The Banner Ravens Podcast

Paul Mancano and Jonas Shaffer have some fun with their downtime by drafting the Ravens’ current roster into a pair of 22-player squads. With Lamar Jackson serving as QB1 on both teams, Jonas has a bevy of options with the No. 1 overall pick. Which host will end up with the better team? Vote for your favorite on Twitter: @allBannerSports!

Baltimore was the best of the best in 2023, at least in the regular season. The same afternoon they earned the top seed in their conference, the Ravens also captured the AFC North, the first division in the Super Bowl era to boast four teams with winning records. And the Browns, Bengals and Steelers have only improved in the six months since.   Paul Mancano and Jonas Shaffer go around the division, position group by position group, as they determine where Baltimore stacks up against its rivals (2:17)

Lamar Jackson. Derrick Henry. Kyle Hamilton. The Ravens’ stars will draw the bulk of the attention in the fall, but the team’s season could come down to X-factors such as David Ojabo, Roger Rosengarten and Rasheen Ali.   Paul Mancano and Jonas Shaffer go position by position with Baltimore’s roster, giving their least predictable players at each spot.

How much can we really learn about the Ravens in June? The answer: Probably not much. But that won’t stop us from trying to dissect what happened on the practice fields at The Castle during mandatory minicamp.   Paul Mancano and Jonas Shaffer give their opinions on the new "Purple Rising" alternate helmets (0:27), then use the information they gathered last week to predict the likelihood of certain events (6:02), including a bounce-back season from Ronnie Stanley (9:28), a Devin Leary release (17:51), and a healthy year from Marlon Humphrey (26:26). Finally, Paul and Jonas talk about the fact that the Ravens will be featured on "Hard Knocks" in December (37:58).

As mandatory minicamp commences, the Ravens still face major questions at several key positions. What can they expect from rookie wide receiver Devontez Walker? Who will win the battles along the offensive line? And will quarterback Devin Leary overtake Josh Johnson on the depth chart?   Paul Mancano and Jonas Shaffer preview an intriguing week, breaking down all the important storylines fans should be paying close attention to.

It’s an age-old debate: Are voluntary work activities really voluntary?   Quarterback Lamar Jackson has missed several of the Ravens’ OTAs this spring. Is it important that he be he’s there to work with his receivers? Or are we making too big a deal out of this?   Giana Han joins Paul Mancano and Jonas Shaffer to debate the importance of the quarterback’s presence. Then they talk about the progression of rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins.

Odell Beckham Jr. might not have provided as much juice to the Ravens offense as some expected, but his departure still leaves a sizeable hole in Baltimore’s wide receiver room. Has the front office found a suitable replacement in rookie Devontez Walker?   Ryan Mink of The Ravens Lounge joins Paul Mancano and Jonas Shaffer from The Castle in Owings Mills to talk wideouts (5:30), offensive weapons (7:47), Derrick Henry (9:44), last year's AFC championship game loss (15:47), Zach Orr (23:22) and more.

How does a slimmed-down Lamar Jackson look? Which offensive linemen ran with the first team? What do Derrick Henry’s new teammates make of him?   Paul Mancano and Jonas Shaffer break down what they saw and heard at the Ravens’ organized team activities. Then they talk about veteran safety Jamal Adams visiting with the team.

An AFC championship rematch to kick off the season. A Harbaugh Bowl in prime time. A Christmas Day showdown in Texas.   There’s no shortage of interesting matchups for the Ravens in 2024. Paul Mancano and Jonas Shaffer break down the regular-season schedule week by week, give their predictions and hand out some superlatives.

Good things come to those who wait, and nobody is better at waiting than Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta. Baltimore scooped up quality veterans such as Jadeveon Clowney and Ronald Darby well after last year’s NFL draft. Could he find more bargains this summer?   After discussing the news that WR Odell Beckham Jr. is signing with the Dolphins (4:11), Paul Mancano and Jonas Shaffer give their takeaways from rookie minicamp (8:11). Then they break down the best of the remaining free agents (13:20) and preview some potential beefs we could see this season (25:01).

After discussing the news that the Ravens have picked up OLB Odafe Oweh's fifth-year option, Paul Mancano and Jonas Shaffer ask six important questions about the Ravens’ 2024 draft class. Which rookie will play the most snaps this year? (9:34) Should the Ravens have been more aggressive in their attempts to get a tackle? (15:05) What's your favorite draft pick highlight reel to watch? (21:16) What are the best draft pick comparisons? (27:02) What’s the next big move for the Ravens? (36:30) Who's your favorite undrafted rookie? (40:10)

The Ravens added weapons around Lamar Jackson on Saturday.   Paul Mancano and Jonas Shaffer break down all six of Baltimore’s Day 3 picks: UNC WR Devontez Walker, Iowa State CB T.J. Tampa, Marshall RB Rasheen Ali, Kentucky QB Devin Leary, Michigan State C Nick Samac and Purdue S Sanoussi Kane.