Jimmy Smith’s suspension could open the door for the Ravens’ bubble players

Minutes before the Ravens’ third preseason game http://www.ravenscheapstores.com/eric-weddle-jersey-cheap , the Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec reported that cornerback Jimmy Smith is facing a multi-game suspension. This was significant news for Baltimore as Smith is their top cornerback, but it appears they have the depth to handle his absence for multiple weeks. When Smith missed the final four games of the 2017 season, the Ravens’ secondary did not struggle to the level that they did in previous years without him. The loss of Smith provided an opportunity for Marlon Humphrey to receive more snaps, and he took full advantage of that opportunity. Humphrey was impressive in his first NFL start against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 14. He only allowed six completions for 37 yards on 12 targets, including two receptions for seven yards to Antonio Brown on five targets, per Pro Football Focus. With Humphrey likely becoming the team’s top cornerback in this scenario, Brandon Carr would be the No. 2 cornerback. He was inconsistent for much of the 2017 season, but he is an ironman. Carr has started every game in his 10-year NFL career. The return of Tavon Young as the team’s primary slot cornerback paired with the versatility and emergence of Maurice Canady and Anthony Averett would give Baltimore a talented secondary despite Smith’s absence. The Ravens did bring in cornerback Bashaud Breeland, which could show that they may not be content with the cornerback position without Smith. However, given the strong play of Anthony Averett in the preseason, their perception of their depth at this position could change. Since suspended players do not count towards the 53-man roster, the Ravens would seemingly have an extra roster spot. With players like Kamalei Correa, Robert Griffin III, Breshad Perriman, Tim White, Janarion Grant, Darren Waller, Maxx Williams, Bronson Kaufusi, and Albert McClellan all on the roster bubble, the Ravens could keep an additional player at a different position because of this suspension.7th receiverThe Ravens have an interesting dilemma at the wide receiver position. Outside of the top four receivers, no player has emerged in the competition. Jordan Lasley, Jaleel Scott, Breshad Perriman, Gus Edwards Youth Tavon Young Jersey , Tim White, Zach Sieler, and Janarion Grant are all fighting for two, or maybe three, spots. With Scott and Lasley likely safe, the seventh receiver spot could be awarded to the winner of the returning competition. They could keep Perriman, who has posted the best numbers out of all of the bubble wide receivers this preseason and let Chris Moore handle the returning duties. Third quarterbackThe Ravens have not kept a third quarterback on their roster since 2009, but Griffin III could change that. He has been solid throughout the preseason, and if Baltimore does not feel comfortable with Lamar Jackson being the only backup, he will be on the team. Fourth tight endMark Andrews, Nick Boyle, and Hayden Hurst are all destined for the 53-man roster. After those three, the Ravens could keep a fourth tight end, which they have done in previous seasons, but it was unclear if they would be afforded that luxury this year. Maxx Williams has had a quiet preseason thus far, but he has flashed potential in years prior and could be worth keeping. Darren Waller has a high ceiling given his rare height, speed and athleticism, but his off-the-field issues have plagued him. He could add a different element to Baltimore’s passing game.Sign up for Baltimore Beatdown FanPulse!Versatile linebackerIt would be a surprise if Kamalei Correa and Albert McClellan both missed the 53-man roster. With this new roster spot, the Ravens could keep both of them. They each provide value on special teams and versatility as they can play outside or inside linebacker. Fourth running back Kenneth Dixon had an impressive preseason performance against the Colts, but his track record shows that he is far from reliable at this point. Given his injury history, the Ravens may opt to keep a fourth running back for added insurance. Baltimore could sign a free agent running back or keep Gus Edwards, who has had a solid preseason. Extra defensive line helpThe Ravens have plenty of depth on the defensive line, and the final spot is likely between Zach Sieler and Bronson Kaufusi. Baltimore could opt to keep both players for extra depth as they have done this in previous seasons. Kaufusi also showcased his versatility as he can play outside linebacker as well. He has had a strong preseason, while Sieler has also flashed at times as well.Seven takeaways from the Ravens 17-16 win over the Bears The Baltimore Ravens defeated the Chicago Bears 17-16 in dramatic fashion. The Bears scored a late touchdown, but they opted to go for two instead of kicking an extra point to tie the game. The two-point conversation failed Womens Marshal Yanda Jersey , and the Ravens went three-and-out on the ensuing drive, which gave the Bears one more chance. Chicago turned the ball over on downs on their final drive, and the game ended in three Lamar Jackson kneel downs. Below are seven takeaways from Baltimore’s first preseason victory.1. Quarterback controversyMany members of the national media have been speculating about a quarterback controversy in Baltimore, and there might be one. However, it is not the one that they had anticipated; Robert Griffin III made a statement on Thursday night. Joe Flacco is still the clear-cut starter, but Griffin III could force Baltimore to make a rather difficult decision as they may have to keep three quarterbacks.Griffin III was smooth, confident and accurate, but most importantly, he stayed healthy. He only had four incompletions on 11 pass attempts, but two of them were drops. Griffin III threw one touchdown and one interception, although his lone interception came off of a deflected pass from Breshad Perriman.If Griffin III puts together four more preseason performances similar to how he played on Thursday night, he could force Baltimore’s hand.2. No movement in the returner competitionOne of the more hyped up competitions heading into this game was the returner battle, and there was little to no change. Tim White fielded one kickoff and returned it for 18 yards, and he also returned two punts for 25 yards. He did make one questionable decision where he let the ball roll instead of fielding it. It was a quiet night for White on special teams, but he did record two catches for 20 yards.Janarion Grant, who is considered a sleeper in this competition, also had a quiet night. He only fielded one punt in which he lost one yard. Grant attempted to switch the field and cut back, but it failed miserably. He did return two kickoffs for 46 yards, but he was unable to make much of a difference. Grant did record one reception for 10 yards.3. Early-round ‘busts’ make a statementWithout a doubt, the story of the night was Kamalei Correa. He recorded three sacks, one interception and one forced fumble. Correa took snaps at both inside and outside linebacker, and he shined in both roles. He is considered to be on the roster bubble, but his impressive performance on Thursday night and his versatility should boost his stock.Correa was not the only early-round draft pick who shined as Bronson Kaufusi quietly had an impressive performance. He recovered a fumble and was excellent at setting the edge at OLB. He applied pressure on several occasions as well. 4. Inconsistent, yet expected debut for QB Lamar JacksonThe story heading into this matchup was the debut of rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson. Like many expected, Jackson had an inconsistent and shaky performance. At times Youth Ronnie Stanley Jersey , he was dynamic as he showcased his athleticism, but on other occasions, he delivered inaccurate passes, which included an interception. Jackson dealt with a struggling offensive line, but his first NFL game was far from perfect. He certainly has a lot to improve upon, but it was an encouraging showing. 5. Kenny Young, Hayden Hurst, Orlando Brown Jr., and DeShon Elliott represented the 2018 draft class wellOn a night where a majority of the Ravens’ 2018 draft class was relatively quiet, three members of this group were impressive. Brown Jr. was frequently shown on NBC’s broadcast for his masterful blocks, including several pancakes. Young made a critical tackle on fourth and short, which was an encouraging sign as his biggest weakness coming out of UCLA was his run defense. He was adept in coverage, while also solid in run defense.Elliott was all over the field as he forced one fumble and picked up a pass breakup. During training camp, he flashed his physicality and great instincts, and he lived up to the hype in his first NFL game.Rookie tight end Hayden Hurst made several impressive catches, including a touchdown reception from Lamar Jackson. One of his receptions was called back due to an offensive penalty, but it was a strong showing from Hurst.6. RB Gus Edwards is the leader in the UDFA clubhouseFor the last 14 seasons in Baltimore, at least one undrafted free agent has made the 53-man roster. This year, Edwards appears to have taken the early lead among all of the UDFAs. He had a solid showing as he finished with 35 rushing yards and 23 receiving yards. The other two UDFA running backs, Mark Thompson and De’Lance Turner, both had quiet nights. The only other UDFA who made a significant impact was linebacker Chris Board, who recorded six total tackles.7. ‘Project Pat’ continues to prove his worth Patrick Ricard built off of his impressive 2017 preseason performance with a solid Hall of Fame Game showing. Ricard was all over the field totaling four tackles and recovering a fumble. He also served as the team’s primary fullback, and he is continuing to cement himself as a roster lock.