The Ravens opened the preseason with a 23-3 victory over the Washington Redskins at M&T Bank Stadium.
The preseason is all about players competing to earn roster spots and starting jobs, and here's a rundown of how the game impacted the stock of several players:
DE Brent Urban
The fourth-year defensive end entered training camp competing for a starting job, and he's consistently worked with the first-team unit throughout the summer. He pretty much locked up that starting role Thursday night, as he was disruptive the entire time he was on the field. He pushed his way into the backfield on the opening drive to free Anthony Levine Sr. for a sack, and then he blew up a third-down run on the next possession to force a punt. Urban showed his versatility by taking a few snaps at nose tackle and he also forced a pair of fumbles. Urban had perhaps the best performance of any defender, and the starting defensive end spot looks to be in good hands.
QB Ryan Mallett
It's been an up-and-down training camp for the seventh-year quarterback, and that continued in the preseason opener. The offense never really got into a consistent rhythm, but Mallett did make some nice throws. With Joe Flacco sidelined by a back injury, Mallett played the entire first half and finished the night 9-of-18 for 58 passing yards. Mallett's play will continue to be closely watched and discussed throughout the preseason, particularly if Flacco's injury lingers. It is worth noting that the offense didn't play receivers Mike Wallace, Jeremy Maclin or Breshad Perriman, running back Danny Woodhead, tight end Benjamin Watson, and offensive linemen Marshal Yanda, Alex Lewis and Austin Howard.
**CB Jaylen Hill
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The undrafted rookie cornerback has impressed the coaches in training camp, and he seems to be climbing up the depth chart. Hill seems to consistently put himself around the football, and he did that again by coming up with an interception late in the second quarter to set up a field goal. Hill also didn't give up any big plays. The Ravens need some depth at cornerback after knee injuries to Tavon Young and Maurice Canady, and Hill is making a strong case to play himself onto the roster.
OLB Tyus Bowser
Hill was the one who came down with that second-quarter interception, but Bowser may have caused it. The second-round pick knifed through the offensive line to force a rushed throw by quarterback Colt McCoy, and he still delivered a crushing hit just as McCoy released the pass. Bowser has tremendous speed at the line of scrimmage, and he displayed it several times throughout the night. He can beat tackles around the edge with his speed, but can also sneak inside if they overcompensate for his outside moves.
OL Jermaine Eluemunor
The rookie fifth-round pick is making the most of his opportunities this summer. Many draft analysts described the Texas A&M product as "raw" when the Ravens drafted him, but his game looked refined in the opener. He got the start at left guard and performed well alongside Ronnie Stanley and Ryan Jensen. Eluemunor opened some holes in the running game and also gave Mallett good protection on pass plays. Lewis has a firm grasp on the starting left guard spot, but the Ravens likely feel confident with Eluemunor as a backup on the left and right sides.
**WR/PR Tim White
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The undrafted rookie out of Arizona State must love playing at M&T Bank Stadium. His best practice of training camp came during the open stadium practice, and he carried that into a nice outing in the opener. White had the big play of the night when he hauled in a 33-yard touchdown in the third quarter. The track star showed off his speed to gain separation from the defensive back, and he hauled in the pass from quarterback Dustin Vaughan in the front corner of the end zone. He didn't break any big gains in his reps at punt returner, but he did catch the ball cleanly and confidently. White has been one of the undrafted rookies pushing for a roster spot in camp, and he definitely helped his cause.
WR/PR Keenan Reynolds
White's third-quarter touchdown was set up by Reynolds' 43-yard punt return. The former Navy quarterback found a seam in the coverage and hit the hole perfectly as he weaved his way down the middle of the field. He nearly shook the punter to break free for the end zone, but he didn't have the angle to get out of his grasp. Reynolds' return brought big cheers from Baltimore fans and he got a hug from Head Coach John Harbaugh as he made his way to the sidelines. Reynolds is looking to stick with the Ravens after spending last year on the practice squad, and that return showed how much progress he's made in the last year.
