7 Answers To Toughest Roster Questions
The preseason is in the books. Now comes the hard part.
Most any Ravens fan can predict a solid 45 roster spots. It’s the remaining eight or so that prove to be difficult. And Head Coach John Harbaugh and his staff won’t enjoy telling players their NFL dreams have come to an end.
“The next 40 hours or so will be anxious times for the Ravens who happen to be on the roster bubble,” wrote The Baltimore Sun’s Jeff Zrebiec. “Harbaugh singled out running back, wide receiver, defensive line and cornerback as positions where difficult calls need to be made.”
For those finishing up their “You Make the Team” rosters, we’ll address seven of the most difficult roster decisions below, using the 53-man predictions of ESPN’s Jamison Hensley, WNST’s Luke Jones and my own colleague, John Eisenberg.
What will happen with CB/RS 
Oh, Asa Jackson. He has such big-play potential, yet he makes lots of mistakes.
For the second week in a row, he showed explosion on a return only to come up short. This time in Atlanta, he fell victim to the turf monster and went down untouched while juking the punter. Also for the second consecutive game, he fumbled a punt.
“Jackson is clearly the Ravens' most gifted returner, but can the Ravens trust him?” asked Zrebiec. “The Ravens have to figure out what to do with [him]. He's their toughest roster decision because he's their most explosive return man, but he's also mistake- and injury-prone. And if it's not Jackson, the Ravens need to go out and find a return man on the waiver wire.”
Eisenberg: cut
Hensley: cut
Jones: keep
Which player will need to be the one-day sacrifice for Urban? One of the young running backs.
The prevailing thought is that Baltimore will use their one injured reserve – designated to return spot on defensive end
With primary backup
“The prediction here is that the Ravens will waive both Magee and Toussaint to create a temporary roster spot to accommodate Brent Urban and to explore veteran backs that may become available elsewhere,” wrote Jones. “They will then have the option to bring back either one assuming they clear waivers.”
Jones and Hensley are on the same page with that prediction, but Eisenberg says safety
Eisenberg: Trawick, although he thinks both backs will be cut too
Jones: Magee or Toussaint
Hensley: Magee or Toussaint
Have the Ravens lost patience with
Even though Brown struggled on special teams Thursday night and is still stuck behind
Eisenberg: keep
Hensley: keep
Jones: keep
Which WRs will make the team between
“The wide receiver picture doesn’t look complicated,” wrote Zrebiec.
Weeeeelllll, it’s mostly simple, but still a lil’ complicated.
Everyone can agree on the top five receivers:
“If they take six, the next in line most likely will be Jeremy Butler,” wrote Zrebiec.
The guys below are going in a different direction, and I’m going with them. If Waller is cut, he may not clear waivers before the Ravens can sign him to the practice squad. If the Ravens keep seven because they’re also nervous about Campanaro, THEN Butler makes the team.
Eisenberg: Waller
Jones: Waller
Hensley: Waller
If there’s room for only one of four corners –
Eisenberg: Walker
Jones: both, Ravens keep 6 instead of 5
Hensley: Walker
Is
Jensen’s head injury complicated this decision, but if he doesn’t make the full squad, then look for him to make the practice squad and be promoted if there are any lingering injury concerns with
Eisenberg: Jensen
Hensley: Neither, but Jensen to practice squad
Jones: Reid
What to do with a banged-up defensive line? The injuries to
Eisenberg: Tyson and Bilukidi make it
Hensley: Tyson and Bilukidi make it
Jones: Lewis-Moore makes it
Marlon Resurfaces Thursday Night
Wide receiver Marlon Brown has been quiet during training camp and the preseason because of a back and hamstring injury.
Analysts said he needed a big night in Atlanta – not to make the team, he was already a lock – but just to get himself going again before the Ravens rely on him as the No. 3 receiver when the regular season kicks off.
Hensley believes Brown did just that.
“Wide receiver Marlon Brown let everyone know that he's still on the Baltimore Ravens,” wrote Hensley.
He finished the night with three catches for 64 yards, including this fingertips beauty for 42 yards.
How Brady Ruling Affects Ravens
A federal judge ruled in favor of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, and lifted a four-game suspension the league imposed as a result of their investigation into Deflategate.
The legal matters aren’t over yet because the NFL already announced its decision to appeal, but in the meantime, it looks like the future Hall of Famer is going to play when the regular season opens.
The decision affects the Ravens indirectly, and CSNBaltimore.com’s Clifton Brown breaks it down with three points:
1) Brady will now play in the opener against the Steelers, not backup Jimmy Garoppolo, which hurts the AFC North rival’s chances of winning. That’s good news for the Ravens.
2) The Patriots have stronger odds of making the playoffs, which would mean the Super Bowl road may run through them again. Brown says the Ravens likely need to win 12 games in order to be the AFC’s No. 1 seed because the Patriots have won at least that many the past five years.
3) Even though Brady is some Ravens’ arch nemesis, Brown thinks the players will be happy. “Moving forward, players who feel they have been unjustly punished will be more encouraged about the possibility of winning an appeal,” wrote Brown.
Broncos Pro Bowl Safety to Miss Opener vs. Ravens
This will help offset the loss of speedster Breshad Perriman if the rookie still isn’t healthy by the time the Ravens’ season opener kicks off on Sept. 13.
Broncos safety T.J. Ward has been suspended for Week 1 for violating the league's personal-conduct policy. There is no opportunity to appeal, which means the decision is final.
Ward has been to the Pro Bowl the past two seasons, notching 74 tackles, two sacks and two interceptions in Denver last year.
“[H]is absence may be something that Ravens quarterback
Davis – Not Perriman Or Williams – Is Ravens’ Top Rookie
As soon as they were drafted, some analysts predicted that either Perriman or tight end
So far, Hensley isn’t giving either the Ravens’ top rookie award with injuries hampering their development. Instead, he gives that honor to third-round pick
“Now, 10 days before the season opener, the only Ravens rookie who has a shot at starting in Week 1 is defensive tackle Carl Davis,” wrote Hensley. “For someone who felt snubbed in this year's draft, this emergence has been vindication after falling to the No. 90 overall selection.
“Through three preseason games, Davis is the Ravens' top-rated defensive player, according to Pro Football Focus. …Davis has a chance of becoming the latest defensive lineman developed by the Ravens, joining Haloti Ngata, Arthur Jones, Williams and Jernigan.”
Quick Hits
Brutal couple days coming up in #NFL: 32 teams must cut 22 guys by Sat. >600 players (some moves to IR, etc.) sent packing #RavensTalk
— Bo Smolka (@bsmolka) September 4, 2015 And if one of those 600 guys cut can return kicks, Ozzie might be giving him a call. #RavensTalk
— Bo Smolka (@bsmolka) September 4, 2015 Harbaugh mentions that Daniel Brown and Brennen Beyer are practice squad candidates.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiecsun) September 4, 2015 Get ready. 1 week away #Baltimore @Carbiz getting ready to break out a new spot. #teamcarbiz pic.twitter.com/KpN65qS2On
— Glenn Younes (@gunitradio) September 3, 2015 Perriman walking thru routes, working on over the shoulder catches... No jogging or running tho #RavensTalk pic.twitter.com/IStoliX3aV
— Brent Harris (@BrentCSN) September 3, 2015 Joe Flacco makes elite bubbles. #joecool https://t.co/8rlSs5sM0p
— Sarah Ellison (@sgellison) September 4, 2015 
