Latest ravens mail why keep reid and cody

Jamison HensleyAug 28, 2014, 06:00 PM ET

With the Baltimore Ravens' final preseason game quickly approaching, let's click open a special edition of the Twitter mailbag ...

@jamisonhensley why are they keeping Cody and reid
— Lawhorne (@Ravensfan59) August 25, 2014

@jamisonhensley: These are two different situations. With Jah Reid, he's the team's best option at backup offensive tackle, unless you want to move Kelechi Osemele from left guard when either Eugene Monroe or Rick Wagner get hurt. Reid hasn't lived up to expectations of being a third-round pick and he gets injured a lot. In fact, he's dealing with a concussion right now. But he is better than James Hurst and Parker Graham. As for nose tackle Terrence Cody, he's on the physically unable to perform list while recovering from offeseason hip surgery. Cody won't count against the 53-man roster if he remains on PUP. The Ravens, though, could use Cody for depth. Right now, the backup nose tackle is undrafted rookie Derrick Hopkins, who may not make the final cuts. The Ravens can use Cody this season with all the injuries to the defensive line.

@jamisonhensley Does John Simon make the #Ravens and if so, why?
— Rants N Ravens (@RantsNRavens) August 25, 2014

@jamisonhensley: I admit that I've been waffling on John Simon's roster status. For most of the roster projections this summer, I've had Simon making the team. He's a hard-nosed outside linebacker who was drafted in the fourth round a year ago. But, after analyzing the roster again, I'm not sure if Simon makes the 53-man roster this year. The Ravens have quality backups at both outside linebacker spots in Pernell McPhee and Courtney Upshaw (who actually splits time with Elvis Dumervil). There's also reserve linebackers on the team (Josh Bynes and Albert McClellan) who are better special teams players than Simon. So, Simon is definitely on the bubble.

@jamisonhensley B'more running game woes. Where would you emphasize improvements 1st?: O Line/blocking, RBs, play calling?
— Baltimoron (@jlewistucker) August 25, 2014

@jamisonhensley: The Ravens' running game looked really good early in the preseason. The Ravens actually led the NFL in rushing after two games. But the ground game took a step backward Saturday against the Washington Redskins. The Ravens didn't look prepared for the Redskins stacking the line and sending several run blitzes. That's why offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak altered the plan and started throwing the ball more, because that's what the Redskins defense was giving the Ravens. When a defense is that committed to stopping the run like the Redskins were, I'm not sure there is an improvement to make. An offense has to start throwing the ball to force the defense to back off. That's what the Ravens did.

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Ravens mail: Why keep Reid and Cody?