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2021 NFL preseason, Week 3: What we learned from Saturday’s games - Kevin Patra

Lamar Jackson shakes off rust in brief outing. Baltimore set the NFL record with their 20th straight preseason win, but it might have come at a massive cost after RB J.K. Dobbins went down with a knee injury on the first series. The Ravens played their starters on the opening drive, including Jackson. Out of the gate, No. 8 looked good, zipping a pass to Mark Andrews, then laying a perfect ball deep to Andrews for 23 yards. Jackson was sacked twice before swiftly exiting after Dobbins’ injury on the first drive. The former MVP quarterback, however, got to shake off any rust, and the connection with his favorite tight end looked in midseason form. Backup Tyler Huntley balled out the rest of the way. Huntley showed that if Jackson goes down, he could be a fun fill-in flashing with both his arm and legs. Everything for the undrafted QB worked out. Deep shot. Scrambles. Quick strikes. Outside the numbers. Over the middle. The 23-year-old was an explosion in a bottle. Elsewhere, left tackle Ronnie Stanley returned from his season-ending injury, playing 10 snaps. The Pro Bowler looked good on the move. His health is enormous for the Baltimore offense heading into the 2021 campaign.

NFL Preseason Week 3 Game Recap: Baltimore Ravens 37, Washington Football Team 3 - Sam Monson

Binjimin Victor had an impressive game, catching all five targets sent his way from Huntley for 85 yards and a touchdown. He showed impressive body control and some run-after-the-catch skills.

The Ravens will have been hoping to see more from Odafe Oweh, their first-round rookie, given how much playing time he was given. Oweh played 21 snaps, 17 of which were pass rushes, but he managed just one solitary pressure pending review.

Oweh was working against a quarterback getting rid of the ball quickly for much of the time, but he still failed to show much in the way of quickly won reps.

Baltimore played their starters for a period, and Patrick Queen flashed playmaking ability on his time on the field. He played 16 total snaps, and four of them were pass rushes on the blitz.

Queen recorded two pressures on those four rushes, including a hit on the quarterback that forced an incomplete pass on a third-down play early in the game.

Cornerback Chris Westry was the most targeted player in the secondary, seeing seven passes thrown his way and giving up three catches for 36 yards, each catch resulting in a first down.

Stock Watch: Ravens vs. Washington Football Team Preseason 3 - Ryan Mink

WR James Proche II

Proche has been the Ravens’ best wide receiver in practices this summer but he hadn’t done much in the first two preseason games, leading to questions about whether he could produce in NFL games. He put those questions to rest with a 20-yard touchdown in which he posterized a Washington defender. Proche didn’t treat it as a big deal, saying it’s a play he’s made 1,000 times before. He finished with four catches for 52 yards and looks like a player who could make an early offensive impact, especially if his fellow wideouts are still on the mend.

RB Ty’Son Williams

After Dobbins went down, Williams stepped up, ripping off a 22-yard run as one of four carries (for 42 yards) before getting the hook. Gus Edwards, who also looked good with a 21-yard rumble on the opening drive, would assume the lead running back duties and Williams could be the No. 2 back if he beats out Justice Hill, who is still recovering from an ankle injury.

Five things we learned from the Ravens’ 37-3 preseason win over the Washington Football Team - Childs Walker

Some business remains unsettled in the Ravens’ deepest position group.

Not many position battles remained open going into the final preseason game, but some intrigue lingered around the final few spots in the secondary, even after the Ravens traded fifth-round pick Shaun Wade.

Would diminutive safety Ar’Darius Washington continue his roster push or would it be cornerback Nigel Warrior? Would 6-foot-4 cornerback Chris Westry stay ahead of the competition after turning so many heads in training camp?

No one landed a knockout blow Saturday evening. Warrior played the best game, stuffing a wide receiver screen and finishing with four tackles. Washington did not stand out as a playmaker the way he has in previous outings. Westry didn’t have his best game either, giving up three catches on seven targets, according to Pro Football Focus, but he didn’t play himself out of a spot. His size makes him an intriguing developmental prospect.

The Ravens certainly regard this as a good problem: competition too close to call at a position group they prize above all others on defense. Whichever way they go to hit the 53-man roster deadline Tuesday afternoon, they’ll hope to stash the players they cut on their practice squad.

Projecting the Ravens’ final 53-man roster: Injuries make the task tougher than normal - Jeff Zrebiec

Offensive line (9)

In: Ronnie Stanley, Bradley Bozeman, Kevin Zeitler, Alejandro Villanueva, Tyre Phillips, Ben Cleveland, Ben Powers, Patrick Mekari, Trystan Colon

Out: Ben Bredeson, Michael Schofield, Adrian Ealy, Foster Sarell

Non-football injury list: Ja’Wuan James

Toughest decision: Who to keep for the ninth offensive line spot.

Bottom line: After a summer of juggling up front and dealing with injuries, the Ravens seem to be pretty set with a top eight of (in no particular order) Stanley, Bozeman, Zeitler, Villanueva, Powers, Cleveland, Phillips and Mekari. It’s not impossible they could look to upgrade via a late summer trade and specifically target a swing tackle. Powers (if he’s not starting at left guard) or Mekari would ultimately be in jeopardy if that happens, but it’s hard to say they are now. The Ravens also could keep just eight offensive linemen, but that seems unwise. Developing young players up front will be critical to the team’s success in the present and future, so why not use an extra roster spot on one? The nod here goes to Colon, who could back up Bozeman at center and allow Mekari to concentrate on backing up at four other spots. It would be foolish, though, to dismiss the chances of Bredeson, who has actually played pretty well in the games; and Schofield, just because he has NFL tackle experience.