Preseason Position Battles To Watch For

The Baltimore Ravens enter their 2011 campaign as one of the favorites to reach the super bowl. One of the reasons why they are widely considered one of the top teams in the NFL is their plethora of talent and organizational wide stability. Therefore, most of the starting positions, health permitting, are already secured. However, there are still some interesting position battles to watch for leading up to the season opener against the Steelers.
The main question mark going forward is undoubtedly the offensive line, which is in a state of flux. There are three starters which are locked there: Michael Oher (left tackle), Ben Grubbs (left guard), and Matt Birk (center). The right side of the line was a serious issue for the ravens last year, and many questions remain going forward. Two candidates to fill up these remaining spots are guards Chris Chester and Marshal Yanda and recent draft pick Jah Reid. The current capability of Chester and Reid for the starting role are both questionable, however, and Yanda has been in trade rumors for some time. The Ravens will probably sign a free agent for at least one of these roles, possibly even moving Michael Oher back to the right tackle spot, where he shined as a rookie. This will certainly be interesting to watch as the preseason gets under way.
There are also some position battles to watch for in the secondary. All sources point to Dawan Landry’s imminent departure, who’s starting role will likely be filled by either Tom Zbikowski or Haruki Nakamura. The starting cornerbacks are also murky at this point. Most fans would probably prefer to see 1st round pack Jimmy Smith placed on the opposing teams best receiver, but is he really ready at this point? Josh Wilson played well down the stretch last year, but what of Domonique Foxworth, who is tied down to a hefty contract and is also returning from an ACL injury? All of these battles will be quite interesting to observe as football finally starts again.