BALTIMORE — NFL preseason games don’t count toward a team’s record or a player’s career stats, but it’d be inaccurate to imply that these exhibitions carry no meaning at all. In truth, for some members of the Baltimore Ravens, their performance in Thursday night’s preseason opener against the Jaguars could represent pivotal points in their professional lives.

I took a look at some of those players below. Rookies probably won’t face too much pressure in their preseason debuts, because coaches will provide them with more room to grow and leeway to learn. Many established veterans will likely sit out of Thursday’s matchup, and those who play can approach the game as more of a tuneup than a chance to prove their worth.

But for these eight players sitting near the roster bubble, Thursday’s game could carry great significant.

RB De’Lance Turner

Turner spent last summer as an undrafted afterthought on the Ravens’ roster before he rocketed through a hole for a 65-yard touchdown run against the Dolphins midway through the 2018 preseason. The big play propelled Turner to a spot on the practice squad and, eventually, a brief promotion onto the active regular-season roster.

After the Ravens beefed up their running backs room this offseason, Turner once again finds himself facing an uphill climb to stick on the team. Gus Edwards, Mark Ingram and Justice Hill stand as locks to make Baltimore's 53-man roster, and there’s no guarantee the Ravens carry more than three running backs into the regular season. Even if they do, Turner would have to compete with Kenneth Dixon and Tyler Ervin for the job.

Dixon and Ervin have more NFL experience than Turner. So for the second-year pro out of Alcorn State to make another push for a roster spot, he’ll need to stand out in the preseason — just like he did last year in Miami.

WR Jaleel Scott

Scott, a 2018 fourth-round pick, has displayed vast improvement from his rookie training camp, when he struggled to break free from defenders and regularly dropped passes even when he did create seperation. This training camp, Scott has transformed into an NFL-caliber receiver, who uses his speed and 6-foot-5 frame to pull in acrobatic receptions.

It’s difficult to imagine the Ravens cutting slot receiver Willie Snead, special teams mainstay Chris Moore or rookies Marquise Brown and Miles Boykin. Veteran newcomer Seth Roberts has arguably emerged Baltimore’s most consistent pass catcher this summer.

That means there’s little space for the Ravens to keep Scott, especially if they have no proof that he can translate his glimpses of excellence in practice into gameday success. By dominating in the preseason contests, Scott can build off his strong summer and force Baltimore to find room for him on the 53-man roster.

OLBs Tyus Bowser, Tim Williams & Shane Ray

The Ravens might not be able to keep all of these talented pass rushers on the regular-season roster, but they’ll need to hand a significant defensive role to at least one of the three. While small hints of separation materialized early in training camp — Williams showed flashes of potential and earned first-team repetitions, while Shane Ray has struggled to stand out — preseason games offer a greater opportunity to make an impression.

If one of these outside linebackers takes advantage with several sacks Thursday, he could jump ahead in the race for playing time.

S Deshon Elliott

Elliott produced his share of highlights this spring after a broken forearm derailed his rookie season last year. He’ll need his playmaking to extend into the preseason games if he wants to win a role on the team, though.

With veteran safeties Tony Jefferson and Earl Thomas in place as starters, dependable backup Chuck Clark enjoying a strong summer and Anthony Levine around to provide insurance and versatility, the Ravens don’t desperately need Elliott’s services. Starting Thursday, Elliott has to prove — via his play in the secondary and on special teams — that he’s too talented to get lost in the shuffle.

C/G Bradley Bozeman

Bozeman hasn’t entered into the mix to start at left guard, leaving James Hurst, Jermaine Eluemunor and rookie Ben Powers vying for the spot. Now, Bozeman’s challenge is to ensure he doesn’t fall out of the roster picture entirely.

The Ravens would like to keep a reliable backup center active behind Matt Skura, and as a 2018 sixth-round pick out of Alabama, Bozeman is the frontrunner to fill that role. But if he struggles Thursday, Baltimore could begin to survey its other options, whether they come from inside the organization or elsewhere.

K/P Kaare Vedvik

Unless Justin Tucker or Sam Koch suffer an injury, Vedvik doesn’t have a path onto the Ravens’ regular-season roster. What he has this preseason is a chance to show he’s one of the 32 best kickers in the NFL, which could give the Ravens an opportunity to trade him in exchange for a draft pick and would give Vedvik a shot at extending his NFL career.

Last year, Vedvik performed well in training camp and the preseason before he was assaulted during a night out in Baltimore, according to police, leaving him with facial injuries. He spent the season on the Ravens’ non-football injury list, recovering and waiting.

Though Vedvik has struggled to kick with the same consistency this summer that he showed last year, he could change his fortunes with a couple impressive boots Thursday night.

Aaron Kasinitz covers the Baltimore Ravens for PennLive and can be reached at akasinitz@pennlive.com or on Twitter @AaronKazreports.Follow PennLive’s Ravens coverage on Facebook and Youtube.