The Baltimore Ravens have had quite the busy spring and summer. It seems like it's been a year since the 2026 NFL Draft. They evaluated hundreds of players, searching for the right combination of talent, fit, and reliability. Two of the organization's most surprising success stories emerged from very different paths, while arriving at the same destination.
Undrafted quarterback Joe Fagnano and rookie edge rusher Ethan Burke earned spots on Baltimore's initial 53-man roster after strong training camps and productive preseason performances. Now that they have reached one of the most significant milestones of their football careers, neither player appears interested in changing the approach that got them there in the first place—for Burke, making
the roster provided validation but not satisfaction.
After learning he had survived the roster cuts, Burke spoke with the media and said his mindset remains unchanged despite officially becoming a member of Baltimore's active roster.
"For me, I didn't want anything to change. I still have a chip on my shoulder and just continue to do my routine, work, stretch in the morning, work out just as hard, practice just as hard and be just as attentive in meetings. It's almost like nothing's changed, and I'll continue to fight to stay here."
That mentality helps explain why Burke earned his opportunity in the first place. Ravens head coach Jesse Minter recently praised the rookie for his consistency on defense and special teams, noting that he played his way onto the roster rather than benefiting from circumstances.
Fagnano's perspective was remarkably similar. He entered training camp initially facing equally long odds of making the team. By the end of the preseason, he had become one of Baltimore's most compelling stories. He performed well enough to convince the Ravens to keep three quarterbacks on the active roster. Even after achieving that goal, Fagnano said he sees no reason to alter the process that fueled his rise.
"It's really the same. I really didn't get that many reps going into the first preseason game. I got a few more going into the second, and we had some joint practices in there. It's really the same. I'm not going to change something that has been working."
Fagnano added that the challenge now is simply taking that approach to another level by continuing to learn from Lamar Jackson. He's studying the playbook and staying prepared if his number is ever called.
Their positions could not be more different, and in some ways they are similar. One is an edge rusher trying to carve out a role in a deep defensive rotation. The other is a developmental quarterback learning behind a two-time MVP. Yet Burke and Fagnano arrived at the same conclusion after earning roster spots.
Making the Ravens was the reward for the work they already put in. Staying with the Ravens will require continuing to do exactly what got them there, but no one has to tell them that. Both are young but already fantastic professionals.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Joe Fagnano, Ethan Burke sticking with formula that earned Ravens spots
