Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens selected Alabama A&M OT Carson Vinson with the No. 141 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

Carson Vinson is a four-year starter at left tackle inside Alabama A&M's balanced (52-48 run-pass split) multiple run scheme. Vinson has a large frame with good arm length, solid athletic ability and above average raw strength.

Vinson wins as a run blocker using his big body, long arms and heavy hands to deliver jolt on contact and wall off defenders long enough to secure rush lanes on angle-drive, down and cut-off blocks. He brings a physical, tone-setting demeanor with the raw strength and power to torque much smaller defenders in the SWAC late in the rep for knockdowns. While Vinson is able to win most engagements with sheer size, raw strength and an aggressive mindset, he shows rudimentary footwork, hand placement and high pad level that leads to him regularly leaning into contact and being overextended. Vinson has solid movement skills to close space on targets in the screen game and on pulls but struggles lining up backers on his climbs due to either being too short or far over with his angles.

In pass protection Vinson is a work in progress and ball of clay that has the needed size, quickness and raw strength to deliver jolt on contact and blot out poor competition in the SWAC on most reps. He still will get caught flat-footed and high against speed to power while also leaning and overextending when rushers get to his edges. Vinson also struggled mightily against the lone Power five opponent in 2024 (Auburn) regularly being edged and put into compromising positions.

Overall, Vinson has the foundational physical tools and demeanor to develop into a quality backup and possible starter down the road at tackle or guard but needs significant work with his footwork, hands and overall use of leverage to consistently sustain blocks in the NFL. His performance at the Senior Bowl will go a long ways in either quieting some of these concerns or making them even more obvious.

MEASUREMENT AND WORKOUT RESULTS

HEIGHT: 6'7"

WEIGHT: 314

HAND: 10¼"

ARM: 34½"

WINGSPAN: 84⅜"

40-YARD DASH: 5.12

3-CONE: N/A

SHUTTLE: 4.85

VERTICAL: 28.5"

BROAD: 9'3"

POSITIVES

— Thick, rugged build with good length and heavy hands.

— Plays with a physical, aggressive mentality. Looking to set the tone and punish defenders when engaged.

— Solid movement skills with the quickness and burst to get to his spots and intersect targets on screens and pulls.

— Delivers jolt on contact with the grip strength to maintain his latch through shed attempts.

NEGATIVES

— Upright playing style with persistently high pad level.

— Shaky sustain skills due to high pads and wide hands that results in him regularly getting overextended and falling off blocks.

— Erratic aiming points and angles leave him off target and easily slipped against backers on his climbs.

— Had a poor performance against the one Division I opponent on the schedule in 2024 (Auburn).

NOTES

— Born Nov. 13, 2001

— 2-star recruit from the 2020 class, per 247Sports

— 2024 First Team All-SWAC selection

— 48 career starts at left tackle

— Accepted his invite to the 2025 Senior Bowl

GRADE: 6.1 (Developmental Prospect — 5th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 209

POSITION RANK: OT17

PRO COMPARISON: Asim Richards

Written by B/R NFL Scout Brandon Thorn

The Baltimore Ravens selected Georgia S Malaki Starks with the No. 27 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

Malaki Starks is a highly athletic and instinctive safety prospect from Georgia, standing at 6'1" and weighing 205 pounds. A consensus All-American with a strong track record in one of the nation's top defenses, Starks is widely regarded as one of the top safeties in the 2025 NFL Draft. His blend of speed, physicality, and football intelligence makes him a versatile asset capable of impacting the game in multiple ways.

In coverage, Starks displays outstanding athleticism and ball skills. His quick feet allow him to transition smoothly in and out of breaks, while his burst enables him to close gaps and drive on the ball effectively. Starks excels in zone coverage, where his awareness and ability to read the quarterback allow him to position himself well in throwing lanes and maintain proper leverage on receivers. His hands are a significant asset, as he consistently demonstrates the ability to catch the ball away from his body, making him a true ball hawk in the secondary. However, when pressed against faster receivers, Starks can occasionally be a step slow in sinking his hips, leading to separation. While this is a minor concern, it's an area where further refinement could make him even more effective in man coverage.

Starks is a force in run support, showcasing quick trigger ability and physicality when coming downhill. He runs the alley with speed, effectively using his hands to shock and disengage from blockers, allowing him to make plays near or behind the line of scrimmage. Starks is a reliable tackler who drives his feet through contact, ensuring that ballcarriers are brought down with authority. His ability to engage blockers and maintain leverage makes him a valuable asset in defending the run, particularly in short-yardage situations where his toughness and technique shine.

Malaki Starks projects as a first-round pick with the potential to make an immediate impact in the NFL. His combination of athleticism, ball skills, and physicality make him a versatile safety capable of excelling in both coverage and run support. While he may need to refine his technique against faster receivers, Starks' overall skill set and football IQ give him a high ceiling as a defensive playmaker. With the ability to contribute from day one, Starks is poised to become a key player in any NFL secondary, offering the potential to develop into a Pro Bowl-caliber safety.

MEASUREMENTS AND WORKOUT RESULTS

HEIGHT: 6'1"

WEIGHT: 205

HAND: 9

ARM: 31⅝

WINGSPAN: 78⅜

POSITIVES

— Strong run defender who quickly triggers downhill, running the alley with speed and physicality.

— Uses hands well to shock and disengage from blockers. Looks to make plays on the other side of the line of scrimmage.

— Strong tackler who drives his feet through contact.

— Outstanding athlete with great ball skills. He attacks the ball in the air with strong hands to catch the ball away from his body.

— He has quick feet to get in and out of breaks, and he shows a very good burst when driving on the ball.

— Great awareness in his zone drops to get in throwing lanes, as well as keeping proper leverage on his threats.

NEGATIVES

— Can be a step slow to sink his hips at times when pressing versus faster receivers, creating separation.

NOTES

— Born Nov 13, 2003

— 5-Star recruit in the 2022 class, per 247Sports

— 2023 Consensus All-American; 2023 First-Team All-SEC

— 2022 CFP National Champion

GRADE: 8.9 (Impact Player — 1st Round)

OVERALL RANK: 4

POSITION RANK: S1

PRO COMPARISON: Jessie Bates III

Written by B/R NFL Scout Cory Giddings

The Baltimore Ravens selected Cal LB Teddye Buchanan with the No. 129 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

Teddye Buchanan made a name for himself at the NFL Scouting Combine with some impressive testing numbers. That shows up on tape, as he's a good athlete to be an effective coverage linebacker. Also, he has impressive ball skills for a linebacker, showing a knack for getting pass breakups.

However, Buchanan will struggle to make an impact against the run in the NFL. His instincts are still a work in progress, and his ability to take on blocks is below-average. Additionally, his arm length is subpar, which limits the amount of extension he can get on blocks to stack and shed.

Overall, the Cal product is worth taking a chance on at the end of the draft due to his combination of size and athleticism. He'll have to prove himself in training camp to earn a roster spot, but he should offer value on special teams to help his case.

MEASUREMENT AND WORKOUT RESULTS

HEIGHT: 6'2"

WEIGHT: 233

HAND: 9⅜”

ARM: 31⅜”

WINGSPAN: 75½”

40-YARD DASH: 4.60

3-CONE: 7.24

SHUTTLE: 4.27

VERTICAL: 40"

BROAD JUMP: 10'5"

POSITIVES

— Good athlete. Earned a 9.42 RAS at the NFL Scouting Combine.

— Solid change of direction and hip fluidity to help tighten windows when playing zone coverage or cover running backs on option routes.

— Comfortable working backwards and has the speed to play Tampa 2 coverage.

— Impressive ball skills for a linebacker. Has good hand-eye coordination and a knack for getting pass breakups or batting passes.

— Solid sideline-to-sideline speed for decent range versus outside runs and screens.

NEGATIVES

— Shaky instincts against the run. Often fits to the wrong gap and will come too far downhill to get caught in the trash.

— Not physical when taking on blocks and lacks the strength to hold his ground against offensive linemen and good blocking tight ends.

— Doesn't have much pop behind his pads and tackles high, leading to extra yards after contact against running backs.

— Eyes lock onto the quarterback in zone coverage, making it difficult to locate receivers coming into his area.

— Too quick to crash downhill on the quarterback against scramble drills and will lose his man.

NOTES

— 2-star recruit in the 2020 class, per 247Sports

— Injuries: 2019 (Broken thumb, sprained ACL in high school), 2022 (Undisclosed, missed 4 games)

— Played at UC Davis from 2020 to 2023 before transferring to Cal this past season

— 2024 First-Team All-ACC

— 2023 Second-Team All-Big Sky, Big Sky All-Academic Team

GRADE: 5.7 (Backup/Draftable — 6th-7th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 269

POSITION RANK: LB17

PRO COMPARISON: Neville Hewitt

Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder

The Baltimore Ravens added Iowa LB Jay Higgins as an undrafted free agent after the 2025 NFL draft.

Jay Higgins is a well-decorated and highly productive linebacker. He is a two-time All-American and has racked up nearly 300 tackles over the last two seasons combined. The biggest reason he's been able to put up those numbers is his relentless motor and good instincts, which allow him to be in the right spot more often than not.

As a run defender, Higgins is quick to key and diagnose gap and zone runs to beat offensive linemen to the spot and create opportunities to get unblocked tackles. This can cause him issues against read options, as he'll get over-aggressive and be out of position, but that shouldn't be as big of a problem in the NFL, where traditional handoffs are more common.

The biggest question mark about the Hawyeke's ability to play the run is how well he can stack and shed. He has solid strength and takes on blocks with his hands, but he has shorter arms, limiting how much extension he can get. That could cause him to get swallowed up by offensive linemen at the next level so he'll need to develop a move to escape.

In coverage, Higgins is best when playing zone. He has the eye discipline to locate threats and isn't a robot in coverage, recognizing opportunities where he can help teammates instead of covering grass. Also, he stays deep in his area to play it back to front and bait throws while also showing the ability to click and close.

However, he did record the slowest 40-yard dash and 10-yard split (1.64 seconds) among the linebackers who tested at the NFL Combine. So his click-and-close ability may not transfer to the NFL.

Also, Higgins shows subpart lateral movement skills on tape which causes him issues in man coverage against running backs and tight ends. With that, he'd be best as an inside linebacker in a zone-heavy scheme.

MEASUREMENTS AND WORKOUT RESULTS

HEIGHT: 6'0"

WEIGHT: 226

HAND: 9½”  

ARM: 31” 

WINGSPAN: 75"

40-YARD DASH: 4.82

3-CONE: 7.01

SHUTTLE: 4.35

VERTICAL: 33"

BROAD: 9'2"

POSITIVES

— Good size for a modern NFL linebacker.

— Has solid instincts as a run defender against traditional handoffs (non-option plays) to put himself in a position to take on blocks and beat offensive linemen to the spot.

— Physical and not afraid to come downhill and hit people, likes contact.

— Enough strength to be solid at holding ground against offensive linemen.

— Good pad level and wraps up when tackling, he had few misses in college.

— Impressive awareness and eye discipline in zone coverage to locate threats and help teammates.

— Solid at clicking and closing in coverage.

— Hustle player who factors into gang tackles down the field, constantly rallying to the ball.

NEGATIVES

— Lateral movement skills and change of direction are sub-par, leading to issues in man coverage and impacting his ability to make offensive linemen miss in the running game.

— Hips are a little stiff, making it difficult to flip his hips and take away crossing routes.

— Appears to have shorter arms, making it difficult to stack and shed against the run.

— Struggles to locate the ball against read options, often guessing and getting caught out of position.

— Occasionally doesn't bring his feet with him when tackling.

NOTES

— Born Feb. 14, 2002

— A 3-star recruit in the 2020 class, per 247Sports

— No major injuries

— 2024: First-Team All-American; Big 10 Linebacker of the Year; First-Team Big 10

— 2023: First-Team All-American; First-Team All-Big 10; Tied school record for most tackles (171)

GRADE: 6.5 (Potenial Role Player — 4th Round)

OVERALL RANK: 173

POSITION RANK: LB12

PRO COMPARISON: Micah McFadden

Written by B/R NFL Scout Matt Holder

Joe Flacco says he discussed a reunion with the Baltimore Ravens before signing with the Cleveland Browns in free agency, per Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun.

“They did kind of reach out to [my agent] Joe [Linta], gauging my interest for something like that to happen,” Flacco told Preston. “My agent called me up and was like, ‘What do you want me to tell them?’

"I’m like, ‘Well, listen, I’m interested. I don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s not like choice No. 1, I don’t know what’s going to happen here with me if I’m going to get an opportunity to do something a little bit more, but I wasn’t against it.’ I think I would’ve been excited about it in a little bit of a way.”

The Ravens ultimately signed Cooper Rush to a two-year, $6.2 million contract worth up to $12.2 million in March before Flacco joined the Browns on a one-year, $4 million deal worth up to $13 million last week.

Rush previously spent seven NFL seasons as a backup behind Dak Prescott in Dallas. He will now take the place of former Ravens QB2 Josh Johnson, who signed with the Washington Commanders this offseason.

Flacco, who was drafted by the Ravens in 2008, spent the first 11 years of his NFL career in Baltimore. He was named Super Bowl MVP after the 2012 season for leading the Ravens to victory over the San Francisco 49ers.

Overtaken by Lamar Jackson in 2018 and traded in 2019, Flacco next played for the Denver Broncos and New York Jets. After going unsigned at the beginning of the 2023 season, he joined the Browns and earned the Comeback Player of the Year award after leading the team to the playoffs.

Most recently, Flacco spent the 2024 season with the Indianapolis Colts, where he traded starts with a periodically injured or benched Anthony Richardson.

Cleveland is restocking its quarterback room as the team braces for Deshaun Watson to potentially miss the 2025 season after suffering a second tear on his right Achilles tendon.

The Browns previuosly acquired Kenny Pickett from the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a package including Dorian Thompson-Robinson.

Pickett recently told TribLive's Jerry DiPaola after Flacco's signing that his "plan" is still to start for the Browns next season. Given all players involved stay healthy, however, Flacco still has a greater shot at getting playing time in his age-40 season behind Pickett than Lamar Jackson.

The Baltimore Ravens are keeping the door open on Mark Andrews' potential exit this offseason.

Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said at Baltimore's predraft press conference that "you never know" what might happen leading up to the draft.

"His competitiveness, his talent, his attitude, his leadership is so valued here," DeCosta said, per ESPN's Jamison Hensley. "He's a great player. And I think we're in the business of keeping as many great players as we can. So, there's always a lot of unpredictability with the draft. You just never know."

While he couldn't commit to saying whether Andrews will stay with the team, DeCosta had high praise for the tight end.

"I never know what's going to happen," DeCosta said. "And I would never want to say this or that. But, I can tell you this: Mark Andrews is a warrior. He's played his butt off for us."

Andrews, who has been with the Ravens since he was drafted in 2018, is entering the final year of a four-year contract and is set to be a free agent next offseason.

The 29-year-old had 673 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns last year. While it was a career high in touchdowns, the 2024 season marked the second-lowest yards per game total, only behind his rookie year.

He also dropped a catch on a two-point conversion attempt in the divisional-round playoff matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The catch would have tied the game late in the fourth quarter, but it instead resulted in backlash from Ravens fans.

While the 2024 season wasn't his best, Andrews has had three Pro Bowl seasons and has been with quarterback Lamar Jackson his entire career. Trading him would mean parting ways with a centerpiece of the organization over the last seven years.

Two of the most famous athletes to use the No. 8 have resolved a trademark dispute over the number.

Per ESPN's Jamison Hensley, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson filed an opposition claim with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office this week to prevent NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. from using a stylized No. 8 on merchandise.

Earnhardt announced on social media on Friday that the issue has been resolved:

pic.twitter.com/uZWk8kPlcW

— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) April 4, 2025

Hensley noted that Jackson, who previously trademarked "ERA 8 by Lamar Jackson" and launched an apparel line in 2018, argued in the filing that Earnhardt's attempt to trademark would create confusion among consumers.

The No. 8 font used by Dale Earnhardt Jr. had been under trademark to Dale Earnhardt Inc., which was operated by Teresa Earnhardt, Dale Jr.'s stepmother, following Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s death at the 2001 Daytona 500.

Teresa allowed the trademark to expire on June 3, 2024, opening the door for Dale Jr. to acquire it. He addressed the possibility in a statement released on June 4:

“So there’s been this conversation on social media, online about the old DEI trademark for the No. 8. And all the things you’re reading about that for the most part are true. We have noticed that, at least as far as I know, Teresa hasn’t re-upped for that trademark. And Kelley and I both were interested in acquitting ownership of that."

The Athletic's Jeff Gluck noted Jackson wasn't challenging the particular No. 8 font that has been associated with Earnhardt. Jr. throughout his career, but rather a second version that is "also slanted but in a different font" that Jackson believed would result in consumer confusion.

This wasn't the first time that Jackson was involved in a legal dispute over No. 8. He challenged Dallas Cowboys legend Troy Aikman's attempt to use "EIGHT" on handbags and apparel last year for similar reasons.

Jackson has worn No. 8 since his freshman year at Lousiville in 2015. The two-time NFL MVP has said in the past he would change his number to one if he ever won a Super Bowl.

Earnhardt drove the No. 8 for Dale Earnhardt Inc. on the NASCAR Cup Series from 1999 to 2007, but he switched to No. 88 in 2008 after joining Hendrick Motorsports.

Since retiring as a full-time driver after the 2017 season, Earnhardt has used No. 8 when he competes in short-track events.

The road to the Super Bowl is never an easy one, and Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti candidly admitted how difficult it can be to regroup and chase a title after falling short the previous year.

The Ravens have gone 12 years since their last Super Bowl title, and two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson has a playoff record of just 3-5. Bisciotti explained that he hasn't lost faith that Jackson can lead the team back to the promised land, but he added it takes a toll to try to stay in title contention year in and year out.

"We've got a window with Lamar," Bisciotti told reporters at the NFL annual owners meeting, per NFL.com's Kevin Patra. "I know what we can do. I know that we worked to put ourselves in position to win. We all get credit for that. That's all you can do. I hate it that every year, you just have to start back over again. But you know what? This is not for the meek."

Bisciotti has owned the Ravens since 2004. While he said he appreciates the difficulty of being a perennial title contender, he feels a sense of urgency can be beneficial.

"I don't like waiting 12 years, yet I'm respectful of the fact that I've got partners (owners) downstairs that still don't have one," he said. "Impatience is good for you. I think it's healthy to a degree because you know all of us still feel it."

The Ravens are expected to be in the title conversation once again in 2025, but Bisciotti made it clear that it's not enough to simply be in the conversation.

"I want to win now," he said. "I want to win with these guys."

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh revealed that the team has held internal discussions regarding an extension for star quarterback Lamar Jackson.

“How far along that is or whatever, I don’t know,” Harbaugh said, via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. “But I definitely think it’s an obvious point that you’re making, that’s going to continue to have to be addressed, really, with all those guys. You’ve got to just kind of manage that dance — that salary-cap dance. And Lamar is the main part of that because he’s the franchise player. So, that’s a possibility I think."

"Sooner or later, it definitely is going to have to happen," he added.

Jackson previously signed a five-year, $260 million deal with Baltimore that included $185 million guaranteed during the 2023 offseason.

While Jackson has a cap hit of $43.65 million for his 2025 campaign, Baltimore will likely want to extend him and lower is upcoming identical cap hits of $74.65 million in both 2026 and 2027 (via Spotrac).

At the end of the 2024 season, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said that he would have discussions with the signal-caller regarding a restructured contract "at some point."

“Yes, we’ve seen teams do that,” DeCosta said, via Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. “And Lamar and I, we’ve had a lot of discussions about contracts over the years, and at some point, I’ll probably talk to Lamar. I’m just really happy [and] blessed to have watched him play football this year."

Jackson has established himself as one of the NFL's top players, earning MVP honors in 2019 and 2023 while finishing No. 2 in voting for the 2024 award.

He's coming off another strong season, finishing with a record of 12-5 as a starter while throwing for a career-high 4,172 yards and 41 touchdowns compared to a mere four interceptions.

Lamar's 41st passing TD of the season goes to Rashod Bateman!

📺: #CLEvsBAL on ESPN/ABC
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus and ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/waGhMrW27m

— NFL (@NFL) January 4, 2025

The 28-year-old also rushed for 915 yards and found the end zone four times on the ground.

Baltimore's 2024 season came to an end in the divisional round of the playoffs with a 27-25 loss to the Buffalo Bills, with Jackson committing two turnovers. He owns a record of just 3-5 in eight postseason starts.

Still, he's shown more than enough to warrant a new contract and it appears to be a topic of discussion for Baltimore's front office.

The Baltimore Ravens have agreed to a three-year contract extension with head coach John Harbaugh, the team announced Friday.

Harbaugh is now under contract with Baltimore through the 2028 season, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

We have reached a three-year contract extension with Head Coach John Harbaugh❗️ pic.twitter.com/cew3OWQNjn

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) March 28, 2025

The 62-year-old has been patrolling the sidelines for the Ravens since 2008, owning a 172-104 overall record with the team. Harbaugh won a Super Bowl with Baltimore during the 2012 campaign.

The Ravens are coming off a 12-5 finish last season and own the No. 27 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.

Harbaugh was initially set to enter the final season of his contract before receiving his latest extension.

His tenure with Baltimore is the second-longest among current head coaches in the NFL, only trailing Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Ravens have made the playoffs in 12 of Harbaugh's 17 years as head coach, owning a 13-11 record in 24 postseason games. He ranks No. 7 on the all-time playoff wins list among head coaches (h/t Pro Football Reference).

Harbaugh previously earned Coach of the Year honors in 2019.

Baltimore has particularly excelled as of late, owning a 25-9 record in the regular season over the past two years. The Ravens also maintained a top-10 scoring offense as well as a top-10 scoring defense in both 2023 and 2024.

Ravens have been handing business 😤 pic.twitter.com/6zMuKlueRh

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) December 26, 2024

Despite Baltimore's regular-season success, it suffered a 27-25 defeat to the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round of the playoffs last season and fell to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game during the prior year.

The Ravens have made multiple moves to bolster their offense over the offseason, re-signing star left tackle Ronnie Stanley and acquiring veteran wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins in free agency.

With Harbaugh's future secured, Baltimore will now turn its attention toward the draft.