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Three Ravens
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For the first time in a post-Harbaugh world , the Ravens will take the field against the Eagles this Saturday in their first preseason matchup of the year. It's currently unclear who will play and how much, but two rookies and one veteran need to take this game seriously and treat it as the real deal. Ja'Kobi Lane and Vega Ioane have their roster spots secured , but they are yet to face a defense as powerful as Philadelphia 's. Going into his 10th season in the NFL and second with the Ravens, Chidobe Awuzie can carve out a bigger role for himself than anticipated with the recent injury to Nate Wiggins .
Rookies get their first lick at NFL action
Vega Ioane and Ja'Kobi Lane have emerged as the brightest rookies from the Ravens' 2026 draft class. During Thursday's press conference, head coach Jesse Minter said that Ioane will play " some on Saturday night ," but did not clarify how much that truly entails.
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While he's not necessarily at risk of losing a roster spot, Ioane's development in live-game scenarios is still worth monitoring. Listed as the starting right guard in the first iteration of the depth chart, it's clear that he was drafted into an organization that believes in his talents and the value he brings to the table.
Drafted in the third round out of USC, Ja'Kobi Lane may be surpassing the expectations laid out for him. Currently sitting behind Rashod Bateman on the depth chart , if Lane excels in the preseason and early in the regular season, the opportunity to overtake Bateman as the No. 2 receiver will certainly arise.
"A rookie third-round pick, Lane's roster spot was secure. However, it's looking more and more like he's going to be on the field a lot for the Ravens when the regular season begins," Jeff Zrebiec wrote . "He's authoring one of the more impressive training camps for a Ravens rookie in recent memory."
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Jul 29, 2026; Ownings Mills, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane (6) stretches during practice at the Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images
Veteran cornerback hoping to have bounce-back year
Chidobe Awuzie is coming off a year in which he recorded zero turnovers and seven pass deflections. After Nate Wiggins went down with an injury earlier in the week, the alarms started to sound for a secondary that allowed the fourth-most passing yards in the league .
"[Chidobe Awuzie] this guy has played a ton of football at a really high level. I think he's had a great camp up to this point," Jesse Minter said .
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While Wiggins' injury is not as severe as many initially thought, he will still miss some time, opening up the possibility for Awuzie to step in and earn a starting role in Wiggins' absence.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Aug 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
