Thursday, September 1, 7:30 pm EST in Atlanta… it’s the final cast auditions for both the Ravens and the Falcons…
Laquan Williams, 6-1, 190 undrafted wide receiver and special teams guy from Maryland, gets a big chance in this final preseason game to put some good plays on tape…and possibly make the Final 53 as a long shot…I think at the very least, he makes the Practice Squad.
The final score in this game won’t matter… few if any of the starters on either team’s offense or defense will play. This one’s all about giving the 2’s, 3’s and 4’s on the current depth chart one last chance to shine and move up… or showcase themselves to other teams looking for help.
For the Ravens, the “official” pregame preview of the “bubble” battles from the great football writer Mike Duffy who’s now on the Ravens PR staff:
Wide receiver: Williams vs. Smith
LaQuan Williams’ name has been thrown around a lot during the preseason for strong performances on both offense and special teams. The Maryland undrafted free agent has four catches for 84 yards, including a long of 38. Williams also returned a punt 38 yards to set up a game-winning drive last week. With the release of Justin Harper, Williams’ main threat is Marcus Smith for the sixth receiver spot. Smith is known for his special teams contributions and has three years in Cam Cameron’s offense.
Tight end: Drew vs. Wilson
Davon Drew was a fifth-round draft pick in 2009, but the Ravens’ selection of Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta last year made the tight end position deep. The third tight end position isn’t a lock for Drew, either, as eight-year veteran Kris Wilson has performed solidly of late. Wilson is tied for the team lead with seven receptions for 83 yards during the preseason.
Safety: Mana Silva?
While the Ravens sort out whether Tom Zbikowski, Bernard Pollard, or Haruki Nakamura will start next to Ed Reed, Mana Silva has earned a lot of playing time this summer. The Hawaii product finished second in the NCAA with eight interceptions last year, and he currently owns four tackles and one special teams stop for the Ravens. Silva may be able to earn a special teams role.
Running back: Parmele vs. Allen
The Ravens have a top backup for Ray Rice in Ricky Williams, but the question of whether they want to keep another viable runner remains to be seen. Jalen Parmele has been the Ravens’ kickoff returner in the past, so there is some familiarity there, but Anthony Allen has flashed in the rushing attack. Currently, the seventh-round draft pick is averaging 6.4 yards per carry. Matt Lawrence and rookie free agent Damien Berry could also be in the conversation, but each player has missed time due to injury in the preseason.
Other battles shaping up include:
Defensive line: McAdoo vs. Divens vs. McKinney
Interior offensive line: Extra man? (The Ravens have waived T/G Oneil Cousins…does rookie UDFA Scott Boren impress?)
As for the Atlanta Falcons—
Here are some bubble battles you can watch on their side of the ball:
With two starting positions still up for grabs, several players will get more playing time in Thursday finale than would normally be the case in an exhibition finale. The biggest competition continues to be for the starting right guard position between Garrett Reynolds and Mike Johnson.
Falcons coach Mike Smith said he expects Johnson to get more snaps this week. Johnson missed the exhibition opener with concussion symptoms and the coaching staff is trying to get an equal look at each player against the opposing first-team defense.
“There are certain competitions that we need to continue to evaluate because at this point we don’t really have clear-cut winners on who will be the starters,” Smith said.
Christopher Owens and Dominique Franks are battling for the nickel back spot.
Another player who could see extended time Thursday is defensive end Ray Edwards. The free-agent signee made his exhibition debut against the Steelers after missing the first two games following offseason knee surgery.
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