The Fourth Preseason Game IS important for the Baltimore Ravens

Nov 10, 2013; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens center A.Q. Shipley (68) runs onto the field prior to the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

For most of the Baltimore Ravens the final preseason game at New Orleans means very little.

But for Anthony Levine, Brynden Trawick, Omar Brown, Kamar Aiken and even veteran A.Q. Shipley this game may mean everything. It is the last time that these five can make their case to stay on the team. They are not only bubble players at their respective positions but on the bubble to take that last position before roster cuts.

Shipley is a veteran, but he played with little success last year, so Ryan Jensen will likely take his spot on the offensive line. Jensen was the sixth-round draft pick by the Ravens out Colorado State-Pueblo in 2013. The team values their draft picks so he is almost a sure thing to win a roster spot. If Shipley had shown more the tide would have turned in his favor, but in a coin toss, Jensen wins.

Aiken has put in some nice work this preseason. But in the Redskins game, he was nearly invisible with only one ball thrown his way. Deonte Thompson will probably take the final wide receiver spot, so Aiken needs to show the team something big against New Orleans to make them re-think that.

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Levine, Trawick and Brown all play the same safety position, so probably only one of them has even a chance to make the team. The one who could make the team needs to be versatile and be able to play multiple spots on the field and in special teams.

Brown has been huge in the last couple of preseasons but hasn’t done much when out in live competition. He is also not a great special teams player. He has spent a good deal of time on the practice squad already, so the Ravens will likely not want to put him there again.

Trawick is a good special teamer so the team will look closely at him. His inadvertent mishap with Jacoby Jones last year won him no fans in Baltimore, but the team will forgive that error if he performs on the field.

The player who has the best chance out of this group to make the field is Levine. He is a versatile special teams player. The team also must appreciate his ability to fill in for the depleted cornerback group. He played at corner multiple times versus the Redskins and held his own. He had never played cornerback in any level of football prior to that game.

Rated in order by likelihood of making the team:

1. Anthony Levine
2. Kamar Aiken
3. Brynden Trawick
4. Omar Brown
5. A.Q. Shipley