The Baltimore Ravens take on the Chicago Bears in the 2018 Hall of Fame Game, but what should fans be watching for from Baltimore?
On Thursday night, the Baltimore Ravens will take on the Chicago Bears in the 2018 Hall of Fame Game. Ravens fans should be excited for this one, as should every NFL fan as it means that football is back.
All the offseason moves, along with the epic 2018 draft by general manager Ozzie Newsome in his farewell season, has the Hall of Fame Game filled with as much anticipation as any preseason football game ever.
With high hopes for the upcoming season, here’s what you should be watching for from the Ravens in this matchup.
1. The Tight End Battle
The first look at the depth chart released by the Ravens shows six tight ends fighting for about four — maybe five — roster spots. Not to mention, the starting job is still wide open. The depth chart shows Nick Boyle and Maxx Williams being the early favorites, but there is a lot of practice and preseason football to be played.
Boyle has the most reps with the first team as the much anticipated second-rounder Williams hasn’t proven he can stay healthy. Vince Mayle is at the three spot with two talented rookies behind him.
Hayden Hurst is the guy the Ravens drafted in the first round in 2018. He is the Ravens’ hopeful heir to the throne. Mark Andrews was selected in the third round out of Oklahoma. Andrews is the better blocker, while Hurst is the better receiver.
However, tight end is a difficult position for a rookie to walk in and have immediate success. They will have to prove they understand the route tree and all the blocking schemes before Harbaugh trusts either enough to put them on the field in the regular season.
The final spot is occupied by the 23-year old undrafted free agent Nick Keizer out of Grand Valley State. The tight end position is wide open, and the Ravens need one of these guys to step up and be a star.
2. Orlando Brown Jr.
Regardless of who is taking snaps at the end of this season, the Ravens must continue to improve in pass protection, especially at the tackle positions. The Ravens tried to address the issue in this year’s draft. Orlando Brown Jr. could be the steal of the draft. All pre-combine mock drafts had Brown going in the first round as the top one or two tackles off the board, but Brown had a historically terrible Combine. This result caused Brown to fall to Baltimore in the third round.
Keep an eye on the right side of that offensive line. The Ravens need to find some consistency at right tackle. If Brown can prove his Combine numbers don’t matter by producing on the field, he may overtake James Hurst for the No. 1 spot at right tackle on the depth chart.
3. The QB Battle
In case you haven’t heard, the Ravens selected a quarterback in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Teams don’t draft players in the first round they expect to sit on the bench. No matter how bad we love it or hate it, all indication points to Joe Flacco’s days being numbered. Even if you don’t like the draft pick, the Raven’s hopeful quarterback of the future gives us a reason to watch preseason football.
Former Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson will make his NFL preseason debut on Thursday. This guy is so much fun to watch. He is probably the fastest quarterback since Michael Vick. He loves making plays with his feet and is a capable passer as well. Robert Griffin III has also signed with the Ravens this offseason. He will be fighting for a roster spot at the backup quarterback position with Lamar Jackson.