Needs of the Ravens: Tyler Linderbaum and the O-Line Make Up “Not Much” for Baltimore?
The fact that Lamar Jackson’s offensive line led the league’s best rushing attack in 2023 helped him win his second MVP of the season. Will Baltimore retain that team for the upcoming campaign?
Yahoo Sports has concerns about the offensive line of the Baltimore Ravens going into free agency and the upcoming season, even if the team is able to re-sign pending free agents Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson. “The Ravens have a long-term piece at centre in Tyler Linderbaum, but not much else outside of him,” according to Yahoo Sports. “With Kevin Zeitler being a free agent and Ronnie Stanley a potential cut candidate, the Ravens will need to rebuild this group in a hurry.”
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As a 2022 first-round selection out of Iowa, Linderbaum has lived up to the hype, making his first Pro Bowl and posting back-to-back seasons with a Pro Football Focus grade above 74. He has established himself as a pillar of an offensive line that is getting older and needs to be replaced with younger players.
Additionally, Yahoo Sports identified right tackle Morgan Moses and left tackle Ronnie Stanley as possible cut candidates. Linderbaum would be the only starting offensive lineman from the previous season if Baltimore cuts Stanley and Moses and decides not to re-sign Zeitler or Simpson. “Due to injuries, Stanley’s play has really declined. The Ravens could immediately become cap-compliant by cutting Stanley (a post-June 1 cut would free
In the four games that Stanley was sidelined, Patrick Mekari saw action at left tackle. Daniel Faalele, a second-year offensive lineman, split snaps with Moses at right tackle towards the end of the season, demonstrating Baltimore’s depth at both tackle positions.
While it would be ideal to keep the offensive line intact and select one or two in the draft, that will be challenging given the Ravens’ cap situation and the presence of important free agents on defence, such as safety Geno Stone, linebacker Patrick Queen, and defensive tackle Justin Madubuike. Due to his versatility, Yahoo Sports suggested that the Ravens should select Duke offensive lineman Graham Barton in the draft to address their offensive line need.
During the regular season, Jackson has established himself as one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks. The Super Bowl is the one thing he is missing. Keeping the offensive line mostly intact or adding players through the draft who can step in and play right away should be a priority this offseason if Jackson is going to finally break through and overcome his playoff woes.
