With the 2013 NFL Draft in the rear-view mirror, general manager Ozzie Newsome and the Ravens can now begin looking at the offseason roster with a clearer picture of what they’ll have when they travel to Denver for the Sept. 5 season opener.

Of course, there will be a few more additions or subtractions of some consequence between now and the start of training camp in late July, but any drastic changes are unlikely with the Ravens holding just under $4 million in salary cap space.

The Ravens will likely use some of that remaining cap room to address offensive tackle after only coming away with Wisconsin tackle Ricky Wagner in the fifth round of the draft. The Badgers left tackle will likely be moved inside to guard as it’s not believed that his feet are quick enough to handle the position at the next level, meaning Kelechi Osemele is still in line to be the team’s starting left tackle if the season were to begin now.

The obvious veteran still on the free-agent market is left tackle Bryant McKinnie, who has remained in touch with the Ravens this offseason but visited with the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. The 33-year-old McKinnie told WNST.net in a text message that the only post-draft contact he’s had from the Ravens came with run-game coordinator Juan Castillo and right tackle Michael Oher.

A CBSSports.com report said McKinnie is also scheduled to visit with the San Diego Chargers, but the 11-year veteran provided his own update on the visit with the Dolphins on Monday afternoon.

“Just finished a good day of meetings & workouts!” McKinnie wrote on his official Twitter account. “This was the gear of choice 4 2day! Nothing final…”

Even if McKinnie signs elsewhere and Osemele ultimately receives the nod to protect quarterback Joe Flacco’s blindside, you’d expect the Ravens to at least add another veteran tackle since Jah Reid and Ramon Harewood would then factor heavily into the competition for the starting left guard spot. With no other additions, Oher would clearly be the replacement for Osemele in the event of an injury, but that would open a huge hole on the right side of the line.

Fullback is another interesting position to watch after the Ravens drafted Harvard fullback Kyle Juszczyk with their second fourth-round pick on Saturday. All things being equal, you wouldn’t expect the rookie to supplant three-time Pro Bowl fullback Vonta Leach, but the veteran’s hefty cap figure puts him at the top of the list of potential cuts should an opportunity to add a pricier veteran arise between now and the start of the season.

Newsome was asked following the conclusion of the draft what Jusczcyk’s selection meant for Leach’s future, but the Ravens executive didn’t exactly provide a guarantee that Leach would be opening running lanes for Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce in 2013. Baltimore won’t cut Leach for the sake of simply saving $3 million in cap space, but if they need more cap space to address another need such tackle or wide receiver, the Ravens won’t hesitate to give Jusczcyk the starting job.

“We want to make decisions based on how guys perform out on the football field,” Newsome said. “We’re going to get Kyle in here, and the thing we like about Kyle other than his ability to play on the offensive side is we expect him to be a very good special-teams contributor. Could there be a place for both of them? Yes, there could be, because as John and I try to put our 53-man squad together, we want to keep the best 53 players.”

Troubled inside linebacker Rolando McClain remains with the Ravens as of Monday afternoon, but you have to wonder how much shorter his leash became after the selection of Kansas State linebacker Arthur Brown. Considering the Ravens traded up in the second round to select Brown in fear of another team taking him before their scheduled pick at 62nd overall, you’d expect that coach John Harbaugh envisions him to be a starter from Day 1.

To this point, the Ravens have said all the polite things about McClain’s latest arrest on April 21 and his right to due process, but the need to keep an average player with such baggage diminished greatly after adding one of the top inside linebackers in this year’s draft class. You have to wonder if McClain will even make it to training camp at this point, or whether he’ll be able to keep himself out of trouble between now and then.

“He is one of the 90,” Newsome said on the final day of the draft. “We’re going to make the determination, starting Sunday, who we think is going to be on our top 53. We’ll start making those decisions. It’s going to be some tough decisions, but as of right now, Rolando is still a part of our football team.”

Below is an all-too-early look at the 2013 depth chart, which doesn’t include undrafted rookie free agents until the full list is officially announced by the Ravens. High draft picks such as Matt Elam and Brown are viewed more favorably than lower-round selections like Ryan Jensen and Aaron Mellette in terms of where they rank on the current depth chart. In many cases, roster holdovers from previous seasons have been given the nod over rookies with the full understanding that some — if not many — will be supplanted.

Teams are allowed to have a maximum of 90 players on their offseason roster.

Projected post-draft 2013 depth chart

Offense
QB: Joe Flacco, Tyrod Taylor, Caleb Hanie
RB: Ray Rice, Bernard Pierce, Anthony Allen, Bobby Rainey, Damien Berry, Lonyae Miller
FB: Vonta Leach, Kyle Juszczyk
WR: Torrey Smith, David Reed, LaQuan Williams, Aaron Mellette
WR: Jacoby Jones, Tandon Doss, Deonte Thompson, Tommy Streeter, Tori Gurley
TE: Dennis Pitta, Ed Dickson, Alex Silvestro
LT: Kelechi Osemele
LG: Jah Reid, Ramon Harewood, Antoine McClain
C: Gino Gradkowski, Ryan Jensen, Reggie Stephens
RG: Marshal Yanda, Ricky Wagner, Jack Cornell
RT: Michael Oher, David Mims

Defense
DE: Chris Canty, Pernell McPhee, DeAngelo Tyson, Kapron Lewis-Moore
NT: Haloti Ngata, Terrence Cody, Brandon Williams
DT: Arthur Jones, Marcus Spears, Swanson Miller
Rush: Terrell Suggs, John Simon, Michael McAdoo
Will: Arthur Brown, Rolando McClain, Albert McClellan, D.J. Bryant
Mike: Jameel McClain, Josh Bynes, Bryan Hall, Nigel Carr
Sam: Elvis Dumervil, Courtney Upshaw, Adrian Hamilton, Spencer Adkins
LCB: Lardarius Webb, Chykie Brown, Chris Johnson, Marc Anthony
SS: Matt Elam, James Ihedigbo, Christian Thompson
FS: Michael Huff, Emanuel Cook, Omar Brown, Anthony Levine
RCB: Corey Graham, Jimmy Smith, Asa Jackson

Special Teams
K: Justin Tucker
P: Sam Koch
LS: Morgan Cox
KR: Jacoby Jones, David Reed, Deonte Thompson
PR: Jacoby Jones, Tandon Doss, Lardarius Webb

General manager Ozzie Newsome and the Ravens front office had to wake up smiling the morning after reaching an agreement in principle with Joe Flacco on a six-year, $120.6 million contract that’s expected to be finalized Monday.

The move not only locks up the franchise quarterback for the long haul, but it’s also expected to provide short-term relief to a tight salary cap that would have had a difficult time absorbing a minimum of $14.9 million with the non-exclusive franchise tag. All the terms of the record-setting contract have yet to be released, but the 2013 cap number is just $7 million, according to CBS Sports’ Jason LaCanfora.

Estimated to have roughly $18 million in cap space before accounting for their quarterback or any of their unrestricted, restricted, or exclusive-rights free agents, the Ravens will now have some space to maneuver but not enough to change the entire landscape of their offseason. Moderation will be the key as Newsome will look to sign a couple of his own unrestricted free agents, make wise decisions on his seven restricted free agents, and then turn toward the open market to explore some shrewd signings.

Here’s a rundown of what to expect as the Ravens address their remaining free agents:

No tag this year

The first order of business will be the potential use of the franchise tag as teams have until Monday at 4 p.m. to designate a player if they so desire. Many have begun asking if Newsome and the Ravens will now use the tag on outside linebacker Paul Kruger or inside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, but we received a preliminary answer to that query just a few days after the Super Bowl.

“If we get a deal done with Joe, we will not franchise another player,” said Newsome as he appealed to owner Steve Bisciotti with a humorous tone. “We will not do that. You are OK with that, right?”

The 2013 tag numbers released by the NFL on Friday suggest that stance isn’t changing as the Ravens would be looking at a $9.6 million cost at the linebacker position. As it relates to Kruger, the pass rusher could contest that he should be considered a defensive end, which commands an $11.175 million tag number for the 2013 season.

Those price tags are far too expensive for Kruger or Ellerbe as the Ravens would be looking at massive cuts to accommodate the franchise tag, regardless of what Flacco’s 2013 cap number ultimately is.

Cuts still coming

We’ve spent plenty of time discussing which veterans might be on the chopping block due to cap constraints and the Ravens will still pull the trigger on a few. It just won’t be the mass exodus that was feared if Flacco had received either of the franchise tag options.

Offensive lineman Bobbie Williams is the easiest decision as the Ravens will clear $1.2 million from their cap by releasing the 36-year-old lineman. Linebackers Brendon Ayanbadejo ($806,000 in savings) and Jameel McClain ($1.8 million saved) are also likely to go, with McClain becoming far more expendable if the Ravens can sign Dannell Ellerbe to a long-term deal before he hits the open market.

It would be an unpopular decision, but fullback Vonta Leach remains an intriguing option to release as it would save $3 million in cap space. Leach is tremendous at what he does as the best pure fullback in the NFL, but the Ravens are clearly moving toward a pass-heavy attack after committing the richest contract in league history to their quarterback.

The 31-year-old Leach took part in just 39.7 percent of the Ravens’ offensive snaps in the postseason, so can you justify devoting that big of a cap number to the fullback with other pressing needs at left tackle and all over the defense? Should they part ways with Leach, tight end Ed Dickson could serve in more of an H-back capacity and the Ravens could look to a younger, cheaper option coming out of college.

The Flacco contract means wide receivers Anquan Boldin and Jacoby Jones are very likely to be safe, but the Ravens could explore reasonable contract extensions for both as they enter the final years of their respective contracts, thus lowering their cap numbers for 2013. This is especially true for Boldin, who carries a $7.5 million number for the upcoming season and proved himself worthy of a couple more years in Baltimore after an outstanding postseason.

Prioritizing unrestricted free agents

CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE >>>>>

Unless you’ve been hibernating since the glory of Super Bowl XLVII, you’re well aware of the Ravens’ salary cap woes and how critical the negotiations with quarterback Joe Flacco will be between now and March 4.

The entire offseason will hinge on whether the sides will come to an agreement on a long-term contract by that date or if the Ravens will need to use the franchise tag on their starting quarterback. Further complicating the matter would be the decision to use the $14.6 million non-exclusive tag — leaving Flacco able to negotiate with other teams — or the exclusive tag that will cost somewhere around $20 million but would take him off the market entirely.

Regardless of the outcome of the negotiations before the start of the new league year on March 12, the Ravens are likely to make at least a couple cuts in hopes of signing some of their unrestricted free agents. However, the reality of using the franchise tag would mean multiple changes simply to fit Flacco under the salary cap as Baltimore is estimated by NFL.com to be $12.9 million under the cap before addressing the signal-caller or any of its restricted free agents or exclusive rights players.

It’s important to remember the rule of 51 as the top 51 cap numbers on the roster count against the salary cap. The savings from any released player is offset in part by an additional player making it into the top 51 from the bottom of the list. For example, if a released player carrying a $3 million cap number is replaced in the top 51 by another player carrying a $405,000 cap number, the end result is a $2.595 million savings on the salary cap.

Here’s how I’d rank the list of possible candidates to be cut for cap purposes (with the cap savings noted in parentheses), in order from most likely to least likely:

1. Bobbie Williams ($1.2 million)
Skinny: The offensive lineman was relegated to reserve duties in favor of Jah Reid midway through the season and will either retire or be released. At 36, Williams will need to find a home elsewhere to continue his career, but after finally winning a Super Bowl after years in Cincinnati, he would be picking an ideal time to walk away from the game. The Ravens will go younger and cheaper to fill his reserve role in their group of offensive linemen.

2. Matt Birk ($2.05 million)
Skinny: When Birk signed a three-year contract last offseason, it was structured with an understanding of it essentially being a one-year deal as the cap figures grow substantially over the last two years of the deal. The Ravens drafted Delaware product Gino Gradkowski in the fourth round last April to be the heir apparent to Birk at the center position, so all signs point to him taking over for the 2013 season. The 36-year-old Birk is contemplating retirement and there remains a possibility the Ravens decide to keep Birk — who played very well down the stretch — for one more season if they can sign Flacco to a long-term deal in time, but most signs point to the veteran’s days being finished in Baltimore.

3. Vonta Leach ($3 million)
Skinny: The Pro Bowl fullback has done everything the Ravens could have possibly expected after signing him two summers ago, but his high cap number makes him a prime candidate to be cut considering his position just isn’t a big enough priority with the offense continuing to move toward the passing game. The Ravens would certainly miss Leach’s punishing blocking ability, but they could shift tight end Ed Dickson to more of an H-back position while also adding a younger, cheaper fullback coming out of college. With other positions to address and the lack of cap room, Baltimore just can’t justify paying a fullback so much money.

4. Brendon Ayanbadejo ($806,000)
Skinny: His lower number is the reason why the reserve linebacker isn’t ranked higher on the list, but Ayanbadejo would easily be expendable given his age and role on the team. The defense depended on him less in passing situations this season and the 36-year-old also had some lapses on special teams down the stretch. Saving less than $1 million on the cap doesn’t do much, but parting ways with the former Pro Bowl special-teams player would seem like a logical move to make with minimal impact on the makeup of the team if you need to clear money from the cap.

5. Jameel McClain ($1.8 million)
Skinny: If you could look into the crystal ball and guarantee the Ravens would re-sign fellow inside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, it would be a no-brainer to part ways with McClain, who missed the end of the season after suffering a spinal cord contusion in early December. However, considering the Ravens are losing the retiring Ray Lewis and potentially Ellerbe, general manger Ozzie Newsome would be hesitant to part ways with another inside linebacker. McClain is solid against the run, but his limitations in pass coverage make him an expendable player if the Ravens are confident they can lock up Ellerbe, which obviously isn’t a sure thing at this point.

6. Jacoby Jones ($4 million)
Skinny: The return specialist and No. 3 receiver carries a large cap number, so his status will be in jeopardy if the Ravens need to use the franchise tag on Flacco. His speed on the outside was a major asset in taking pressure off fellow speed receiver Torrey Smith and opening the intermediate portion of the field to Anquan Boldin and Dennis Pitta, but he is still a part-time player offensively. You’d hate to lose Jones’ tremendous return ability, so there’s a good chance the Ravens would explore a contract extension to lower his cap figure and keep him for a few more years before potentially making the difficult decision to release him. Jones is owed a $1 million roster bonus in March, so that could complicate the situation further.

7. Anquan Boldin ($6 million)
Skinny: The wide receiver’s appearance on this list is based strictly on his cap number and how far that space would go in curing the Ravens’ problems if it comes down to the franchise tag for Flacco. His quarterback would be one of the first to say he wants Boldin to remain in Baltimore, so it’s likely Newsome will pursue an extension with the 32-year-old to reduce the 2013 cap number before resorting to a release. Boldin has already said he’d retire if the Ravens cut him, so perhaps the general manager could remind him of that in trying to strike a cap-friendly deal. The departure of Jones would hurt, but parting ways with Boldin would almost appear to be crippling in the short term as there is no logical replacement on the roster to count on with the disappointing development of Tandon Doss.

FULLBACK VONTA LEACH

(on the fullback position)“A fullback position, not a lot of teams carry, a lot of teams use tight ends.  The fullback position, you have a guy who can block and catch, who will stick around this league for a long time. I think you will see teams the more physical teams, the teams that run a lot have the fullback position.”

(on why its beneficial to have a fullback rather two tight ends)“Because you have to have somebody at the point of attack. Tight ends 90 percent of the time attack the runner.  You notice running backs and fullbacks take the same steps and the fullbacks guide the running back through the holes and uses his eyes.”

(on coming to Baltimore)“My story is when I got a call and they called me during the recruitment process, I was sitting at home and Ozzie Newsom called me and said “I need you over here, I want you to come over here.  Then five minutes later I got a call from Ray Lewis saying you need to get your tail over here, we want you. Ray Lewis gets you on the phone and calls that’s going to sell you.”

(on other teams he considered during free agency) “Some of the other places I was considering were going back to Houston. I got call from the Giants. There was another one or two but I don’t remember.”

(on feeling of coming to the Super Bowl)“It feels pretty good, we came here for one thing and thing only, and that’s to win.”

(on opinion which is the best Harbaugh?)“I would have to go with my coach.”

(on Ray Lewis coming back for another championship)“I don’t really have any personal stories about Ray. Everyone knows Ray Lewis is the fire. He is the most inspiration to this organization and that this team has heard of. He’s a great man and we want to send him off great. The rallying cry this week is win one for Ray.”

(on what’s been different with Joe Flacco)“I don’t think anything’s been different, Joe has been Joe he has just been a team leader all year long for us. You know and Joe will step up big time for us.”

(on responding to what Torrey Smith went through)“For him to go through that, and play just a couple hours after hearing about the death of his brother that’s definitely hard to do.  For him coming out and have a game like he did, it’s one of the greatest things I have seen someone do you know in football.”

(on playing fullback in this league)“It makes me feel good. Teams that want to be physical and want to run the ball they have a fullback.  People try to get away from it but I think over time, I think we will get back to it.”

(on Bernard Pierce)“He’s a been a good guy for us, you know coming in and not missing a beat.”

(on Jacoby Jones big touchdown)“I was actually just on the sideline and saw the ball go up in the air. All of the fans started celebrating and everything. When Jacoby had the touchdown, I just ran out on the field.”

(on overcoming losing streaks and loss at Houston)“We just had a lot of injuries and stuff which is all part of the game.  We just lost a lot of key players and had to bounce back.”

(on if any other Houston Texans will follow him to Baltimore)“We will take any one of those guys, anyone  we will take them over here to the Ravens.”

-more-

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Super Bowl XLVII – Tuesday, January 29, 2013

QUOTES FROM BALTIMORE RAVENS MEDIA DAY

MORE FULLBACK VONTA LEACH

(on time spent with the Houston Texans)“The Texans gave me a great opportunity, I had five great years with the organization. I played with some running backs that people never heard of before. I just had an opportunity to get there and establish myself, learn a lot of tools, and I am here now.”

(on keeping an eye on the Texans)“You always do because you have a lot of friends still back there that play on the team.”

(on the biggest difference at the beginning on the season and the playoffs  now)“I don’t know if I can just say one thing, but just guys coming together and believing in themselves. We also outside the locker room and we break loose.  People are always talking we’re not this we’re not this were not that but we came together no matter what.”

(on embracing this experience)“You have to embrace it. I have been in this league for nine years and never made it the Super Bowl so you have to embrace everything. I mean hey, you have to be loose and not all uptight.”

(on coming down to a close game the Ravens will win because…)“I think we will win because we are focused.”

Super Bowl 47 is filled with many fantastic individual matchups. In this article, I will list what I consider to be the most important matchups as well as who has the edge in that matchup.

Ed Reed VS Colin Kaepernick

Ed Reed’s legacy is on the line in this game. Even without a Super Bowl ring, you could make an argument that Reed is the best safety to ever play the game. So, with a ring, would that even become an argument? That will be discussed no matter the outcome of the Super Bowl.

Kaepernick is not a one trick pony. He can make any throw and loves to throw the ball deep to Vernon Davis. Therefore, Ed Reed should have plenty of opportunities to make plays against a young quarterback.

Ed Reed has two weeks to prepare for this offense. Therefore, I give the advantage to Reed.

Edge: Ed Reed

Ray Lewis VS Frank Gore

Ray Lewis did not play against the 49ers last season. Because of his absence, the 49ers have not played against a linebacker with Ray’s instincts and intensity. While Ray has lost a step, Gore is not the type of player that can consistently break long runs. Therefore, Ray will be able to keep up with Gore.

These two players are simply too good to give the advantage to one player or another. Frank Gore has played against the Ravens twice, once in 2007 and the other in 2011. In those games, Gore has averaged only 45.5 yards rushing. But in those games, Gore’s offensive line was not as talented as it is this season.

Edge: Even

Justin Smith VS Kelechi Osemele

From watching the 49ers postseason games with an injured Justin Smith, it’s no secret that they have struggled to apply pressure. Aldon Smith has struggled mightily since Justin Smith’s injury but when the two are healthy, the two are a terrifying combination.

Justin Smith will be moved around but for the most part, will be matched up with Kelechi Osemele. Osemele played well at tackle but at this point in his career, is better at guard. Osemele is one of the bigger guards in the league and that should help him against Smith.

Osemele will also have to watch out for Aldon Smith, who runs a lot of stunts to the interior of the offensive line.

Despite Osemele’s talent, Smith is a veteran and giving him the edge is a no-brainer.

Edge: Justin Smith.

Bryant McKinnie and Michael Oher VS Aldon Smith

On August 25, the 49ers traveled to New Orleans to play the Saints. In that game, Aldon Smith recorded 1.5 sacks, which gave him 30.5 sacks for his career. This, in turn made him the fastest player to reach 30 sacks. Who did he pass on his way to that record you ask? Reggie White.

Obviously, Smith is doing something right. The supremely athletic linebacker/defensive end seems to play better on big stages and none is bigger than the Super Bowl. Oher should be able to hold his own but the much older McKinnie will have his hands full. On passing downs, expect to see Ray Rice or Vonta Leach in pass protection to help slow down Smith. Running some screens where Rice blocks and then releases on a pass route will also help slow down Smith.

Edge when against McKinnie: Aldon Smith
Edge when against Oher: even

Vonta Leach VS Patrick Willis and Navorro Bowman

Of all the matchups in the Super Bowl, this might be the best. In 2011, Leach and Willis exchanged blows and Leach embarrassed Willis on one particular play.

Willis is widely considered the best linebacker in the NFL and Bowman is not far behind him. Expect this to be a back and forth battle for the entire game.

Edge: Even

Conclusion
There are many matchups that are evenly matched. Therefore, this game will come down to lesser-known players making big plays. For the 49ers, the two most likely players to play that role are LaMichael James and Delanie Walker. For the Ravens, Jimmy Smith and Tandon Doss are the most likely candidates.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Finishing preparations for their second consecutive AFC Championship appearance, the Ravens listed three key players as questionable for Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots.

Running back Bernard Pierce, fullback Vonta Leach, linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, and David Reed were all listed as questionable after participating in Friday’s practice on a limited basis. Pierce had missed Thursday’s practice, but the rookie reiterated on Friday that he would play on Sunday despite dealing with a right knee injury for the last few weeks.

Rookie cornerback Asa Jackson was the only player not to participate in Friday’s workout and was ruled out with a hamstring injury. The Ravens listed 16 players as probable.

Coach John Harbaugh painted a positive picture from a health standpoint as the Ravens try to even the score in conference championship games against the Patriots. There is little concern about the availability of any of the players listed as questionable for Sunday’s game, though Ellerbe was downgraded to a limited participant in Friday’s workout after being full-go on Wednesday and Thursday.

“We look good,” Harbaugh said. “We are very similar to what we have been the last few weeks. I don’t think there will be any surprises — barring any surprises. We should be in good shape injury-wise.”

The Patriots listed five players as probable for Sunday’s game, including defensive end Chandler Jones and running back Danny Woodhead. Jones was a full participant in the Patriots’ Friday practice after previously being limited all week.

Expressing quiet confidence throughout the week despite being deemed a clear underdog as they were against the Denver Broncos in the divisional round, the Ravens are a confident group traveling to Foxborough.

“We had a really great practice and had a good week of preparation,” Harbaugh said. “Obviously, a team of this caliber in this kind of situation will get everybody’s attention. This game has had our full attention, and we are excited to go play on Sunday.”

BALTIMORE
OUT: CB Asa Jackson (thigh)
QUESTIONABLE: LB Dannell Ellerbe (ankle/back), FB Vonta Leach (knee/ankle), RB Bernard Pierce (knee), WR David Reed (thigh)
PROBABLE: RB Anthony Allen (head), WR Anquan Boldin (shoulder), CB Chykie Brown (shoulder), DT Terrence Cody (ankle), G Gino Gradkowski (head), DT Arthur Jones (thigh/knee), LB Ray Lewis (triceps), LB Albert McClellan (shoulder), DE Pernell McPhee (thigh), DT Haloti Ngata (knee), S Bernard Pollard (chest), S Ed Reed (shoulder), CB Jimmy Smith (abdominal), WR Torrey Smith (back), LB Terrell Suggs (achilles/bicep), G Marshal Yanda (shoulder)

NEW ENGLAND
OUT: TE Rob Gronkowski (IR – forearm)
PROBABLE: CB Marquice Cole (finger), DE Chandler Jones (ankle), OL Nick McDonald (shoulder), DE Trevor Scott (knee), RB Danny Woodhead (thumb)

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The uncertain status of running back Bernard Pierce took another dip as the rookie did not take part in Thursday’s practice as the Ravens continued preparations for the New England Patriots in Sunday’s AFC Championship.

A day after practicing on a limited basis, Pierce was again sidelined as he continues to deal with a sore right knee. The 2012 third-round pick told reporters on Wednesday that he will be ready to play in Sunday’s game.

Cornerback Asa Jackson (thigh) was the only other Ravens player not to participate in Thursday’s workout.

Fullback Vonta Leach (knee/ankle) and wide receiver David Reed (thigh) each practiced on a limited basis. The Pro Bowl fullback was a full participant on Wednesday, but he’s dealt with a sore ankle since the early portion of December and has periodically missed practices or been limited to rest over the last several weeks.

Running back Anthony Allen and offensive lineman Gino Gradkowski were upgraded to full participation and were no longer wearing red-contact jerseys during Thursday’s practice, an indication that each had passed a baseline neurological test required to clear a player for contact. Both worked on a limited basis a day earlier.

Meanwhile, New England only had one player missing from the practice field as tight end Rob Gronkowski will not play this week due to a forearm injury that officially landed him on injured reserve on Thursday. Rookie defensive end Chandler Jones was the only Patriots player to work on a limited basis as four others, including running back Danny Woodhead, were upgraded to full participation.

BALTIMORE
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: RB Bernard Pierce (knee), CB Asa Jackson (thigh)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION: FB Vonta Leach (knee/ankle), WR David Reed (thigh)
FULL PARTICIPATION: RB Anthony Allen (head), G Gino Gradkowski (head), WR Anquan Boldin (shoulder), CB Chykie Brown (shoulder), DT Terrence Cody (ankle), LB Dannell Ellerbe (ankle/back), DT Arthur Jones (thigh/knee), LB Ray Lewis (triceps), LB Albert McClellan (shoulder), DE Pernell McPhee (thigh), DT Haloti Ngata (knee), S Bernard Pollard (chest), S Ed Reed (shoulder), CB Jimmy Smith (abdominal), WR Torrey Smith (back), LB Terrell Suggs (achilles/bicep), G Marshal Yanda (shoulder)

NEW ENGLAND
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: TE Rob Gronkowski (forearm)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION: DE Chandler Jones (ankle)
FULL PARTICIPATION: CB Marquice Cole (finger), OL Nick McDonald (shoulder), DE Trevor Scott (knee), RB Danny Woodhead (thumb)

Releasing their final injury report ahead of Saturday’s divisional round game against the Denver Broncos, the Ravens listed 17 players no worse than probable as they appear healthier than they’ve been since the early portion of the season.

Running back Bernard Pierce, fullback Vonta Leach, linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, and wide receivers Torrey Smith and David Reed all practiced on a limited basis on Friday, but each player was designated as probable against Denver. Pierce and Leach returned to the practice field on a limited basis Thursday after failing to participate in Wednesday’s workout.

Earlier Friday, the Ravens placed offensive lineman Jah Reid (toe) on injured reserve and activated cornerback Asa Jackson from the reserved-suspended list.

Coach John Harbaugh anticipated an optimistic injury report when speaking to reporters following Thursday’s practice, which was the final open day of the week for the media in Owings Mills.

“It’s encouraging to have all our guys,” Harbaugh said. “As I pointed out earlier, we’re not anticipating anybody missing this game. We’ll have that report out for you, but I don’t think it’s going to be anything on there that’s going to surprise you at all. We look like we’re in good shape.”

Meanwhile, the Denver Broncos also turned in a favorable final injury report as only cornerback Tracy Porter was ruled out with a concussion. Head coach John Fox listed seven other players as probable for Saturday’s game.

BALTIMORE
OUT: OL Jah Reid (toe)
PROBABLE: WR Anquan Boldin (shoulder), WR Tandon Doss (ankle), LB Dannell Ellerbe (ankle), LB Adrian Hamilton (illness), FB Vonta Leach (knee/ankle), LB Ray Lewis (triceps), LB Albert McClellan (shoulder), DE Pernell McPhee (thigh), DT Haloti Ngata (knee), RB Bernard Pierce (knee), S Bernard Pollard (chest), WR David Reed (thigh), S Ed Reed (shoulder), CB Jimmy Smith (abdominal), WR Torrey Smith (back), LB Terrell Suggs (Achilles/biceps), G Marshal Yanda (shoulder)

DENVER
OUT: CB Tracy Porter (concussion)
PROBABLE: S Mike Adams (knee), T Ryan Clady (shoulder), T Orlando Franklin (knee), WR Trindon Holliday (ankle), G Chris Kuper (ankle), S Jim Leonhard (thigh), WR Matt Willis (knee)

(Updated: 3:50 p.m.)

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — In their final full practice open to the media ahead of their playoff game against the Denver Broncos, the Ravens regained two vital members of their offensive backfield as backup running back Bernard Pierce and Pro Bowl fullback Vonta Leach returned to practice on Thursday.

Each player worked on a limited basis in the Ravens’ final full practice of the week before departing for Denver on Friday afternoon. Pierce hadn’t participated in practices in the previous two days as he’s dealt with a knee injury. The veteran Leach has been hindered by an ankle injury for the last month and received Wednesday’s practice off after working on Tuesday.

Linebacker Dannell Ellerbe worked on a limited basis once again, but two players were added to Thursday’s report as wide receivers Torrey Smith (back) and David Reed (thigh) were limited participants as well.

“It’s encouraging to have all our guys,” coach John Harbaugh said. “As I pointed out earlier, we’re not anticipating anybody missing this game. We’ll have that report out for you, but I don’t think it’s going to be anything on there that’s going to surprise you at all. We look like we’re in good shape.”

Pierce relished the opportunity for some extra rest as he’s dealing with a sore right knee. The 2012 third-round pick watched practice from the sideline on Tuesday and Wednesday, which was a good indication that the Ravens weren’t overly concerned about the injury.

In contrast to Pierce, Leach has typically received at least one practice off in each of the last few weeks to rest his sore ankle. The three-time Pro Bowl selection removed any doubt that he would be ready to go against Denver. All signs point to Pierce being available as well.

“I had to take it easy a couple days,” said Pierce, who rushed for a game-high 103 yards in the wild-card playoff win over Indianapolis. “My body was real beat up, but I’m back. I’m feeling good, and it’s time to play football.”

The rookie back has become a larger part of the running game over the last five games in which he’s rushed for 388 yards on 62 attempts, which is good for just below 6.3 yards per carry. Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice remains a large part of the offense, but many are calling for the physical Pierce to receive extensive work to wear down opposing front sevens.

Regardless of his strong performance over the weeks of the season, Pierce said there will be no way to keep him off the field in terms of his health for Saturday.

“I’m a very competitive person,” Pierce said. “I’m ready to die for my team on any given Sunday, so I’m not missing anything.”

Guard Jah Reid (toe) was the only player absent from practice on Thursday as his status for the divisional playoff game in Denver remains in serious doubt. The second-year offensive lineman did not play in last Sunday’s win over Indianapolis, leading the Ravens to insert veteran Bryant McKinnie at left tackle and slide rookie Kelechi Osemele to left guard and Michael Oher to right tackle.

There were no changes to the Broncos’ injury report on Thursday as cornerback Tracy Porter (concussion) was the only player not to participate.

BALTIMORE
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: G Jah Reid (toe)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION: LB Dannell Ellerbe (ankle), FB Vonta Leach (knee/ankle), RB Bernard Pierce (knee), WR David Reed (thigh), WR Torrey Smith (back)
FULL PARTICIPATION: WR Anquan Boldin (shoulder), WR Tandon Doss (ankle), LB Adrian Hamilton (illness), LB Ray Lewis (triceps), LB Albert McClellan (shoulder), DE Pernell McPhee (thigh), DT Haloti Ngata (knee), S Bernard Pollard (chest), S Ed Reed (shoulder), CB Jimmy Smith (abdominal), LB Terrell Suggs (achilles/bicep), G Marshal Yanda (shoulder)

DENVER
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: CB Tracy Porter (concussion)
FULL PARTICIPATION: S Mike Adams (knee), T Ryan Clady (shoulder), T Orlando Franklin (knee), WR Trindon Holliday (ankle), G Chris Kuper (ankle), S Jim Leonhard (thigh), WR Matt Willis (knee)

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens continued preparations for Saturday’s wild-card playoff game against the Denver Broncos without two key members of their backfield on Wednesday.

Fullback Vonta Leach (ankle) was absent during the open portion of practice while running back Bernard Pierce didn’t participate in practice for the second straight day with a knee injury. Dealing with an ankle injury for the better part of a month, Leach appeared to be practicing on Tuesday, but the Ravens did not release an injury report. He has received periodic days of rest over the last few weeks of practice, so his absence on Wednesday should be regarded with little concern.

Despite rushing for a game-high 103 yards in the Ravens’ 24-9 wild-card playoff win over Indianapois, Pierce was listed as limited all last week in practices with an ankle injury. However, the rookie was listed as having a knee injury on the first edition of this week’s report.

Left guard Jah Reid was absent for the second straight day as he continues to recover from a toe injury that kept him out of the first round of the playoffs. All signs are pointing to the Ravens staying with the same offensive line they used last Sunday, which included veteran Bryant McKinnie making his first start of the season.

Listed as a limited participant on Wednesday, linebacker Dannell Ellerbe was practicing for the second straight day after leaving Sunday’s win with a sprained ankle. The fourth-year defensive player has dealt with the same ankle injury since late November, which forced him to miss three games last month.

The Broncos had only one player listed as a non-participant as cornerback Tracy Porter sat out with a concussion on Wednesday.

BALTIMORE
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: FB Vonta Leach (knee/ankle), RB Bernard Pierce (knee), G Jah Reid (toe)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION: LB Dannell Ellerbe (ankle)
FULL PARTICIPATION: WR Anquan Boldin (shoulder), WR Tandon Doss (ankle), LB Adrian Hamilton (illness), LB Ray Lewis (triceps), LB Albert McClellan (shoulder), DE Pernell McPhee (thigh), DT Haloti Ngata (knee), S Bernard Pollard (chest), S Ed Reed (shoulder), CB Jimmy Smith (abdominal), LB Terrell Suggs (achilles/bicep), G Marshal Yanda (shoulder)

DENVER
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: CB Tracy Porter (concussion)
FULL PARTICIPATION: S Mike Adams (knee), T Ryan Clady (shoulder), T Orlando Franklin (knee), WR Trindon Holliday (ankle), G Chris Kuper (ankle), S Jim Leonhard (thigh), WR Matt Willis (knee)