As the Baltimore Ravens trim down their roster to 53 players, wide receiver Dayton Wade is one of the more interesting names to watch.
Wade, an undrafted receiver out of Ole Miss, has been something of a breakout player this summer. Wade first received a shoutout from Ravens fullback Patrick Ricard, who predicted Wade would be a breakout player. Ricard praised Wade's hands, route running, and business-like demeanor.
Since then, by all accounts, Wade has had a strong training camp and preseason, at least relative to expectations. He's made deep catches in scrimmages and put up decent numbers in preseason, leading the Ravens in receiving in two of three preseason games.
The highlight of Wade's preseason action was a double-move he put on an Atlanta Falcons defensive back for a wide open, 56-yard touchdown catch from QB Emory Jones.
Dayton Wade I was not familiar with your gamepic.twitter.com/UpSGaJjwsL
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) August 20, 2024
Now, it's worth noting that Wade still didn't exactly light up the scoreboard. Over three preseason contests, Wade totaled seven catches for 99 yards and 1 touchdown. But in a preseason where the Ravens offense has struggled, scoring just five total touchdowns, Wade has still been one of the most productive players.
Still, The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec had previously named Wade a "long shot" to make the Ravens' final roster.
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That designation is largely due to what has seemed like a stable core of receivers. The Ravens have three veterans in Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, and Nelson Agholor. They drafted Devontez Walker in the fourth round. And Deontay Harty and Tylan Wallace looked likely to make the final roster for their experience, especially on special teams.
However, there may be a window for Wade to fit in. Walker has dealt with a ribs injury that has significantly limited him in training camp and preseason. Walker played sparingly and only recorded one catch in three preseason contests.
Though Walker's lone catch came in the final preseason game, the Ravens could put Walker on the IR to start the season, with a designation to return, to make some immediate room on the roster.
Additionally, the Ravens signed several veteran wide receivers during camp, but they haven't popped. The team already released Russell Gage. They also signed Anthony Miller and Keith Kirkwood, but neither player has made a strong push to make the final roster (though that doesn't mean the Ravens won't value their experience over an undrafted rookie).
These are areas that could give Wade even a slight chance of making the final roster. The Ravens are relying on youth taking a step forward all across the roster this season, and they could choose to try to develop Wade into an impact player.
Of course, one of the knocks on Wade is that he is just 5-foot-9, 184 lb. Receivers of that stature have thrived in the NFL, but he is not built like someone like Walker, who is listed at 6-foot-1, 193 lb and can win some jump balls down the field.
The odds are still stacked against Wade, but it seems he's done his part to give himself a shot at the final roster. If he doesn't make it, he could end up being picked up off of waivers.
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