Former Penn State football QB Trace McSorley not locked into Ravens roster yet

Trace McSorley has the people of Baltimore talking about the Penn State football product, but he’s not locked into the final roster quite yet.

Nowadays, the transition from the NCAA to the NFL is a lot tougher for quarterbacks. Guys can play like MVPs in college, but can’t remain on a pro roster for the entirety of their rookie contract. It doesn’t matter if they are a first-round pick or an undrafted rookie — no matter where the draft pick comes from, they are going to have a lot of improving to do to make it in the pros.

Former Penn State football quarterback Trace McSorley is finding all of this out first hand this summer. Last year, McSorley wrapped up his final season as a Penn State star. He left the program as arguably the best quarterback that Penn State has seen. However, that stat didn’t make him a high-end draft pick in the NFL.

As a matter of fact, a handful of teams were unsure if McSorley was able to play quarterback in the NFL at all. Hence the reason why he was asked to run routes instead of throw during select pre-draft workouts. That didn’t phase McSorley though — as he’s willing to do whatever it takes to make and contribute to an NFL roster for this year and beyond.

McSorley’s opportunity was given to him by the Baltimore Ravens. As they selected the Penn State product in the sixth round of the draft, McSorley was landing in a favorable position. Just like McSorley, Ravens starting quarterback Lamar Jackson was treated more like a wide receiver weapon, rather than a quarterback as well. However, Baltimore didn’t care.

Now, they are the same way with McSorley — but there is a difference between the two. One happened to be a first-round pick last year. The other only costed a sixth. And like most sixth-round picks, McSorley is not a lock to make the Ravens roster this season.

What is there left to do?

McSorley has benefitted from an offseason injury, which occurred to the Ravens backup quarterback, Robert Griffin III. When the injury occurred early on in training camp, that gave McSorley the backup quarterback reps in practice and the preseason.

By the time the regular season begins though, Griffin will be ready to return. That leaves Baltimore with a crucial decision to make. Should they hold on to all three quarterbacks? Or roll with two while trying to retain McSorley for the practice squad?

This week will be critical for that decision as the Ravens prepare for their final preseason battle this year. Out of three games, McSorley played really well in only one. His other two matchups were a bit shaky. At this point, it’s evident he won’t beat out Griffin for the No. 2 spot.

So McSorley’s spot on the Ravens’ roster will rely on moves elsewhere. “Other roster considerations, health, a lot of things, will go into the Ravens’ decision of whether to keep McSorley,” Ravens’ coach John Harbaugh said this past week weekend.

The good news for McSorley is that he plays on a team that likes to get creative with dual-threat quarterbacks. He could fill a spot on the roster as a wide receiver and a special teamer in addition to being a third-string passer. However, if the Ravens aren’t willing to save a spot for him, he could find himself either back on the practice squad or claimed on another team.

Week four of the preseason will determine whether McSorley lands on a final roster elsewhere or not. Another strong performance could show teams that he was just getting warmed up in his first two weeks where he struggled. An average to below-average performance could have him getting tossed onto the practice squad for his rookie season.