Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco isn't expected to play tonight in the team's preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers at M&T Bank Stadium. Steve Smith Sr., Breshad Perriman, Dennis Pitta, Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil won't be in action either. And if some of the standouts on the reigning NFC champion Panthers do play, they probably won't be on the field for long.

But for Ravens fans who have been waiting months for the team to return to the field after a disappointing 2015 season, there should be plenty of things to watch. Here are five storylines.

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1

Rookie Ravens make their debuts:Ravens coach John Harbaugh made it clear Tuesday that the coaching staff will use the game to get a long look at young players. That should mean a lot of linebacker Kamalei Correa, pass rushers Matt Judon and Victor Ochi, and cornerback Tavon Young, among others. Correa and Young have been early standouts in training camp. Now they'll see how they measure up against actual opposition.

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2

Keenan Reynolds gets his close-up: The former Navy standout has had some ups and plenty of downs in making the conversion this summer from a college quarterback to an NFL return man and receiver. The Ravens will give him every opportunity to make the roster. Reynolds, though, needs to hang on to the ball on punts and make some plays in the passing game to avoid falling further behind in his quest for a roster spot.

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3

The running backs look for separation: One of the most compelling position groups continues to be running back, where as many as four ball carriers are looking to secure prominent roles on offense. Justin Forsett, Buck Allen, rookie Kenneth Dixon and Terrance West (Northwestern High, Towson University) should all get an opportunity against the Panthers. Harbaugh hasn't committed to a starter, saying the Ravens will go with the hot hand. The preseason should reveal a lot.

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4

Hoping for early returns: The Ravens have experimented all training camp with different options for their return game. Reynolds, Young, West, Michael Campanaro (River Hill), Mike Wallace and Kaelin Clay are among those who have returned kicks and punts in practice. It will be interesting to see who absorbs that role tonight. It is as unsettled as any on the team's roster.

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5

Turning over a new leaf: All summer, the Ravens have stressed the importance of creating turnovers. They've done drills every day in training camp aimed at jarring the ball loose or catching errant throws. Even if it's against mostly Panthers backups, it will be a good test to see whether all that practice pays immediate dividends. There's no way the Ravens improve as a defense unless they get to the quarterback more and force more turnovers.

jeff.zrebiec@baltsun.com

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