ESPN’s Jamison Hensley reports that the Ravens expect WR Elijah Sarratt to play in the slot.
This role comes with positives and negatives. Lining up in the slot gives the receiver a chance to run routes against linebackers and safeties. It can also mean he is forced to leave the field when the offense switches to two-wide receiver sets — a role that fellow rookie, boundary WR Ja’Kobi Lane, will likely get the first crack at. Sarratt logged 2,435 snaps lined up on the perimeter and 396 lined up in the slot in college, but he was very efficient on a per-route basis in the latter role. Sarratt’s training camp progress is worth following closely. The slot role will give him the chance to earn PPR-friendly lay-up targets, but he may need to command at least a mild-to-moderate perimeter snap share to become a matchup-based FLEX starter.