Baltimore Ravens: Way Too Early 53-Man Roster Prediction
By Joe Serpico
The Baltimore Ravens roster is largely set following the 2016 NFL Draft. Here is our prediction at what the 53-man roster will look like heading into the 2016 season.
The Ravens begin their rookie minicamp Thursday and it will be our first look at the makeup of the squad. Many of the new veterans will not be in attendance for this minicamp, but Ronnie Stanley and the rest of the 2016 draft class will be on hand.
This draft class is average in my eyes, despite what the national media is saying about the job Ozzie Newsome did. I felt entering this draft that they needed two or three guys that could step on the field right away and make an impact. I could be wrong, and that’s why I am not a NFL GM.
With that in mind, I am putting on my GM cap and trying to put this roster together.
Some of the roster decisions are simple to make, but I did struggle rounding out the roster. I had 48 players make the team without thinking twice about it. The other five players were tough to choose from as it’s hard to predict how some of the fringe players do this offseason. There are always camp surprises to look out for and until we see them on the field, it’s really a guessing game as to who makes the team.
Baltimore is coming off a season in which injuries derailed them. Some of the Ravens biggest stars are rehabbing from injury and if they cannot start the season on time, this group will change. Joe Flacco, Justin Forsett, Terrell Suggs and Steve Smith should all be ready when the games count, but you cannot eliminate the possibility of a setback. Dennis Pitta is once again a storyline to watch entering the season.
It’s tough to make a guess at how the team will look this early in the offseason with so many unknowns. With that said, here is a very early prediction at how the final 53-man roster will look at the end of the preseason.
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