NFL
By: Courtney Byrd
The Baltimore Ravens opened the 2026 preseason Saturday night with a new head coach, a stadium full of fans ready for football to return, and a roster filled with young players looking to make their first impression.
By the end of the night, several of them had done exactly that.
Baltimore defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 24-7 at M&T Bank Stadium in Jesse Minter’s first game as Ravens head coach. With most of the Ravens’ projected starters watching from the sideline, the preseason opener became an opportunity for rookies, backups and players fighting for roster spots to show what they could bring to Baltimore this season.
They took advantage of it.
The final score told part of the story, but Baltimore’s control of the game was even more noticeable inside the stadium. The Ravens moved the ball consistently, kept Philadelphia out of the end zone until late in the fourth quarter, and gave the home crowd an extended look at a rookie class that has generated attention throughout training camp.
For a team beginning a new era under Minter, it was an encouraging first impression.
Young pass catchers make their presence felt.
One of the biggest names to watch entering Saturday night was rookie wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane.
Lane had already generated buzz during training camp, but the preseason opener provided his first opportunity to show that his practice performances could translate to an NFL game.
It did not take long.
Lane finished with three receptions for 38 yards and scored Baltimore’s first touchdown of the preseason on a 16-yard reception from Joe Fagnano. After making the catch over the middle, Lane fought through Philadelphia defenders and stretched toward the goal line for the score.
It was the type of physical play that immediately showed why the rookie has become one of Baltimore’s most talked-about young players.
But the Ravens’ receiving story went well beyond Lane.
Fourth-round rookie Elijah Sarratt led Baltimore with six receptions for 66 yards on seven targets. He consistently gave the Ravens another option in the passing game and helped keep drives moving throughout the night.
Rookie tight end Matthew Hibner made an impression of his own.
Hibner caught five passes for 61 yards, including a 29-yard reception down the sideline from Tyler Huntley. He was involved early and often, giving Baltimore another encouraging performance from a position group that will continue to be evaluated throughout the preseason.
The Ravens ultimately completed passes to 11 different players and totaled 314 receiving yards.
Devontez Walker added three receptions for 31 yards; Xavier Guillory caught two passes for 26 yards, and Dayton Wade finished with three catches for 24 yards.
For a preseason game without many of Baltimore’s established offensive stars, there was no shortage of players making their case for more opportunities.
Fagnano makes the most of extended opportunity.
Quarterback Joe Fagnano was another player who left M&T Bank Stadium with something positive to build on.
Fagnano completed 22 of 28 passes for 224 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
The numbers were solid, but what stood out was the amount of responsibility he was given. Fagnano operated Baltimore’s offense for much of the night and repeatedly moved the Ravens downfield.
His lone interception came while attempting to make a play near the end zone, but it did not erase an otherwise productive preseason debut.
Veteran quarterback Tyler Huntley started the game and was efficient in limited action, completing six of seven passes for 76 yards. Austin Reed also saw action, completing both of his passes for 14 yards while adding a rushing touchdown.
Together, Baltimore’s quarterbacks completed 30 of 37 passes.
That efficiency helped the Ravens control possession and allowed their young receivers and tight ends to get meaningful opportunities.
Baltimore established its running game.
The Ravens also found production on the ground, finishing with 142 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 36 carries.
Rookie running back Adam Randall led Baltimore with 46 yards on 12 carries and scored on a four-yard touchdown run.
Elijah Tau-Tolliver added 42 yards on 10 carries, while Dontae McMillan rushed nine times for 40 yards. Reed contributed the Ravens’ other rushing touchdown.
No Baltimore runner reached 50 yards individually, but the production was spread throughout the backfield.
That may ultimately be more important during the preseason.
These games are less about establishing one featured player and more about evaluating who can consistently create yards, protect the football, contribute on special teams and earn the coaching staff’s trust.
Saturday gave Baltimore another opportunity to begin answering those questions.
Minter’s defense sets the tone.
As productive as the Ravens were offensively, their defensive performance may have been the strongest statement of the night.
Philadelphia did not score until there were just over two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
For most of the evening, Baltimore’s defense controlled the game.
The Eagles struggled to create sustained offensive momentum as the Ravens consistently forced Philadelphia off the field and kept the game comfortably in Baltimore’s favor.
That performance carried additional significance because of Minter’s background.
Before becoming Baltimore’s head coach, Minter built his reputation on defense. His first preseason game was never going to define what the Ravens would ultimately become under him, but holding an opponent scoreless for nearly the entire night was a fitting way to begin.
Cornerback Keyon Martin delivered one of Baltimore’s strongest individual defensive performances.
Martin recorded four solo tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss and a quarterback hit. His third-quarter sack was one of the defensive highlights of the game and continued a strong summer for a player trying to secure his place on the roster.
Baltimore finished with 43 total tackles, three passes defended and two quarterback hits.
The Ravens did not record an interception, but they did not need takeaways to control the game.
Instead, the defense limited Philadelphia’s opportunities and kept the Eagles from finding the end zone until the outcome was essentially decided.
Special teams provide something to watch
Not everything went perfectly for Baltimore.
Kicker Tyler Loop experienced both sides of the preseason evaluation process.
Loop missed a 49-yard field goal attempt before responding with a successful 42-yarder. He converted all three of his extra-point attempts and finished the night with six points.
The response after the miss may have been just as important as the miss itself.
Preseason games give coaching staffs opportunities to see how players react when something goes wrong, and Loop did not allow his first attempt to affect his next opportunity.
The Ravens also received contributions in the return game.
LaJohntay Wester returned three punts for 36 yards and added a 23-yard kickoff return. Chris Moore returned a kickoff for 29 yards, while Baltimore finished with 48 total punt-return yards.
Those may not be the numbers that receive the most attention after a 24-7 win, but special teams can become the deciding factor for players fighting for the final spots on an NFL roster.
More than the final score
There is always a temptation to make too much of preseason football.
The Ravens were not playing with Lamar Jackson and many of the players expected to carry Baltimore through the regular season. Philadelphia was evaluating its roster as well.
Saturday’s result will not count once September arrives.
But that does not make the game meaningless.
For players further down the depth chart, every preseason snap matters.
A reception can create another opportunity. A missed assignment can cost one. A special-teams play can become the difference between making the 53-man roster and being released.
That was what made Baltimore’s young players the real story of the night.
Lane showed why his name has continued to surface during training camp. Sarratt led the team in receiving. Hibner demonstrated his ability to make plays downfield. Randall helped lead the rushing attack. Fagnano handled an extended workload at quarterback, and Martin found ways to disrupt Philadelphia defensively.
Even first-round rookie guard Vega Ioane, who played only two drives, received his first taste of NFL game action and brought the physical style Baltimore drafted him to provide.
There will be tougher tests ahead, and roster decisions will become increasingly difficult as the preseason continues.
But for a first opportunity, Baltimore’s young players gave the coaching staff plenty to evaluate and Ravens fans plenty to be excited about.
Next stop: Minnesota
Baltimore will not have much time to sit with its first preseason victory.
The Ravens now turn their attention to the Minnesota Vikings, beginning with two joint practices in Minnesota on Wednesday and Thursday.
Those practices could provide an even more valuable opportunity for evaluation for Baltimore’s starters and young players as they line up against a different opponent in a controlled environment.
Then comes preseason game No. 2.
The Ravens will face the Vikings on Saturday, Aug. 22 at 1 p.m. ET at U.S. Bank Stadium.
For players such as Lane, Sarratt, Hibner, Fagnano, Randall and Martin, Minnesota represents another opportunity to prove Saturday night was more than one strong performance.
For Minter and his coaching staff, it will be another chance to determine which players can become dependable pieces when the regular season arrives.
And for the Ravens as a whole, it is the next step in figuring out exactly what this team will look like in 2026.
Baltimore could not have asked for much more from its first one.
The stars watched from the sideline Saturday night.
The young Ravens made sure there was still plenty to see.
