The Baltimore Ravens had a rough start to their 2025 campaign, but entering their Thanksgiving matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals, they are on a five-game winning streak.
Their offense is in a bit of a rut. In their Week 12 win over the New York Jets, Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken’s unit once again struggled to find its footing early. However, they have a ton of talent, and when the defense is playing the way it is, wins are going to keep coming.
Despite the recent success, there have been several contributors over the past couple of months who have fallen short of expectations. Some may even deserve to be cut, but heading into Week 13, they remain a part of the team.
Here are three players who should be thankful they have not been cut yet.
3 Ravens who should be thankful they haven't been cut
Cooper Rush
Third-string quarterback Cooper Rush has been an obvious cut candidate ever since he lost the backup job to Tyler Huntley. When he signed with the Ravens this past offseason, many thought it was a strong depth move by General Manager Eric DeCosta. Every time Rush has touched the field, though, he has been disappointing.
During the preseason, Rush failed to impress. At that point, some people chalked that up to Rush working out the kinks in his new home. However, the 32-year-old has appeared in three games this season, and it is clear he and Baltimore are not a good match.
Rush has completed 65.4% of his passes, but has thrown for just 303 yards, zero touchdowns, and four interceptions. He has submitted a 48.8 quarterback rating in those contests. He has become the emergency third quarterback on gamedays, but since the team would save $2.1 million by cutting him following June 1, he has remained on the 53-man roster. For that, he can be thankful.
Joe Noteboom
Offensive lineman Joe Noteboom is another veteran who lost his job security in the second half of the season. Noteboom was brought in late in the offseason to be the go-to backup tackle, and his versatility across the offensive line initially made him a valuable option. Now, he is not a sure thing to be made active on game days.
Amid left tackle Ronnie Stanley’s injury troubles in the middle of the year, Noteboom was seeing significant reps. His 55.6 overall grade, per Pro Football Focus (PFF), was a key factor that pushed him out of the rotation.
Rookie offensive tackle Carson Vinson took the backup tackle job in Baltimore’s games against the Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns. While Noteboom was active again against New York last week, it is clear he has disappointed in his brief time in Charm City.
David Ojabo
When the Ravens drafted outside linebacker David Ojabo in the 2022 NFL Draft, many thought they were getting a relentless disruptor off the edge. In 2025, his time in Baltimore is coming to an end.
Injuries to fellow outside linebackers Tavius Robinson and Adisa Isaac have allowed Ojabo to maintain his spot on the team, but even in the increased opportunities, he is failing to make his mark.
Ojabo has appeared in nine games this year and has registered a 50.1 overall grade, per PFF. In 167 defensive snaps, he has accounted for just two pressures and 0.5 sacks. This past month was likely his last real chance in Baltimore, and with Robinson returning soon, Ojabo could find himself out of a job.
Against Cincinnati, none of these players is expected to play much of a role, but they continue to be important depth pieces late in the year.