Depth Jam 2.0: Ravens' defensive end position

Skip this paragraph if you've already been informed. Baltimore Ravens Rookie Brent Urban tore his anterior cruciate ligament and Kapron Lewis-Moore suffered an Achilles injury. Now ...

With the regular season starting in two weeks, the procedure -- shaving and chiseling the Ravens depth chart for success -- is not going as well as planned. Not everybody invited to the party is attending, and the two attending aren't promising that they'll stay the entire time.

An extra load of gnarly expectations found the shoulder pads of defensive ends DeAngelo Tyson, a Baltimore Beatdown's #OnTheHop candidate for 2014 and Chris Canty. In order to work, the Ravens' hybrid defense requires, I've written this before, versatile defensive ends who can do more items than the grocery store's express lane -- protect the edges, spy mobile quarterbacks, drop back in coverage, shadow the running back in the backfield, and serve as a sideline to sideline tackler to name a few.

With Tyson in his third season and Canty entering his 10th, I could envision offensive coordinators, potentially, wearing out both edges of the Ravens' box by running the ball. By the process of erosion and power running, offenses will succeed if their game plan is to ultimately tire out either Tyson, the third-year student, and/or Canty, the seasoned veteran.

We are aware from his college experience that rookie Timmy Jernigan, who has impressed onlookers and coaches during training camp, is able to play multiple positions up front. (May need to switch around more than you expected to this season, Timmy.) Another viable option to relieve this Depth Jam is outside linebacker Pernell McPhee, who spent the first two seasons of his pro career as a defensive end.

At the end of it all -- this is the perfect time for gems to be discovered and diamonds to glisten -- Dean Pees will evaluate and assess which players will get the nod to start come September 7 when the Ravens host the Ben.gals.