Schisler: “Owen Wright came to life in the fourth quarter, starring in the touchdown drive early in the fourth quarter. He had a 38-yard sprint, caught a pass to get inside the 5-yard line, and finished the drive with a touchdown. Wright took advantage of his heavy workload. Aside from a dropped pass, he impressed and made a final plea for a job in September. If not in Baltimore, somewhere.
NFL.com’s Michael Baca: “Running back Owen Wright might have secured a spot on the roster with 89 yards and a TD run on just 12 carries.”
It would be surprising to see Wright included in the Ravens’ 53-man roster while fellow undrafted rookie Keaton Mitchell is also in the running, but it’s also a huge achievement to be included in the practice squad.
Almost consensus between the 53-man squad forecasts
Early in the season, the Ravens engaged in some exciting roster battles between the role of No. 2 quarterback, starting at left guard, and depth as wide receiver and cornerback. After a few signings, a few short-term injuries and a full training camp, there seems to be near consensus among media outlets as to who the Ravens will have in their 53-man roster.
ESPN’s Jamison Hensley, The Baltimore Banner’s Jonas Shaffer and The Baltimore Sun’s Brian Wacker have little variance between their roster predictions and are on the same page across all major competitions.
Tyler Huntley on Josh Johnson for QB2
Hensley: “There’s a question mark surrounding the No. 2 quarterback job, although clearly Huntley was better than Johnson. But the Ravens have been looking to up the backup job all season and haven’t ruled out Johnson winning the contest after his strong showing in the second preseason game.”
Shaffer: “Huntley, who is still limited by a hamstring injury, has only been at practice as an observer for the past week. His athleticism and accuracy – plus the two weeks it takes him to recover for the first week – could give him a shot at 37th place. Year-old Johnson, who made another impressive start (6-for-9, 95 yards and a touchdown) after a starter game against the Washington Commanders.
Wacker: “The 37-year-old, who is on his 14th NFL team, had started training a long time to get into the roster and his odds probably still don’t look good. But he gave Harbaugh something to think about when it comes down to it.” At least the practice team, who rushed for 95 yards and a touchdown in the 6-for-9 preseason finals. Afterward, Harbaugh spoke about the tenacity and resilience the veteran quarterback displayed as he tried to contend for a berth.
Hensley: “Mitchell, an undrafted rookie from East Carolina, really impressed with his speed and shows a lot of potential for the future. Melvin Gordon III, the former two-time Pro Bowl back, will start the season on the practice team and serve as experienced insurance for Dobbins and Edwards.”
Shaffer: “Mitchell returned from a minor shoulder injury on Monday to attend both practice sessions last week, but he was ruled out of Saturday’s game. Even if the undrafted free agent is only an option, his cheap rookie contract could be an advantage.” Of the Ravens’ lead running backs, only Hill is signed beyond this season.
Wacker: “Mitchell trained last week after returning from a minor shoulder injury but didn’t play on Saturday, despite being dressed for the game and having played on special teams and occasionally in the backcourt in the first two preseason games. It’s likely.” That bodes well for the speedy, undrafted rookie free agent from East Carolina, who’s also available cheaply.”
Hensley: “With a strong previous season, Wallace held the last receiver spot.”