The Baltimore Ravens open the regular season on Sept. 13 against the Cleveland Browns, boasting one of the NFL's most talented rosters with 11 returning Pro Bowl players from last season's 14-2 team.
The biggest question facing the Ravens: Will a 16-year streak end? Baltimore has had at least one undrafted rookie on its Week 1 roster since 2004 (returner B.J. Sams began the streak and extended through last season with center Patrick Mekari and linebacker Otaro Alaka).
Based on this 53-man projection, this impressive run continues at the game's most important position.
QUARTERBACK (3): Lamar Jackson, Robert Griffin III, Tyler Huntley
The expectation is the Ravens are going to keep three quarterbacks for a third straight season. Jackson's groin injury in training camp, which caused him to miss two practices, underscores the need to have depth at this position. Griffin hasn't been sharp this summer, but his experience makes him the most dependable safety net. One of the more interesting camp battles was the No. 3 quarterback spot. Without spring workouts and preseason games, it was going to be an uphill climb for Huntley, an undrafted rookie out of Utah. But Huntley has outplayed Trace McSorley and has shown a better arm. The Ravens would likely try to stash McSorley on the practice squad if they go with Huntley, who has the best shot of any undrafted rookie to survive Baltimore's final major cutdown.
RUNNING BACK (4): Mark Ingram, J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, Justice Hill.
Barring a trade, the Ravens will carry four tailbacks on their season-opening roster for the first time in John Harbaugh's 12 seasons in Baltimore. Ingram remains the starter, and Dobbins has flashed throughout camp, especially in the passing game. They make a formidable 1-2 punch. Edwards, a 700-yard rusher in each of the past two seasons, provides excellent depth to a Baltimore offense that ran the ball 98 more times than any other team in the league last season. Hill, who has missed a chunk of camp with a soft-tissue injury, will have to bide his time this season.
WIDE RECEIVER (6): Marquise Brown, Willie Snead, Miles Boykin, Devin Duvernay, Chris Moore, James Proche.
Brown, Boykin and Snead are the clear top three wide receivers on the team. Proche, a rookie sixth-round pick, is the favorite to win the returner job. Moore, a core special teams player, has been sidelined with a broken finger but should be ready for the regular season. It looks like the bubble for Jaleel Scott, a fourth-round pick in 2018, has burst. He's had such a frustrating camp that he tossed his helmet into a wooded area around the practice field after one incompletion.
TIGHT END (4): Mark Andrews, Nick Boyle, Jerell Adams, Patrick Ricard (FB)
The Ravens have never fully replaced Hayden Hurst, a former first-round pick who was traded to the Atlanta Falcons this offseason. Baltimore is still in good shape with Andrews, who is coming off a Pro Bowl season, and Boyle, a top blocker and underrated pass-catcher. The Ravens could decide to go with just two tight ends because Ricard is so versatile. But Adams gets one of the last spots because of his blocking and special teams contributions.
OFFENSIVE LINE (8): Ronnie Stanley, Orlando Brown Jr., Bradley Bozeman, D.J. Fluker, Matt Skura, Patrick Mekari, Tyre Phillips, and Ben Bredeson
If Phillips can win the starting right guard job, Fluker can become the backup tackle, which means Baltimore doesn't have to carry a ninth offensive lineman like Will Holden or Parker Ehinger. And, if Skura wins the starting center job, Baltimore will have essentially the same starting lineup as last year - minus Pro Bowl guard Marshal Yanda. Stanley and Brown return as Pro Bowl tackles, and Bozeman is back at left guard. Ben Powers, a fourth-round pick from a year ago, might have played himself off the 53-man roster after struggling this summer.
DEFENSIVE LINE (6): Brandon Williams, Calais Campbell, Derek Wolfe, Justin Ellis, Justin Madubuike, Broderick Washington.
Campbell has been dominant in training camp and represents a significant upgrade on Baltimore's veteran defensive front, which includes the free-agent addition of Wolfe and the move of Williams to nose tackle. Ellis, who is expected to back up Williams, gives the Ravens much-needed experienced depth. Madubuike, a rookie third-round pick, has shown a lot of upside, while Washington has had some growing pains as a fifth-rounder.
LINEBACKER (9): Matthew Judon, Patrick Queen, L.J. Fort, Pernell McPhee, Tyus Bowser, Malik Harrison, Jaylon Ferguson, Chris Board, Jihad Ward.
There's been speculation that the Ravens will bring in a pass-rusher like Jadeveon Clowney, but he still is likely out of Baltimore's price range. If the Ravens stand pat, they'll have the same exact outside linebacker group from last season: Judon, McPhee, Bowser, Ferguson and Ward. On the inside, the Ravens can pair first-round pick Queen with a veteran (Fort) or another rookie (Harrison). Alaka, who made the team last season as an undrafted rookie, is on the bubble.
SECONDARY (10): Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Peters, Chuck Clark, DeShon Elliott, Tavon Young, Jimmy Smith, Anthony Averett, Anthony Levine, Jordan Richards and Geno Stone.
Even with the release of safety Earl Thomas, the Ravens will keep more defensive backs than any other position. At safety, Clark and Elliott are the starters, and Levine and Richards make the team as backups because of their value on special teams. Stone, a seventh-rounder who has been quiet all summer, gets stashed because Baltimore doesn't like to part ways with rookie draft picks. The Ravens have one of the deepest cornerback groups in the league with Humphrey, Peters, Young, Smith and Averett. Smith can also play safety in certain packages.
SPECIALIST (3): Justin Tucker, Sam Koch, Morgan Cox
In their ninth season together, they've combined for seven Pro Bowls. That's quality consistency.