Sunday 12 May 2013

Projecting Baltimore Ravens' Most Heated Roster Battles This Offseason

Tandon Doss, Jacoby Jones, Deonte Thompson and David Reed will all be vying to replace Anquan Boldin's production, and who will do so remains to be seen.

Jones will definitely be part of the puzzle, but he is really a better fit as a third receiver. The value Jones brings to special teams should keep him from being the starter. Also worth noting is that Jones was never ever to capitalize on the Houston Texans' hole at wide receiver in his stint there, so there is reason to doubt that he could become a quality starter in Baltimore.

That leaves Doss, Thompson and Reed, with Doss as the front-runner. Doss has the most experience of that group and the most career production, but he struggled with drops last season.

Thompson, meanwhile, has the most upside and talent of the group. He showed a knack last season for getting open with his burning speed and making acrobatic catches away from his body.

The dark horse is Reed, who hasn't produced much in his three years in Baltimore. The Ravens brought him back on a two-year contract, though, so they must see something in Reed.

Finally, the Ravens would shock nobody by finding a veteran either by trade or through free agency. The free agents available aren't great, but roster cuts could change the field significantly. If that doesn't happen, then a trade is definitely a possibility.

As far as I'm concerned, no Raven did more with fewer snaps last year than Deonte Thompson. He only played in mop-up duty, but he always stood out. With a year in the Ravens' system, Thompson has the potential to be a breakout performer. I expect the Ravens to pick up a starter through trade or free agency, but in that group, I'll take Thompson.

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