Domonique Foxworth

POSITION: Cornerback. The Ravens have rotated starters throughout the preseason, but Cary Williams and rookie first-round pick Jimmy Smith have been the most impressive. Domonique Foxworth has struggled since coming back from major knee surgery, and Chris Carr has been limited in training camp with a hamstring injury. VETERAN: Tight end Kris Wilson. The eight-year journeyman has become the favorite to be the top backup behind Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta. He is tied for the Ravens lead with seven catches, and his 83 yards receiving tops all of the team's tight ends.

In the final tuneup of the preseason, the Ravens may have some tinkering to do with their pass defense. The unit surrendered 145 yards through the air to the Washington Redskins in the first half Thursday night and allowed a passing touchdown on an opponent's final possession of the first half for the second consecutive game. Even worse, the Ravens made Rex Grossman , a backup to Donovan McNabb last season, look like an elite quarterback as he connected on eight of 15 passes for 112 yards and a 24-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Santana Moss with 51 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

In Tuesday's "Your Turn," we discussed the Ravens' depth at cornerback and which two players should start at the position when Week 1 rolls around. It seems your preference is for Jimmy Smith and Cary Williams. So how do the other players fit in, and will any of them become expendable when rosters are cut down? That's been a topic of conversation on talk radio apparently , as dots are being connected and speculation is being started now that the Giants have seen their secondary decimated by injuries . The same thing happened to the Ravens last year when Domonique Foxworth went down, and the team traded for Josh Wilson.

If the Ravens' Chuck Pagano has proven anything heading into Thursday's preseason game against the Washington Redskins, it's that he's an unpredictable defensive coordinator. Only a few weeks ago Pagano cautioned fans not to read too much into the defense because he was going to play "vanilla" schemes to avoid showing too much in the preseason. He then unleashed safety blitzes at Philadelphia, and brought the nickel backs as well as linebackers against Kansas City. So, why did he decide to change the plan?

Each morning, Monday through Friday, I'll hook you up with reading material to skim through as you slug down coffee and slack off at the start of your workday -- that way I'll have an excuse to do the same at the start of mine. Running it back: The Maryland football team unveiled its new uniforms at a runway show on Monday night. ... Zach Britton was back pitching in the majors on Monday after a stint on the disabled list, and the Orioles snapped their five-game losing streak with a 4-1 victory over the Twins . ... The Orioles recalled Ryan Adams and sent Blake Davis to Triple-A Norfolk . ... Domonique Foxworth worked with the Ravens' starting defense for the first time in a couple of weeks, a sign that his surgically repaired knee is improving . ... Mark LeVoir is already running with the first-team offense . ... Josh Wilson compared Ravens fans to Redskins fans . Hitting the links: 1. Is the window closing on the Ravens?

Perhaps the most interesting competition between now and Week 1 for the Ravens is at cornerback, where five players are jockeying for two starting positions. The selection of first-round pick Jimmy Smith and the emergence of third-year cornerback Cary Williams have given the Ravens depth they didn't have last season when they finished 21st in pass defense and were victimized by the pass in the playoff loss to the Steelers. Smith and Williams started at cornerback in the preseason win over the Chiefs last week, and each had his moments . Matched up against Pro Bowl wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, Smith got beat twice for 40 yards, but his physicality and fearlessness were encouraging.

Domonique Foxworth worked with the Ravens' starting defense for the first time in a couple of weeks, a sign that his surgically repaired knee is improving. Foxworth, who started every game in 2009, missed last season when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee on the eve of training camp. "I feel good now. I can finish practice, I think I can finish a game," Foxworth said. "We'll see. I'm definitely not as good as I was. [The knee] doesn't feel as good as it did. … It's about getting my explosion back.

The biggest answer that came out of Friday's preseason game for the Ravens is that they are better this season at cornerback — perhaps much better. Jimmy Smith, the first-round pick who came with a caution flag, held his own against the Kansas City Chiefs' Dwayne Bowe in his M&T Bank Stadium debut at left corner. Cary Williams, a third-year player out of Washburn University, might have taken the lead for the starting job on the right side with another strong outing. Smith is 6 feet 2, smooth and already plays with the nerve of a veteran.

Each morning, Monday through Friday, I'll hook you up with reading material to skim through as you slug down coffee and slack off at the start of your workday -- that way I'll have an excuse to do the same at the start of mine.   Running it back: Ray Lewis may retire if the Ravens win a Super Bowl this season . ... Joe Flacco is scheduled to play the first quarter of the Ravens' preseason opener at the Eagles on Thursday night, and rookie Tyrod Taylor will get most of the playing time after that . ... Domonique Foxworth, who is trying to make a comeback from a torn ACL, could miss the preseason opener . ... Cal Ripken Jr. acknowledged again Tuesday that he has an " itch to come back to the big league scene . " ... Buck Showalter got ejected in the Orioles' 4-3 loss to the White Sox on Tuesday.

There will be no shortage of intriguing players to watch Thursday night when the Ravens play the Eagles in their first preseason game of the summer. Sergio Kindle. Torrey Smith. Domonique Foxworth. Terrence Cody. Ricky Williams. But the young man I'll be focusing my attention on is the rookie quarterback out of Virginia Tech. When the NFL's quarterback carousel stopped spinning last week -- and news leaked that Marc Bulger had decided to retire months ago -- sixth-round pick Tyrod Taylor was left as the Ravens' No. 2 quarterback.