IN: Haloti Ngata, Terrence Cody, Arthur Jones, Pernell McPhee, Ma’ake Kemoeatu, Bryan Hall
OUT: DeAngelo Tyson, Nicolas Jean-Baptiste, Terrence Moore, Ishmaa’ily Kitchen
Skinny: Hall is one of the most improved players on the team after spending his first professional season on the practice squad. Though undersized at 291 pounds, he moves around very well and has even dropped into pass coverage when he hasn’t been getting after the quarterback during the preseason. Tyson finished the preseason strongly after a slow start, but he was one of the final three players I left off the 53-man roster. Kitchen would be an ideal addition to the practice quad.
LINEBACKERS (9)
IN: Ray Lewis, Jameel McClain, Paul Kruger, Courtney Upshaw, Brendon Ayanbadejo, Dannell Ellerbe, Albert McClellan, Chavis Williams, Sergio Kindle
OUT: Nigel Carr, Ricky Brown, Josh Bynes
PUP LIST: Terrell Suggs (will begin season on the physically unable to perform list and not count against the 53-man roster)
Skinny: Upshaw left Thursday’s game with a shoulder strain, which is just the latest page in a disappointing preseason for the 35th overall pick in April’s draft. I strongly contemplated leaving Kindle off my 53-man roster — an inexcusable penalty for roughing the passer didn’t help his cause Thursday night — but the organization will hold onto him at least a little bit longer. However, the Ravens should be looking around at potential free agents or trades that could help their pass rush, and Kindle would likely be one of the first players to go if either of those scenarios played out. Carr would be an excellent candidate for the practice squad.
CORNERBACKS (7)
IN: Lardarius Webb, Cary Williams, Jimmy Smith, Corey Graham, Asa Jackson, Danny Gorrer, Chykie Brown
Skinny: Keeping seven cornerbacks is unconventional, but the special teams prowess from Jackson, Gorrer, and Brown makes it difficult to part with any of them. Gorrer was flagged for pass interference, but he made up for it with an interception in the end zone. Graham will also handle reps at safety with the Ravens currently thin at that spot.
SAFETIES (4)
LOCK: Ed Reed, Bernard Pollard, Sean Considine, Christian Thompson
OUT: Omar Brown, Cyhl Quarles
Skinny: Brown led the Ravens with six tackles in the preseason finale and had a nice summer despite underwhelming size and speed. His nose for the football and injuries to Considine and Emanuel Cook have put him in better position for roster consideration, but he seems a better fit for the practice squad at this stage of his development. Thompson benefits from the fact that he’s a fourth-round choice from a small school, but he hasn’t made many plays this summer. If Considine is to be out much longer, there’s no doubt the Ravens will explore veteran options outside the organization.
SPECIALISTS (3)
LOCK: Sam Koch, Morgan Cox, Justin Tucker
Skinny: All the drama was removed from this position area when the Ravens elected to award the job to the rookie Tucker last Sunday.
