Ronnie Stanley Expected To Play Thursday Night

Ravens fans got quite the scare Saturday night when they saw Stanley, the team's first-round pick, leave the field and head for the locker room.

Head Coach John Harbaugh said it was a soft-tissue injury, but added that things didn't seem too serious.

"Both Harbaugh and Stanley declined to disclose the injury, but both seemed confident the sixth-overall pick won't miss a significant amount of time," wrote Zrebiec. "Stanley said he's optimistic he'll play in the preseason opener Thursday against the Carolina Panthers.

"Stanley was replaced at left tackle by fellow rookie Alex Lewis, a fourth-round pick. The 6-foot-6, 315-pound Lewis has been splitting time between guard and tackle, as he did in college with Nebraska."

Josh Johnson Playing Better Than Ryan Mallett?

Mallett is expected to be the primary backup to Flacco this season, but if you ask CSNMidAtlantic.com's Clifton Brown, another backup has outshined Mallett so far in training camp.

"Backup quarterback Josh Johnson has thrown the ball better in camp than Ryan Mallett," Brown wrote. "Throughout camp, Johnson has been more accurate than Ryan Mallett, the Ravens' No. 2 quarterback. It's very unlikely the Ravens will keep three quarterbacks, and it's also unlikely the Ravens will part with Mallett.

"However, if Mallett wants to eliminate any suspense about his backup role, he needs to perform more consistently."

Running Back Competition Heating Up With Dixon Standing Out

Ravens coaches have a very good problem on their hands … they have four running backs that are all playing very, very well. Harbaugh will either have to cut one back, or leave another position a little thin.

With fourth-round rookie Dixon shining upon his return from injury, things are only getting more interesting.

"[T]he Ravens' competition at running back is heating up," wrote Brown. "Dixon made sharp cuts, showed excellent acceleration, and looked fully recovered from his knee injury suffered early in camp.

"Even if Forsett keeps the starting job, there is no reason to overwork him if the younger backs show they are ready to contribute consistently. Forsett, Allen, and Dixon are probably locks to make the 53-man roster. West's impressive camp could force the Ravens to keep all four backs."

Another Rookie, Tavon Young, Turning Heads"There is one player every summer that comes out of nowhere, turns heads, and instantly becomes the guy all in attendance search out," wrote Russell Street Report's Brian Bower. "They're [not] just noticeable; they stand out."

Who is Bower referring to?

Just another fourth-round rookie: Young.

Bower goes on to talk about how Young has been stacking days, and despite his smaller 5-foot-9, has kept the bigger Ravens wide receivers at bay. He always seems to be around the ball, notching an interception or a near-interception on an almost daily basis.

Young was asked how many picks he can get this season, and he responded with a big smile: "As many as I can get. Put me down for 100."