Push to Start Recap: Where do these Ravens stand?

Like MMA fighters making weight before the night of the fight, football teams must trim their active rosters to 53 prior to the start of the season.

The Ravens coordinators are still meticulously weighing their options and deliberating on who would best fit their winning systems. Dean Pees and Marc Trestman are hunters, each holding spears to skewer the best ingredients to later grill for a Super Bowl 50 meal. Yum. Standing in the river the two gentlemen will, with utmost patience, tolerance, respect, critique the individuals' skill set and see if they could contribute to the Ravens smash-mouth culture.

For a month I grabbed a fistful of names on the Ravens roster and assigned them under a "Push to Start" category. Today we'll return to that list and check on their statuses.

Push to Start 1 | Push to Start 2.0 | Push to Start 3.0 | Push to Start 4.0 | Push to Start 5.0

Round 1

Maxx Williams, tight end

Williams, I choose you. Pokemon, if you don't know.

Arthur Brown, linebacker

Not a matter of why, but how? How will Brown make the cut when he's running with the 3s? He's been "seemingly passed on the depth chart by both Zach Orr and Albert McClellan." Per Baltimore Sun's writer Jeff Zrebiec, Brown is firmly on the roster bubble. Yikes.

Lawrence Guy, defensive end

Read Les Carpenter of The Guardian's interview with the Ravens defensive end. The biggest takeaway from the story was this quote from Guy.

"I don’t believe in the word ‘no,’" he said that day. "I don’t believe in the word can’t."

Kamar Aiken, wide receiver

Aiken may start two or three games this season depending on the matchup. Mark my words.

Round 2

Javorious Allen, running back

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/imDPerent">@imDPerent</a> He&#39;s been good enough to get this far, but making the final 53 will be an uphill climb with Forsett, Taliaferro and Allen ahead.</p>&mdash; Sarah Ellison (@sgellison) <a href="https://twitter.com/sgellison/status/628648083799339008">August 4, 2015</a></blockquote>

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So Allen, in Sarah Ellison's shrewd perspective, Allen sitteth on the sameth platform Justin Forsett and Lorenzo "The Iron Retribution" Taliaferro share. That's a positive sign.

Trey DePriest, linebacker

DePriest was cut by the Ravens to sign linebacker Andrew Bose.

Za'Darius Smith, defensive end

His overall likeability might land him the opportunity to stay on board. During OTAs he was arguably the most consistent AND impressive rookie. Keep a Ravens' eye out on how well he adjusts to the NFL speed during the preseason.

Bryn Renner, quarterback

Shout out to Renner and his father, who once coached me back in 2002 at West Springfield High School. #WSHS. #RealTalk Renner's chances of making the cuts depends on Coach Harbaugh's as-of-now-unwavering hopes of Matt Schaub. Preseason finale will determine who holds the clippy-clip behind Flacco.

Round 3

Darren Waller, wide receiver

Please make the team, please make the team. #FingersCrossed

Tramain Jacobs, defensive back

He'll have to furrow through many rabbit holes to scrape his way to the top of the hill, climb another ladder to get to the top of the bottom of a flight of stairs that will lead him to ... I'm lost.

Matt Schaub, quarterback

No comment. Ask Terrell Suggs.

Round 4

Rashaan Melvin, cornerback

I like Melvin in that he is very aggressive and physical with whomever he is covering. Everybody could use some of that ferociousness he's packing.

Christo Bilukidi, defensive tackle

The man is still behind Kapron Lewis-Moore, DeAngelo Tyson and Carl Davis on the depth chart.

Nick Boyle, tight end

Dennis Pitta, where art thou? Boyle fits the system!

Round 5

Jeremy Butler, wide receiver

Apparently Butler grabbed EVERYTHING thrown his way during minicamp. Let's hope this upward trend continues.

"He might have had like 1,500 yards in a three day minicamp," Flacco said. "He was incredible."

Steven Means, defensive end

The game "Simon Says" should be switched to "Steven Means." This is how Means was described by a headline in the Baltimore Sun: explosive, young, big, gangly, crazy, almost out of control. Nice.

Andrew Bose, linebacker

He's been silent since he was re-signed by the purple-and-black back in May. See how he responds now that he's been granted this second chance. We can pray for him. Actually, pray for every player on the team.