Jason La CanforaAug 23, 2026
La Canfora predicts the Ravens will keep several young players on their practice squad — DL Kaimon Rucker, LB Dominic DeLuca, LB Ethan Burke, CB Amani Oruwariye, OT Gerad Lichtenhan and QB Joe Fagnano — and expects the team to make at least one trade from its surplus of cornerbacks.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What Jason La Canfora said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromThese are some interesting cases of youngsters I believe they will want to keep on the PS
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- Key Players The Ravens Want To Stash On Their Practice Squad
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidAug 23
- GradedSep 25
- 1Ethan Burke to land on the practice squad“LB Dominic DeLuca/Ethan Burke — These are some interesting cases of youngsters I believe they will want to keep on the PS”
- 2Joe Fagnano to be cut“With so many veteran QBs about to be cut, it would be pretty surprising if the Ravens weren’t able to usher him right back to their practice squad.”
- 3Gerad Lichtenhan to land on the practice squad“OT Gerad Lichtenhan — These are some interesting cases of youngsters I believe they will want to keep on the PS”
- 4Amani Oruwariye to land on the practice squad“CB Amani Oruwariye — These are some interesting cases of youngsters I believe they will want to keep on the PS”
- 5Dominic DeLuca to land on the practice squad“LB Dominic DeLuca/Ethan Burke — These are some interesting cases of youngsters I believe they will want to keep on the PS”
- 6Kaimon Rucker to land on the practice squad“These are some interesting cases of youngsters I believe they will want to keep on the PS: DL Kaimon Rucker ... This roster is just too deep and too healthy on the defensive side for him to crack it.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethan Burke to land on the practice squad1 | Roster Spot Calls | 3 weeks on a 53 | 0 | 100 | −200 | |
| Joe Fagnano to be cut2 | Roster Spot Calls | 3 weeks on a 53 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Gerad Lichtenhan to land on the practice squad3 | Roster Spot Calls | 1 week on a 53 | 0 | 100 | −200 | |
| Amani Oruwariye to land on the practice squad4 | Roster Spot Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Dominic DeLuca to land on the practice squad5 | Roster Spot Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Kaimon Rucker to land on the practice squad6 | Roster Spot Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 6 calls · 3 misses · 3 waiting | 0 | 66.7 | ||||
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naiveworse than naive6 checkable claims — 6 roster spot calls — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 7 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
3 of 6 have settled so far, averaging 0 out of 100, against 66.7 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
1Roster Spot CallsEthan BurkeBaltimore Ravens
Ethan Burke to land on the practice squad
What happened3 weeks on a 530Miss · naive 1000this call−100a naive guess=−100worse than naive×2difficulty=−200skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- club:
- BAL
- skill:
- −200
- player:
- Ethan Burke
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he lands on the practice squad
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 100
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- he was on somebody's 53 last season, so he makes one again
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks on the53:
- 3
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- first week on the53:
- 1
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 0
2Roster Spot CallsJoe FagnanoBaltimore Ravens
Joe Fagnano to be cut
What happened3 weeks on a 530Miss · naive 00this call−0a naive guess=0better than naive×2difficulty=0skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- club:
- BAL
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- Joe Fagnano
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he does not make the 53
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 0
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- he was on somebody's 53 last season, so he makes one again
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks on the53:
- 3
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- first week on the53:
- 1
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 0
3Roster Spot CallsGerad LichtenhanBaltimore Ravens
Gerad Lichtenhan to land on the practice squad
What happened1 week on a 530Miss · naive 1000this call−100a naive guess=−100worse than naive×2difficulty=−200skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- club:
- BAL
- skill:
- −200
- player:
- Gerad Lichtenhan
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he lands on the practice squad
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 100
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- he was on somebody's 53 last season, so he makes one again
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks on the53:
- 1
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- first week on the53:
- 2
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 2
4Roster Spot CallsAmani OruwariyeBaltimore Ravens
Amani Oruwariye to land on the practice squad
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
5Roster Spot CallsDominic DeLucaBaltimore Ravens
Dominic DeLuca to land on the practice squad
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
6Roster Spot CallsKaimon RuckerBaltimore Ravens
Kaimon Rucker to land on the practice squad
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- All
The take as a whole
the average of 3 settled calls, each counted once
0naive 66.7
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Nathan Jahnke · Trade and Signing Calls · Jacoby Brissett · Hit 100
In a Week 9 recap, Jahnke expects Mark Andrews to remain Baltimore's lead tight end but says rookie Matt Hibner is more likely than Josh Cuevas to eventually overtake them, and they anticipate the Ravens acquiring Jacoby Brissett to start at quarterback. They also suggest Brian Thomas Jr. may have played their final game for Jacksonville ahead of the trade deadline.Nic Bodiford · Depth Chart Calls · Joe Fagnano · Hit 100
Previewing Week 9 running game matchups, Bodiford expects Jacksonville to win lopsidedly over a depleted Baltimore team, with Bhayshul Tuten sitting out and Chris Rodriguez taking over as lead back, while Joe Fagnano starts at quarterback for the Ravens. They also view Broncos rookie Jonah Coleman as an RB2 going forward.Mike Florio · Roster Spot Calls · Jake Moody · Miss 0
Florio expects Jake Moody to be promoted from Baltimore's practice squad to the 53-man roster if Tyler Loop lands on injured reserve.John Breech · Trade and Signing Calls · Jacoby Brissett · Hit 100
Breech picks the Jaguars to blow out the quarterback-depleted Ravens on Thursday night, and in Week 9 takes the Bengals to outlast the Falcons in a Madrid shootout. They also expect Jacoby Brissett to be a Raven within 48 hours and to make their first Baltimore start in Week 11.
More roster spot calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Zack Kelberman · Roster Spot Calls · Sean Fresch Jr. · Miss 0
Kelberman expects Sean Fresch Jr. to clear waivers and return to the Broncos' practice squad, sees Riley Moss back from concussion for the Week 11 game at Las Vegas, and projects newly acquired Daiyan Henley to begin as the third inside linebacker behind Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad before likely moving into a starting role.Zack Kelberman · Roster Spot Calls · Sean Fresch Jr. · Miss 0
Kelberman writes that Riley Moss may sit out the preseason finale against Minnesota but should be available for the Week 1 opener at Kansas City; they also suggest undrafted corners Sean Fresch Jr. and Brent Austin are being evaluated for practice squad spots.Chad Jensen · Roster Spot Calls · Jordan Turner · Miss 0
Jensen predicts Daiyan Henley's arrival will cut into Justin Strnad's snaps while Alex Singleton keeps playing virtually every down, and that Denver will return to a three-linebacker rotation after the Week 10 bye. They also expect one of Jordan Turner or Karene Reid — most likely Turner — to be waived to clear a roster spot.Charean Williams · Roster Spot Calls · Odell Beckham Jr. · Miss 0
Williams writes that after releasing Odell Beckham Jr. to open a roster spot for Kirk Cousins, the Vikings will bring them back on the practice squad.