By Joe Schiller
By 4 p.m. on Saturday, September 31st, the Baltimore Ravens will finalize their 53-man roster. After OTAs, training camp, and the preseason, the bulk of the roster will be trimmed down as teams prepare for Week 1 of the regular season.
Roster math presents some of the most intriguing conversation this time of year. But instead of predicting who will and won't make the 53-man roster, I chose to go a different route. I made a case for and against the roster bubble players at each position heading into Saturday.
Quarterback: Trace McSorley
For McSorley: It was thought McSorley would need to make the 53-man roster on special teams, but he's made a strong case as a quarterback. He posted his best performance to-date in the third preseason game against the Eagles, throwing for 203 yards and totaling three touchdowns. There's a chance he wouldn't pass through waivers and land on the practice squad if cut. I don't think the Ravens are ready to part ways with a sixth-round pick just yet.
Against McSorley: Can the Ravens justify carrying three quarterbacks? McSorley would likely be the third quarterback on the depth chart, and inactive on gamedays. The roster spot could be used to take an extra player at another position.
Running Back: Kenneth Dixon, Tyler Ervin
For Dixon: He totaled 289 rushing yards and averaged 6.15 yards per carry during the final five weeks of the 2018 regular season. He's shown flashes in spurts throughout his career and costs just $807, 391 against the salary cap in 2019.
Against Dixon: He's appeared in just 18 games over three seasons. Injuries and suspensions have limited his time on the field. He doesn't have much if any, role on special teams. There's a chance he could be used as a trade chip for a running back-needy team.
For Ervin: He's the most experienced returner on the team. Field position is crucial in today's game, and Ervin has shown some pop in his returns during the preseason.
Against Ervin: Can the Ravens justify a roster spot to a player who isn't expected to have a role in the run game? They did with Janarion Grant last year, but he was cut just two weeks into the regular season.
Wide Receiver: Jaleel Scott, Michael Floyd
For Scott: He looks much improved from last season. Scott was seen as a raw talent coming out of New Mexico State and spent his rookie season on injured reserve. His size is intriguing, and he's shown the ability to separate from defenders. He hauled in an impressive seven-yard touchdown pass from McSorley against the Eagles. The Ravens already parted ways with 2018 fifth-round pick Jordan Lasley. It would be surprising to see them do the same to the only other receiver in that draft class.
Against Scott: The Ravens could go with just five wide receivers. If it's Willie Snead IV, Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, Miles Boykin, Chris Moore, and Seth Roberts, Scott could be on the outside looking in.
For Floyd: He's come along throughout camp and earned praise from Head Coach John Harbaugh after Thursday's preseason game. He adds another veteran presence to a relatively unproven receiving core.
Against Floyd: There are virtually no strings attached. Floyd doesn't count against any dead cap money if released. If it comes down to Scott vs. Floyd, the Ravens have a fourth-round draft pick invested in Scott. You can make the argument Scott has a high ceiling while Floyd's ceiling is capped at this point in his career.
Offensive Line: Patrick Mekari
For Mekari: According to Pro Football Focus, he's been one of the best pass-blocking rookies during the preseason. He earned first-team reps at left guard early in the offseason, and the Ravens have a strong track record in finding undrafted talent on the offensive line. He's a young, talented offensive lineman you can develop on a cheap rookie contract. The left guard position hasn't been solidified yet, and may not be by Week 1.
Against Mekari: If the Ravens feel confident in eight offensive linemen (Stanley, Hurst, Skura, Yanda, Brown Jr., Powers, Bozeman, and Eluemunor) not including Mekari. Or if Powers, Bozeman, Eluemunor emerge as the clear-cut favorite at left guard.
Defensive Line: Zach Sieler, Gerald Willis
For Sieler: He's really the only true five-technique behind Chris Wormley. The Ravens took a seventh-round flier on Sieler, but he offers the potential to generate pass rush on the interior defensive line. With Brent Urban gone, the Ravens could be searching for a player to fill that void, as Brandon Williams and Michael Pierce are primarily run stuffers.
Against Sieler: The emergence of Patrick Ricard. He's the team's starting fullback and has an impressive preseason both sides of the ball. Why keep a seventh-round pick when you can have a two-way player that takes up just one roster spot?
For Willis: He was regarded as one of the top undrafted rookies this offseason. Some pundits considered him a mid-to-late round draft pick who could blossom into a dominant force on the defensive line. Michael Pierce is set to become an unrestricted free-agent in 2020, and Brandon Williams will turn 31 in February. Willis could develop as a future starter on the D-Line.
Against Willis: Willis has battled injuries throughout camp and remains sidelined with a calf injury. It's hard to evaluate an undrafted rookie when he's not on the field.
Linebacker: Shane Ray, Otaro Alaka
For Ray: At his peak, Ray was an eight sack player in 2016. He's the most experienced outside linebacker behind Pernell McPhee. Tyus Bowser and Tim Williams haven't lived up to expectations as second and third-round picks entering Year 3.
Against Ray: He hasn't flashed during the preseason. He's played in a full 16-game regular season just once and suffered multiple wrist injuries. Are his best days behind him at 26-years-old?
For Alaka: He might have the best path to the 53-man roster of the undrafted rookies. Inside linebacker is one of the thinnest positions, and the Ravens are looking for depth after signing veteran Paul Worrilow before he unexpectedly left the team one day later. Injuries could play a factor as well as starter Chris Board is dealing with a concussion. Alaka played well in Board's absence against the Packers in Week 2.
Against Alaka: Ravens are content with just three inside linebackers (Board, Onwuasor, and Young). Anthony Levine, DeShon Elliott, and other defensive backs can be used in dime and sub-packages. Alaka needs to have a strong showing in the preseason finale to solidify a roster spot.
Defensive Back: Maurice Canady, Justin Bethel, Brynden Trawick
For Canady: Tavon Young's neck injury opens up competition at slot cornerback. Canady has shown versatility, lining up on the outside and the slot over his three-year career.
Against Canady: He's struggled during the preseason, and the Ravens are extremely deep in the defensive backfield. Brandon Carr, Anthony Averett, or Cyrus Jones are ahead of Canady to start at slot cornerback in replace of Young.
For Bethel: He's an accomplished special teams player – a two-time Pro Bowler in-fact. That carries weight on a team that values special teams as much as any team in the league, led by a head coach who was a former special teams coach. Former special teams ace Albert McClellan is gone, and Bethel could assume that rule.
Against Bethel: According to compensatory pick projections, releasing Bethel would recoup a fifth-round compensatory pick after Terrell Suggs' departure. The Ravens covet their draft picks, and General Manager Eric DeCosta is already stockpiling them ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft.
For Trawick: Another special teams standout, Trawick could replace Bethel if he was released for compensatory purposes. He could offer similar special teams contributions at a lower cost ($645,000 compared to Bethel's $2 million).
Against Trawick: It may be hard for the Ravens to justify roster spots for both Bethel and Trawick. If Bethel makes the 53-man roster, I believe Trawick would be cut.
