Bernard Pierce or Justin Forsett, Lardarius Webb Improving

Sep 7, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict (55) forces Baltimore Ravens running back Bernard Pierce (30) to fumble in the second quarter at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

Welcome to Lunchtime Links, where we round up all the latest Ravens news from around the web for your convenient consumption.  Today we debate who will seize the Raven’s starting running back job – Bernard Pierce or Justin Forsett, find out that Lardarius Webb appears to be improving, look back at last year’s Mike Tomlin/Jacoby Jones incident, and hear from the man himself in regards to Arthur Brown trade rumors.

Bernard Pierce or Justin Forsett?

Everyone assumed that Bernard Pierce was going to seize the starting running back job, at least for the first two games of the season.  Pierce had a stellar preseason, but didn’t even last the first half of game one against the Bengals after fumbling away the ball.  John Harbaugh initially hinted that Pierce was benched for the fumble, but later refuted that statement.

Regardless of why he was benched, Justin Forsett looked like a better option, at least for one game.  And the Ravens aren’t tipping their hand in regards to who will be the starter going forward.  Andrea Hangst thinks that Pierce must prove that the Ravens can trust him before he can ascend the depth chart again.

I expect Forsett to start Thursday night against the Steelers, but both he, Pierce, and Taliaferro should get their shot.  The Ravens will ride the hot hand, which is the smart thing to do.  Whatever back steps up is the one who will play, as it should be. Pierce has been rather inconsistent since his promising rookie year, so why not?  The Ravens are out to win games.

Arthur Brown: On The Block, Or Not?

Rumors were flying around on Tuesday that second year linebacker Arthur Brown could be on the trade block.  Brown was inactive for last Sunday’s game, which is no surprise considering how deep the Ravens are at linebacker.  Brown doesn’t play special teams and he isn’t a starter.  So it makes sense that other teams would inquire about the former second round pick.

Not surprisingly, the Ravens told Brown, who in turn told Aaron Wilson at the Baltimore Sun, that they aren’t trading him. Why lose leverage by admitting that it is a possibility?  This is not to say that they will, but a smart NFL team will never admit it.  And the Ravens are a smart NFL team.  Truth be told, Brown is still an intriguing talent, but the Ravens simply have room for him right now.

Terrell Suggs Pays Tribute To Mike Tomlin With T-Shirt

Terrell Suggs hasn’t forgotten the last meeting between the Ravens and Steelers, or the incident that occurred when Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin got caught on the field during a Jacoby Jones kick return, interfering with the play.  Suggs paid tribute to the play by wearing a t-shirt that read “We will never forget,”  “The North remembers,” with a picture of the play on it while addressing the media yesterday.

It’s a hilarious tribute to a play that stirred up a ton of controversy last season.  And the best thing is, you can actually buy the shirt for yourself at Suggs’ site.

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• Should Baltimore Ravens have interest in bringing back Justice Hill
• Should the Baltimore Ravens trade up for Anthony Richardson?
• Should Baltimore Ravens re-sign Kenyan Drake?

Lardarius Webb Puts in Full Practice

Lardarius Webb may still be a question mark for Thursday night’s game against the Steelers, but he continues to practice in full.  The Ravens official injury report, released Tuesday, reveals Webb’s status as well as Marshal Yanda’s return to a full practice after missing Monday’s session.  Early word is that Webb is looking better this week than last, but right now his availability for game two is still unknown.

Steve Biscotti’s Addresses Ray Rice Situation

Raven’s owner Steve Bisciotti addressed fans in a letter sent out Tuesday, in which he admitted that the team wasn’t diligent enough in its efforts to fully investigate Ray Rice’s situation.  It is refreshing to hear Bisciotti apologize and give a more detailed explanation for the team’s reasoning behind how they handled the situation.  Let’s hope that the entire NFL and the Raven’s organization has learned from this and will handle similar situations in a more satisfactory manner going forward.