Looking at the Baltimore Ravens' latest tryouts and what they could mean for the roster.
Most teams bring players in for tryouts to bolster depth and competition, and the Baltimore Ravens are no different.
Per the NFL's official transaction wire, the Ravens tried out a trio of linebackers:
Jacobs, Curtis LB Penn State
Johnson, Jamon LB Kentucky
Turner, Ezekiel LB Washington
Though trying out players may or may not be looked at as concerning, these players being brought in may point to a much bigger issue.
Thus far through training camp, one of the players who has not participated has been linebacker Teddye Buchanan. Granted, he did tear his ACL late in the 2025 season.
Ravens head coach Jesse Minter indicated that Buchanan was on the mend and stated that he was "farther along" than defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike. That has not been the case, as Madubuike was removed from the PUP list and has since been back at practice.
Madubuike is still dealing with individual drills, and he has not been involved in team activities just yet, but he has returned. Buchanan has not.
With Baltimore bringing in the trio of linebackers for a tryout, could this point to a deeper issue with the health and recovery of Buchanan?
These may be simply some depth moves, as is the case for teams searching for additions in training camp and through preseason games.
Regarding the linebackers brought in, none have yet to be signed. That could also be a good or bad thing when looking at the grand scheme of the tryouts.
Jacobs went undrafted in 2024 and found himself joining the practice squads for many teams, including the Kansas City Chiefs, Tennessee Titans, New England Patriots, and more. He also spent the 2026 season with the UFL DC Defenders.
In 10 games with the Defenders, Jacobs picked up 43 total tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack, and one fumble recovery.
Johnson went undrafted in 2025 and joined the Green Bay Packers in the same year. He appeared in two games with one start, securing 10 total tackles and one pass defended.
Turner is the most experienced of the three, having originally joined the Arizona Cardinals in 2018 after also going undrafted. He spent six seasons with the Cardinals and would join several other NFL teams.
Turner's most recent team was the Detroit Lions, where he spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons. He has appeared in 90 games, with three starts over the last seven seasons.
Turner is also a former defensive back who changed into a linebacker. He has three career interceptions, 0.5 sacks, and 93 total tackles.
Minter and general manager Eric DeCosta may just be looking for some depth players that might also not make the 53-man roster when all is said and done, but the lack of updates on Buchanan does seem a bit strange.
Either way, the Ravens have yet to sign any new players as of Friday.
