The heat in Owings Mills during August is no joke. If you've ever stood near the practice fields at Under Armour Performance Center, you know that humid Maryland air sits on you like a wet blanket. But for the Baltimore Ravens, that's exactly where the foundation for the season gets poured.
Honestly, some people think the preseason is just a bunch of backup linebackers running into each other for three hours. They aren't entirely wrong, but for a team coming off a 2025 campaign that felt like a bit of a rollercoaster, these three games are basically the only time we get to see if the new vision is actually working.
The Ravens Preseason Schedule 2025 Breakdown
The NFL stuck with the three-game format again, which feels like the sweet spot now. No more dragging it out for a month. Baltimore’s slate for the ravens preseason schedule 2025 kicked off with a home game before hitting the road for two straight. It’s a bit of a weird rhythm, but that’s how the chips fell.
Here is what the actual path looked like:
- Week 1: Indianapolis Colts at M&T Bank Stadium. This went down on Thursday, August 7, at 7:00 p.m. ET.
- Week 2: A trip to Arlington to face the Dallas Cowboys. Saturday, August 16, at 7:00 p.m. ET.
- Week 3: Finishing up in Landover against the Washington Commanders. Saturday, August 23, at noon ET.
That Week 3 game against Washington is always a thing. The "Battle of the Beltway" usually results in some chippy plays because half those guys are fighting for the same practice squad spots or trying to catch the eye of scouts from both local teams. Plus, the noon kickoff is a brutal reminder of how hot it gets on that turf.
Why these matchups actually mattered
You've got to look at the Indianapolis game first. It was the debut of the post-John Harbaugh era. After 18 seasons, seeing someone else—likely a guy like Kevin Stefanski or another fresh face—pacing the sidelines was surreal. The Ravens won that one 24-16, but the score was secondary to seeing how Lamar Jackson looked in a modified system.
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Usually, the "starters" barely play in the opener. But with a new coaching staff, the "bubble" players were under a microscope from the first whistle.
Then you had the Dallas trip. AT&T Stadium is basically a spaceship. Playing there in the preseason is a good test for the rookies to see if they can handle the bright lights and the massive screen overhead without getting distracted. Baltimore took that one 31-13, mostly because the depth at defensive back looked surprisingly deep.
New Rules and the "New" Ravens
The 2025 preseason was also the first time we saw the permanent version of the "dynamic kickoff." The NFL basically decided to stop the madness and make those 2024 experimental rules official. The big change for 2025 was moving the touchback spot to the 35-yard line.
If you watched the Ravens' special teams units during these games, they were clearly trying to bait returners. Justin Tucker is still the goat, but even he had to adjust his hang time to make sure teams didn't just take the easy yardage at the 35.
We also saw the debut of the Hawk-Eye technology for measuring first downs. No more "chain gang" drama. Sorta. The chains are still there for the fans to see, but the actual measurement is all virtual now. It's weird seeing a first down called by a computer, but it definitely speeds up the game.
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The roster battle was intense
Most fans are focused on the "big names," but the real story of the ravens preseason schedule 2025 was the youth movement. With some coaching turnover and a few veteran departures, guys like Malaki Starks were thrown into the fire early.
There was a lot of talk about the offensive line, too. Replacing pieces on that front is like trying to fix a plane while it's flying. The preseason games showed that while the talent is there, the chemistry was... well, it was a work in progress. They gave up way too many pressures in the Commanders game, which left a bit of a sour taste heading into the regular season opener against Buffalo.
What we learned from the 2025 exhibition slate
Preseason is about projection. You aren't looking for a finished product; you're looking for signs of life.
- Lamar's Health: He looked mobile. That's the main thing. After the hamstring scares of the past, seeing him navigate the pocket in limited snaps against Indy was a relief.
- The Backup QB Spot: It's always a drama in Baltimore. Who is going to hold the clipboard? The 2025 preseason didn't give us a clear answer until that final drive in Washington.
- Defensive Identity: The Ravens have always been a "bully" defense. Even with a new coordinator, the aggression was there. They forced three turnovers across the three games, which is exactly the kind of production Eric DeCosta wants to see.
It's easy to dismiss these games. "It doesn't count," people say. Tell that to the guy who just got cut because he missed a gap assignment in the fourth quarter of a meaningless game in Dallas. For those players, the ravens preseason schedule 2025 was their entire career.
Making sense of the results
Looking back, the 3-0 preseason record was nice for morale, but the real win was the lack of major injuries. In years past, the Ravens have been cursed in August. This time, they escaped relatively clean.
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The transition from the Harbaugh era to whatever comes next is the biggest story in Baltimore sports right now. These three games were the first chapter of that book. It wasn't perfect. The run blocking was inconsistent, and the penalties in the second half of games were annoying.
But it was football. And in Baltimore, that's enough to keep the conversation going at every bar from Federal Hill to Fells Point.
If you're looking to dive deeper into how this roster was actually built, you should check out the official team transactions from that August window. It reveals exactly when the coaching staff decided to pivot on certain veterans in favor of the younger, cheaper talent that eventually took the field in September. Keeping an eye on the waiver wire moves immediately following the final preseason game against the Commanders is also a pro move for anyone trying to understand the final 53-man roster logic.
Next Steps: Check the final injury report from the Week 3 Commanders game to see which depth players are available for the practice squad, and review the updated depth chart before the Week 1 kickoff against the Bills.