BALTIMORE — Ravens coach John Harbaugh will have much to evaluate when he reviews the film of his team’s 16-13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday night in the first preseason game.
Here are players who performed well and those who struggled:
Standouts
Cornerback Nate Wiggins — The rookie first-round pick was targeted by Eagles quarterback Kenny Pickett but responded by breaking up three straight passes on the opening drive. Wiggins added a swagger to the defense. He had to leave the game in the third quarter with a shoulder injury and his status is uncertain. “I don’t really have any updates on anybody’s status right now,” Harbaugh said. The hope is that the injury is not long-term because several other cornerbacks — Arthur Maulet (knee), Trayvon Mullen (shoulder) and rookie T.J. Tampa (sports hernia) — are out.
Inside linebacker Trenton Simpson — The second-year player from Clemson showed that he is ready to step into the starting lineup for Patrick Queen, who signed with Pittsburgh. Simpson finished with a game-high 11 tackles. He also wore the green dot to relay the play calls to the defense. It was a big step for a young player.
Cornerback/returner Pepe Williams — With Deonte Harty sidelined, William was the starting returner and averaged 27 yards on three returns. On defense, Williams had a 10-yard sack when he ran through a gap and took down Pickett.
Running back Owen Wright — The second-year player got the start and had a 12-yard gain on his first carry and then caught a 17-yard pass on the next play. Wright finished with 33 yards on seven carries. He also showed that he can contribute to special teams.
Offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten — The rookie second-round pick didn’t start, but he entered on the second series and played 18 snaps. It was an encouraging performance, and he is in the mix for the starting job.
Offensive lineman Ben Cleveland — With Tyler Linderbaum out with an injury, Cleveland moved from guard to center and did a solid job snapping the ball. Cleveland can boost his status if he can play with that type of versatility. He is a free agent at the end of the season.
Strugglers
Quarterback Josh Johnson — Harbaugh said that he is confident that the veteran quarterback can be the main backup to Lamar Jackson, but there are still questions about whether Johnson can effectively run the offense. He was just 4-for-12 for 62 yards and a 51.4 rating. He also struggled to avoid tackles.
Young wide receivers — Rookie Dayon Wade led the Ravens with four catches for 27 yards, but he also had a drop that cost the team a first down. The rest of this group, including Sean Ryan, Keith Kirkwood, Isaiah Washington, and Malik Cunningham, were underwhelming and face an uphill battle to make the final roster.
Running back Rasheen Ali — The rookie fifth-round pick had 10 carries for 26 yards (2.6 yards per carry) and didn’t outplay Wright for the spot as the third running back. His biggest play was a second-quarter kickoff return for 31 yards, but he nearly fumbled the ball — an issue that plagued him in college.
Guard Daniel Faalele — The fourth-year player looked like he had trouble adjusting to the switch from tackle to guard and was a bit slow picking up pass rushers. He also was called for a false-start penalty. The Ravens, though, like his potential and they will give him every opportunity to improve.
Offensive tackle Julian Pearl — The undrafted rookie gave up a sack when Nolan Smith ran straight through to take down Devin Leary. Pearl played 19 snaps, but he did not separate himself from the rest of the young offensive lineman trying to make the team.
