Ravens Position Groups: Reviewing the O-Line

Entering 2021, the Ravens offensive line was certainly a question mark. When our questions were answered come week 1, the answers were all wrong.

On paper, here is where the Ravens went into 2021 with:

From the center on right, the line was completely different. Bozeman slid over from left guard to his natural position he played at Alabama. Zeitler was a free agent signing who looked to be a natural fit in the Ravens scheme. Villanueva was also a free agent signing that was a little more risky.

Left of center, Powers entered his third season. His rookie season as a 4th round pick in 2019 was practically a redshirt year. He played right guard in 2020, though wasn’t that impressive. Bookending the line was Stanley who returned to action after suffering a gut wrenching ankle injury in week 8 of 2020.

Would Stanley return to All-Pro form? Could Powers start at left guard, or will ginormous rookie Ben Cleveland jump him on the depth chart? Could Bozeman seamlessly slide back to center after playing guard for a few seasons? Will Zeitler be the fit we hope he’ll be? Can Villanueva switch to the right side, rejuvenated, be an asset here? Follow up question, would Villanueva make us miss Orlando Brown Jr. who was traded just before the 2021 draft?

Week 1 had us questioning all of these things when the opposing Raiders pressured Lamar Jackson 27 times on the night. 13 of those by Maxx Crosby alone. I think Villanueva just got beat again. Ronnie Stanley suited up after returning to the field late in training camp. But it was premature as this lone game was the only action he saw in 2021. His season was done as he needed more work done on his injured ankle.

Powers and Cleveland split time in the early going. Powers won the job when Cleveland was injured for a few weeks, and never got back in the timeshare.

Bozeman played well enough at center that the pending free agent may have priced himself out of Baltimore.

Kevin Zeitler was a bright spot, living up to the billing of being a scheme fit here.

Villanueva’s play makes me think he must be the first player up on the chopping block.

At the end of the season, the Ravens graded out at 13th in the league in pass blocking according to Pro Football Focus, and 15th in run blocking. But I don’t think anyone believes this was an average unit as the grades suggest. Pretty below average, and in need of improvement for 2022.

Where do we go from here?

During his post season presser, Ravens GM, Eric DeCosta, accepted blame for Ronnie Stanley apparently returning to the field too early. He is however, optimistic, that Stanley will be 100% for 2022. Question is, can we feel the same? Stanley has obviously earned the benefit of the doubt. His contract financially states he isn’t going anywhere and when healthy, he’s an All-Pro. But can he be counted on? I’m no doctor, but big guys with big injuries, take longer to heal. Easier to re-aggravate if rushed back? Will he ever be what he once was. He can afford to regress a little from All-Pro status of course. But how much?

Bookending the line currently is Al Villanueva. But that can’t be the case come the 2022 league year. He’s entering his age 34 season, and was dreadful to watch. He was a question mark coming into 2021 for reasons such as age, switching to the right side of the line. Even though he moved right back to the left side when week 2 started, I’ve seen enough to know his days should be numbered. He is $6M in savings against the cap That the Ravens need more than his services.

The Ravens don’t necessarily need to acquire another tackle in free agency. Patrick Mekari showed off his versatility by moving from backup center, to starting right tackle and showing decently. Toward the end of the season, the Ravens inked him to a three year, $15.4M extension. I don’t think they would do that unless they had a significant role in mind moving forward. Swing tackle is very important if they do upgrade at tackle. He can move back to center if Bradley Bozeman isn’t retained. He also can allegedly play guard in a pinch if one of them go down.

Not to be left out of the tackle conversation is Ja’Wuan James. The Ravens picked up the former first round pick cheaply after he tore his Achilles in a non-football related fashion, and the Denver Broncos cut him in May of 2021. He tried to return late last year, working out on the side, but it wasn’t in the cards. Nor was it necessary given the Ravens situation to push him into being game ready.

Wrapping up the tackles, the only sure thing right now is Mekari and he might end up playing center. But the upside is there if Stanley and James reach their fullest potential. But just like last year, those are big question marks.

Further down the depth chart, Tyre Phillips can’t play right tackle, or guard, and looks like a bust of a third round pick. Jaryd Jones-Smith was signed to a reserves-future deal off their practice squad.

Luckily, there are less question marks at the interior line positions. Kevin Zeitler met or exceeded expectations. Although his cap number does jump up to to nearly $9M for 2022. His 98.8 pass rush efficiency rating was the second best of his career. He will turn 33-years-old next week, but unlike Villanueva, isn’t trending down. His Pro Football Focus grades suggest he is about as consistent as it gets. Pencil, pen, even Sharpie Zeitler in for RG in 2022 now.

Left guard is a little less sure, but also doesn’t need to be addressed immediately either. Ben Powers is entering his fourth year after a redshirt 2019, playing part time right guard in 2020, and pretty much the full time left guard last year playing 844 snaps. He’s getting a little better each year, but second year guard, Ben Cleveland, will be challenging for his spot. There are high hopes for Cleveland who is an absolute mountain at 6’6″-6’8″ and 330-360 pounds depending on the publication. Cleveland was a raw prospect, so we’ll see if he progresses.

Both Powers and Cleveland have reasons to be top notch guards in 2022. Powers in a contract year, and getting a little better with each season. Cleveland entering his first full NFL offseason training program, the second year is when you can see some players breakout. Who will start is to be determined, but we’re pretty happy with where we stand there.

At center, most of the chatter out there assumes that Bradley Bozeman priced himself out of town in his contract year of 2021. I believe the exact words when the Ravens were trying to reach an extension at some point in the season were that the two sides were “very far apart” on the price it would take to retain their Walter Payton Man of the Year candidate. He has position versatility proving to be a decent left guard for two seasons, and a better center last year.

As mentioned, Mekari can slide back into that role if the Ravens solidify the tackle position at some point this offseason. Some believe that Trystan Colon deserves a shot having showed pretty well in limited time. But that again raises a big question mark. His PFF grades are okay, but in only 242 snaps played in his career. Ideally you don’t want to have Mekari playing right tackle and Colon playing center, which is why many mock drafts to this point have listed Iowa center, Tyler Linderbaum, as being the Ravens first round selection.

While it’s the least sexy position to draft, all publications pretty much list Linderbaum as the most sure thing in the draft. All-Pro potential. For what it’s worth, Tristan Wirfs is one of the best young offensive lineman in the game, and Linderbaum pinned him in a high school wrestling match. In over 2300 snaps played in 33 straight starts at Iowa, Linderbaum allowed two sacks. Sign me up.

If the Ravens enter 2022 with from left to right, Stanley, Powers, Linderbaum, Zeitler, Mekari, and Villanueva and Phillips are not on the roster, I think that would be a big upgrade from the 2021 iteration of the O-line. Smart move would be to add a tackle via free agency that is without question marks, let Mekari be the swing tackle and swiss army knife when inevitable injury hits someone on the line.

A realistic name on the top of my free agent list is Trent Brown. Question marks some guys have, Brown doesn’t. Age isn’t a question as he’ll be 29-years old in April. Asking him to switch sides like many free agent LEFT tackles isn’t a question as he’s been a full time right tackle for six of seven years in the league. The amount of pressure he’s allowed is tolerable compared to the 55 Alejandro Villanueva allowed last season. He doesn’t have serious injury concerns like Ronnie Stanley and Ja’Wuan James are saddled with. He missed significant time in 2020 after an IV mishap pre-game nearly sent him into cardiac arrest. A calf injury cost him some games in 2021. But football wise, nothing on the scale of an Achilles tendon, or broken ankle with torn ligaments to recover from.

In 2019 he allowed 11 pressures on 581 snaps. Extrapolate that out to the about 1200 snaps the Ravens offense had this past season, and thats about 22, 23. In 2020 he allowed 7 pressures in 282 snaps which in a full season would be about 30. Last year allowed 9 in 489 snaps. Call it about 22 again.

Brown came with a hefty price tag once. Likely not so much this time as maybe he fits in the Ravens tight salary cap situation, while being an upgrade over what’s currently on the roster.

The Ravens could go the other direction and sign a center, draft a tackle. But I feel like if you aren’t able to sign Bradley Bozeman, the free agent field drops off steeply after him. Similar guys like Ben Jones or Brian Allen are in line for as good if not better pay days than Bozeman. Where the Ravens are drafting, there isn’t going to be potential generational talent like Linderbaum available at the tackle position, which is why I’d rather sign a tackle, and if Linderbaum ends up off the board before the Ravens pick, then Mekari can slide into the center role. You’ve still upgraded.

The only question on the O-line going into 2022 should be, how will Ronnie Stanley hold up? The rest of the line had better be solidified. It’s too important of a unit, protecting too important of a player, and paving the way for what the Ravens want to do on offense which is run the football. Don’t leave it to chance.