The Baltimore Ravens will finally get the opportunity to compete against another team when they host the San Francisco 49ers at M & T bank stadium in preseason action on Thursday night. There have been various new players that have stood out so far in camp. It’s time to see how they will respond to being in game situations. Here are five players to watch in the preseason opener:
1. Bernard Pierce #30 Running Back
The depth chart still lists Ray Rice as a starter. That being said, Rice will play with the first team unit which is set to go for one or two series. This is good news for Pierce because it will allow him to get a decent amount of carries, even if it’s with the second unit. Pierce has looked really good in camp, showing the ability to be in sync with the offensive line and slipping through designed cutback lanes. There are a few analysts, myself included that actually think Pierce is better suited for the zone scheme than Rice is. Going against the tough run defense of the 49ers will be a good test. Watch how Pierce is able to make one cut and create explosion up the field. Pierce was highly successful in this zone scheme when he was played his college football at Temple University. His running style and stature is similar to Houston Texans running back, Arian Foster. Foster was very successful in Gary Kubiak’s scheme when the two were together in Houston.
2. Asa Jackson #25 Defensive Back
There has been fierce competition at the nickel spot. Lardarius Webb is nursing a sore back and will not play, so Asa Jackson and Chykie Brown will get to play a bit more than normal. This could bode well for Jackson. If Brown were to be named the nickel, Webb would play inside. As we mentioned, Webb will not be active. Unlike Brown, Jackson has the ability to bump inside and cover slot receivers. He is more of a pure nickel corner than Brown.
If the 49ers use three receivers, Jackson would get matched up against Anquan Boldin, Stevie Johnson, Quinton Patton or Bruce Ellington. These four receivers will offer a different test to Jackson. Boldin is a more physical receiver that will try to overpower Jackson while Johnson relies more on footwork to win at the line of scrimmage. Both of these receivers will be a good measuring stick to show how far Jackson has come along with his press coverage skills. It is something that he said that he was working on during the off season in preparation for his opportunity to take over the nickel spot.
The 49ers like to throw a lot of back shoulder passes to Boldin because of the way he is able to aggressively attack the ball when it is in the air. Watch how Jackson competes for the ball. This is an area that he has worked hard to improve upon. At 5-10 Jackson is not the biggest corner so when he plays outside he will need to heavily rely on his timing and ball skills to keep receivers from making contested catches.
3. Will Hill #48 Free Safety
Hill is suspended for the first six games of the season but that has not stopped him from making a push for a starting spot in the Ravens secondary when he returns. He has already become a favorite of defensive backs coach, Steve Spagnuolo. Hill definitely has the ability as shown by his 77 tackles, two forced fumbles and two interceptions as a member of the New York Giants last season. Defensive coordinator Dean Pees has often said that he can’t wait for Hill to come off of suspension.
Watch how Hill comes up and makes big hits on running backs. He also has the speed that is necessary to play on the back end. Hill has taken most of his reps with the third team in practice so he will probably go against the 49ers third team unit. This will allow him to standout more due to his starting caliber ability.
4. Kamar Aiken #11 Wide Receiver
Aiken has be outstanding throughout training camp. The second year wide receiver from Central Florida has a legitimate shot to make the roster. He has worked mostly with the second team offense but has also gotten reps with Joe Flacco and the first team. Watch how Aiken is able to quickly off the line of scrimmage and get into his routes. He is very sudden at the line and able to set the defensive backs up with an assortment of moves during his release. The Ravens like to take advantage of his 6-2 frame and above average catching ability by getting him the ball on slants, especially in the red zone.
The 49ers have a habit of playing off coverage. If they do this against Aikens, watch how he comes out of his break on slant routes and catches the ball in stride. Once he catches the ball, Aikens has the ability to turn up field and gain yards after the catch.
5. Pernell McPhee #90 Outside Linebacker
McPhee has been very disruptive in training camp. At 6-3 280 pounds, he is bigger than your standard outside pass rusher. The way that he plays and his size reminds me of Levon Kirkland, a former standout linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is from Pahokee, Florida which is a place that has become famous for their high school football players chasing rabbits to develop quickness and agility. McPhee is surprisingly quick coming off the edge.
Watch how McPhee is able to get off the ball and get to the quarterback in a hurry. He is just as swift when making plays against the run. He has the ability get around the edge and come down the line to disrupt running plays to the opposite side.
There are a number of players to watch when the Ravens take the field. The competition at the wide receiver position is fierce. Jeremy Butler, LaQuan Williams and Deonta Thompson have each stood out during practice. Be sure to watch rookie quarterback Keith Wenning also. He will be coming off of a practice in which he completed 11 straight passes. It would not be a surprise if any of them excel on Thursday.
The starters aren’t likely to play beyond a series or two but when they do, Steve Smith Sr. and C.J. Mosely are players to watch when they are on the field. Joe Flacco will make his debut in a new offense. Let’s see if he is able to have a quicker mental clock and get rid of the ball rather than take sacks like he did last year. Keep an eye on new center Jeremy Zuttah and second year right tackle Rick Wagner as they see their first action with the Ravens offensive line.
