This week I’m going to cover some guys that are firmly on the roster bubble in particular. And what I’ll be watching for from each of them on Thursday night. For these guys, this is their season and potentially their career. Some might get other chances, but for some guys not doing enough to get on the PS could be enough to end their careers.
Discuss which guys you’ll be watching tonight here.
Here’s who I’m looking at:
Terrence Magee – This RB has looked strong. He has a shot to push himself onto the roster at least through Week 1 if the Ravens feel like they need him. I’ll be watching to see where and how they use him in this game. (1) You have to wonder if Allen has landed in the dog house and Magee will just take away his goal line carries. If so, this is part of the role Taliaferro was likely going to have this year. How does he handle it? I’ll also be interested to see how many passes get thrown his way and if he’s playing in a lot of passing situations. It’s got to be a point of emphasis. It seems likely he’ll make the practice squad regardless but we’ll learn about how Harbs trusts Allen and how likely Taliaferro is to be healthy based on his snaps.
Marlon Brown – Brown’s in a tough spot. He got hurt and missed a lot of important time. He seems like he could be out of the rotation. He should be the WR 1 this week. I’m curious to see where he’s playing and what kind of looks he gets. It seems unlikely he’s going to win his job in the slot. So how does he look on the outside and what kind of routes are the Ravens looking to try and get him the ball. If he’s getting forced looks, his roster spot might be in more question than some fans think. I tend to think Brown stays as he’d definitely make another team’s roster where Butler can likely slide to the PS and no one would notice.
My guess is we’re going to see some forced passes and predetermined calls to a degree particularly in the passing game. I think Waller has earned his spot and won’t be fighting for anything, but Brown has a lot to prove in limited potential touches.
Jeremy Butler – I think this guy is the on the bubble more than anyone else. He should also get snaps at WR1/WR2 and we should find out just what he’s got tonight. If Buck Allen is teaching us anything, it’s that some guys don’t bring the same game to the practice field as they do on game days. Is Butler going to be an early camp/practice guy? I’m watching these two WRs closely because I don’t think there’s room for both on the roster.
Jah Reid – He should be on the right side of the line. I think this is going to be a fight for his roster life. In fact where Jensen plays and how well might have more bearing on Reid’s position on this roster than anything else. If the Ravens can trust Hurst and Jensen enough to handle the backup positions at the T spot, with the ability to move Yanda to RT in a pinch, I could see Reid gone just because the Ravens need the spot. His season could very well be riding on this game. And his fate could be somewhat out of his own hands.
Robert Myers – You’d like to see him have a nice game. Or a terrible one. I don’t think the Ravens let him drift the practice squad or try to. But if he gets hurt and goes to the IR that’s great news for Reid. He’s flat out not going to contribute this year, but I’m curious to see what happens with him.
KLM/Christo Bilukudi – I know it feels like he’s not at risk given our depth issues at DE. But these two guys are going to be fighting over what is likely just one spot if you ask me. I think it’s going to come down the guy that plays with better technique in this game. Tyson and Guy will likely get limited snaps and this could be the biggest battle of the game. I’ll be interested to see if we see both on the field at the same time at all. And if we do, which guy is making an impact. Both these guys are likely going to get run stopping snaps, so I’ll be watching them closely in those situations.
Tray Walker / Cassius Vaughan – Count me as a guy that thinks Asa Jackson is likely to get cut by this team. Walker is going to float in and make the team due to his draft status. I think Vaughan is firmly on the bubble too though. I’ll be interested to see if either of these guys are showing up more in special teams. I also tend to not think Orr / McLellan /Brown aren’t all getting on the team. If someone can play a role on special teams, this could be their spot. I think Anthony Levine could be in the mix for this spot too. I could see two CBs make it and Vaughan has had a good camp and preseason. If Vaughan plays well enough on tape, then he could earn himself a spot just because the Ravens are worried they won’t make it all the way to the PS.
Ravens Analyst
Jordan Kough is a graduate of University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He’s a long standing Ravens and Orioles fan of many years. He grew up just north of Baltimore and likes the statistical analysis of games as much as watching games themselves.