that, he continues to be a tremendous asset to a Ravens secondary that is starting to round into shape changes at safety and outside cornerback. He finished with two total tackles including a solo stop and showed a better understanding of route concepts behind him in coverage.

OT Roger Rosengarten

Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

Rosengarten quietly had another solid all-around game in his eight start at right tackle. The second-round rookie passes his toughest test to date, surrendering just one pressure all game despite constant matchups with All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt, per Pro Football Focus. Rosengarten’s 2.8% pressure rate allowed was the third-lowest among rookie linemen in Week 11 (min. 10 snaps).

While Rosengarten has come a long way as a run-blocker, he had a major gaffe on Sunday that resulted in a negative play for the offense. On a 2nd-and-3 in the third quarter, he didn’t pick up Watt who crashed the backside of the play to tackle Derrick Henry for a loss of three yards. That put the Ravens in third and long, which they’d overcome to still finish with points on the drive.

OLB Adisa Isaac

Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images

After being a healthy scratch for the past six games, Isaac was active for his second career game and his first appearance since Week 4. The third-rounder played just eight snaps – four each on defense and special teams. Even though his defensive snaps primarily came on early downs, Isaac still made an exceptional play in the passing game. He recorded his first career pass deflection by mirroring Russell Wilson in the backfield and batting down the veteran quarterback’s attempted pass.

DB Sanoussi Kane

Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images

Kane has been active every game this season, but played exclusively on special teams for the ninth time. The seventh-round pick was penalized for a block in the back that forced the Ravens offense to start from inside their own 20-yard line. He later left the game in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. Kane continues to be a core special teams contributor with 24 snaps, tying inside linebacker Kristian Welch for the second-most on the team.

DB Beau Brade

Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images

For the fifth time in the last six weeks, the undrafted rookie safety out of Maryland was active on game day for special teams duties. He played 18 snaps for the second week in a row, which tied for his second-most of the season.