It’s been over a month since we have visited the depth chart. Injuries, signings, some players impressing in camp, and others not so much, have shaken up the landscape a bit. With Preseason games just around the corner, we’ll take a look at whose stock is rising, falling, and who is on the bubble of making the 53-man roster. Some injuries already have opened the door for a couple local favorites. 

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New additions are denoted in bold. Players on the bubble are denoted with an asterisk*. Injured players denoted with a +. Players whose stock is rising in green. Players whose stock is falling in red.

QB-Joe Flacco, Tyrod Taylor, Caleb Hanie*
RB- Ray Rice, Bernard Pierce, Anthony Allen
FB- Vonta Leach, Kyle Juszczyk (4)
TE- Ed Dickson, Billy Bajama, Visanthe Shiancoe,  Kyle Juszczyk, Matt Furstenburg (UD)*
WR- Torrey Smith, Jacoby Jones, Deonte Thompson, Tandon Doss, David Reed, Aaron Mellete (7), Gerrard Sheppard (UD)*, Tommy Streeter*,  Laquan Williams*+
LT- Bryant McKinnie, Kelechi Osemele, Ramon Harewood+, Ricky Wagner (5)
LG- Kelechi Osemele, Jah Reid
C- Gino Gradkowski, A.Q. Shipley
RG- Jah Reid, Marshall Yanda+,
RT- Michael Oher, Ramon Harewood+, Ricky Wagner
 
DE- Arthur Jones, Marcus Spears, John Simon (4) Deangelo Tyson*
DT- Haloti Ngata, Chris Canty, Brandon Williams (3), Terrence Cody*
OLB- Terrell Suggs, Elvis Dumervil, Courtney Upshaw, Pernell McPhee
MLB- Daryl Smith+, Albert McClellan, Arthur Brown (2), Josh Bynes, Bryan Hall, Jameel McClain+
CB- Lardarius Webb, Jimmy Smith, Corey Graham (Nickel), Chykie Brown, Asa Jackson, Chris Johnson*, Michael Huff
SS- James Ihedigbo, Matt Elam (1), Michael Huff, Marc Anthony (7)
FS- Michael Huff, Matt Elam, Christian Thompson (Suspended)
 
K- Justin Tucker
P- Sam Koch
LS- Morgan Cox
 
PUP – Marshall Yanda (Shoulder surgery) Jameel McClain (Spinal cord bruise)
IR- Dennis Pitta (Dislocated hip), Ryan Jensen (6) (Broken Foot)

Changes since the last depth chart:

Offense: Vonta Leach is back in Baltimore. Jury is still out on how rookie Kyle Juszczyk will be utilized. For now, he’s definitely backing up Leach, and he’ll have to impress in the pre-season to rise up the TE chart. Billy Bajema has been running with the first team along with Ed Dickson. New addition, veteran TE and Morgan State grad, Visanthe Shiancoe, will compete with Bajema for the TE2 spot. Gino Gradkowski and A.Q. Shipley are likely equal in the battle for the starting center job. Give the edge to Gradkowski as he has been with the Ravens longer. WR Gerrard Sheppard out of Towson is moving up the depth chart, IMO, by way of Tommy Streeter and Laquan Williams not impressing. Jacoby Jones maybe locking down that WR2 spot. Every report after each day makes a mention of Jones making some circus catches. Hands must not be an issue.

Injuries (+): Dennis Pitta out for the season. Rookie Ryan Jensen has a broken foot and will miss at least 10 weeks. He’s likely to go to IR for all of 2013. Marshall Yanda is starting training camp on the PUP list. Ramon Harewood and Laquan Williams have also been sidelined with undisclosed injuries.

Defense:  Rookies Arthur Brown and Matt Elam are taking reps with the second stringers.  Albert McClellan and James Ihedigbo have been out there on the first team. Arthur Jones looks very trim and may win the starting spot over Marcus Spears.

Injuries (+): Jameel McClain is starting training camp on the PUP list. It’s questionable whether or not we’ll see him in time for the regular season. Daryl Smith “tweaked” his groin, but it doesn’t appear serious. A groin injury is what sidelined him for most of 2012. Haloti Ngata also walked gingerly off the field Sunday, also not serious.

Guys on the 53-man bubble:

Caleb Hanie – On the bubble should Coach Harbaugh want to roll with just 2 QBs given Flacco’s durability. Emergency QB in the past, Anquan Boldin, is no longer here.

Gerrard Sheppard, Tommy Streeter, Laquan Williams – Streeter missed a recent practice due to heat, and Williams has missed two days with an injury. I’ve said before that these two men need to prove they are not expendable. So far they are not starting camp off on the right foot. Sheppard moves into a position to possibly earn a spot with impressive pre-season play, or an injury to one of the top six listed. That will change if another WR is added from outside the organization.

Matt Furstenburg – With the injury to Dennis Pitta, the door is open for the Maryland alum to earn the TE3 spot. But the signing of Visanthe Shiancoe will make it hard for him to rise to the TE2 spot unless he really shines.

Deangelo Tyson, Terrence Cody – Tyson has some tough competition coming from John Simon who could be used in a Paul Kruger role as a third down pass rusher. Also the addition of Marcus Spears creates a log jam at DE. Brandon Williams could be what we were hoping Terrence Cody would have been. With the bolstered line, Cody really needs to impress to stick around and make the coaches make a tough decision on his future.  Terrence Cody has been involved in a couple heated scrums in camp.

Chris Johnson – A log jam at the CB position. The old saying, “last hired first fired” may apply here.

Mike Randall
Mike Randall

Ravens Analyst

Mike was born on the Eastern Shore, raised in Finksburg, and currently resides in Parkville. In 2009, Mike graduated from the Broadcasting Institute of Maryland. Mike became a Baltimore City Fire Fighter in late 2010. Mike has appeared as a guest on Q1370, and FOX45. Now a Sr. Ravens Analyst for BSL, he can be reached at [email protected].

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