The Baltimore Ravens are in Minnesota this week for a pair of joint practices before their preseason matchup with the Vikings on Aug. 22. The Ravens will look to keep building after their dominant win last week against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Head coach Jesse Minter has said he expects the same group of players who were active against the Eagles to get action against the Vikings. This means we again won’t see some big names like Lamar Jackson, Zay Flowers, Derrick Henry or Kyle Hamilton, but there will be plenty to take away from this game as position battles continue and roster spots dwindle.
Here are five things to look out for in the Ravens’ second preseason game.
1. Declan Doyle will call plays from the sideline.
After calling plays from the booth last week, offensive coordinator Declan Doyle will call plays from the sidelines this week to test out what he’s more comfortable with. This is made more notable due to the game being played in Minnesota’s indoor U.S. Bank Stadium. Preseason games rarely get the same crowd noise as a regular season game, but early on when the fans are engaged it will be a good test for Doyle to call plays in a road environment.
This goes for the rest of the offense as well. The Ravens committed just three penalties all game against the Eagles. Can the offense run a smooth operation again without false starts or formation issues?
2. Will we see the same center rotation from last week?
When Ethan Pocic was signed in July, it seemed the question of who the starting center would be was finally answered. Inexperienced options Danny Pinter, Jovaughn Gwyn and Corey Bullock had spent the summer rotating starting reps, but with Pocic and his 86 career starts at the position in the building, the line was finally set. Then against the Eagles, Pinter started, Gwyn backed him up and Pocic played in the fourth quarter.
Given that Pocic was healthy enough to play, coming in last was a strange sign regarding his standing. Meanwhile, reports from Minnesota indicated that Pinter was carted off the practice field with an injury on Aug. 19. This weekend’s game should shed more light on the current center depth chart.
3. Are the Ravens already in panic mode with their kicker?
Tyler Loop missing his first field goal attempt of the preseason was the last thing special teams coordinator Anthony Levine wanted to see. Loop is under a microscope this season after missing the season-ending kick in Pittsburgh last year that set in motion the hiring of a new coaching regime in Baltimore.
After missing the 49-yard field goal last week, Loop did recover to hit three extra points and a 42-yarder, but his kicks will be watched with bated breath for the next month. The Ravens did not try out any kickers this week, and Minter mostly spoke about the way Loop bounced back from the miss in his news conference following the Eagles game. But if Loop misses again in Minnesota, the pressure will only build.
4. Can the rookies who played well last week continue to show progress?
Several offensive rookies had good games against the Eagles. Wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane, tight end Matt Hibner and wide receiver Elijah Sarratt all made nice plays in the passing game. Right guard Vega Ioane, the only starter from last week’s preseason game expected to start in the regular season, had a few big blocks. Running back Adam Randall made the most of his 12 carries, breaking tackles consistently and scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter. The Ravens’ coaching staff will hope the rookies continue to show they belong this week.
5. Young edge rushers need to shine.
While starting edge rushers Trey Hendrickson and Tavius Robinson did not play against the Eagles last week, backups Mike Green and Zion Young did, which shows Minter thinks they need game reps. Both had relatively quiet performances. They will look to create some big plays in Minnesota.
The Ravens signed Hendrickson in free agency to be the star of this group, but they want this position to be a strength of the team. In 2025, this spot was a weakness. The Ravens were tied for 28th in the NFL in sacks, with 30.
Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver has said he expects Green to improve from his rookie year when he totaled 3.5 sacks. Second-round rookie Young is fighting to show he deserves regular playing time when the calendar turns to September. Both need to contribute in meaningful ways if the pass rush is going to improve.
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