Albert McClellan might not play much, if at all, in Thursday's preseason finale at the St. Louis Rams.

Coach John Harbaugh plans on resting most of his starters.

McClellan, who saw spot duty as a starter last season when Ray Lewis was injured, will step into a similar role while Terrell Suggs recovers from an Achilles tear.

Suggs, NFL 2011 Defensive Player of the Year, will miss at least the first six games of the regular season while on the PUP list.

McClellan will have beaten out rookie and Ravens' top draft pick Courtney Upshaw, who has yet to live up to expectations.

McClellan has improved in his decision-making. The pressure of being a starter won't hinder it.

"I'm starting to understand the coverage more than previous years. That just comes with more experience as an outside linebacker," said McClellan, in his second season. "It's just reading. With your hand in the ground you're focused more on the tackle. You're just pass rushing. You don't read past that.

"If you've got coverage you've got to drop back 10 or 12 yards and also play the run. It's a little gray area in between."

Harbaugh concurs that McClellan has gotten better.

"Albert is a guy that is steady in all areas -- very consistent player. He is kind of a leverage rusher. He can really turn, he can bend the edge and he gets leverage underneath offensive lineman," the coach said recently. "He is solid against the run. He sets the edge well and does a nice job with his pass drops. He's a guy with no real weakness. I would say all pluses all the way across the board."