Ravens offseason: What the revamped offensive line could look like? (2024)

OWINGS MILLS, Md. —

The Ravens are going through a full rebuild of their offensive line this offseason, after losing three starters from the 2023 season.

Both starting guards were lost to free agency, while right tackle Morgan Moses was traded away for a couple of draft picks. This leaves them with only Ronnie Stanley at left tackle and center Tyler Linderbaum to anchor the offensive line next year.

The Ravens will now focus on replacing the departed players by adding new players through the draft or free agency. They also have some internal candidates who could also get a shot at a starting position. Here is a look at what options the Ravens could have to improve their offensive line.

Free Agency

Most of the top interior linemen have been signed, including Pro Bowler Kevin Zeitler, who was just signed by the Detroit Lions. There are a couple of options still available in free agency if they choose to go that route.

The best available player is Connor Williams from the Miami Dolphins. He is still a free agent because he is coming off a torn ACL in December and may not be ready for the start of the season. He played center for the Dolphins last season but has experience at guard. This is probably not the best-case scenario for the Ravens, as they would have to wait until Williams is healthy.

Another option for the Ravens could be Dalton Risner from the Minnesota Vikings. He is a 28-year-old former second-round draft pick by the Denver Broncos, but he never lived up to his high expectations. He started 11 games for the Vikings and would bring a veteran presence to an interior line that has little starting experience.

Draft

This is where the Ravens were focused on getting a new young tackle. This is a deep draft for lineman, especially tackles, and the Ravens should be able to get a solid prospect with their first-round pick. There are not a lot of options at tackle left in free agency, so the Ravens will be forced to go with a rookie. There could be as many as eight or nine first-round tackles picked this year, which would set a new NFL draft record.

The plethora of talent is great news for the Ravens, who make their pick late in the first round (No. 30). There should be a couple of players for them that could fill in as a day-one starter and should be available at the end of the round. Names such as Tyler Guyton (Oklahoma) and Amarius Mims (Georgia) are both considered raw prospects with huge upsides. Others, such as Graham Barton (Duke), have received praise for his versatility and could be an option at the guard position as well. Penn State's Olu Fashanu is a local prospect (Waldorf, Gonzaga High School) that could be an option, but most likely would not make it to the end of the first round.

In-House

The Ravens have invested several draft picks in the past couple of years on their offensive line, but other than Lindenbaum, none have become full-time starters for the Ravens. This year one or more of them will have to step up and take advantage of the opportunity ahead of them. They have drafted five offensive linemen since 2021, and all of them remain on the roster. Guard Ben Cleveland was a third-round pick in 2021 and started two games last season. He will compete with 2023 draft picks Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu (sixth round) and Andrew Vorhees (seventh round) for one of the starting guard positions.

Cleveland will have the leg-up with his experience in the Ravens system, but Aumavae-Laulu competed with John Simpson for a starting spot last training camp, so he should be good competition. Vorhees was a late-round pick due to a torn ACL prior to the NFL Training Combine last year. He would have been one of the top guards in the 2023 draft and could end up being a steal in the seventh round if he can return to form.

At the tackle position, the Ravens drafted Daniel Faalele in the fourth round of the 2022 draft. The mountain of a man (6-foot-8, 380 lbs.) has one start in his two years as a Raven and could also see himself in a competition with Aumavae-Laulu, who can play right tackle as well as guard. The more likely scenario is Faalele will compete with an eventual Ravens 2024 draft pick.

Prediction

By trading away Morgan Moses and restructuring Ronnie Stanely's contract, making him a free agent in 2025, the Ravens will draft a starting-caliber tackle in this year's draft. They should be able to get a high-caliber prospect with their first pick, and don't be surprised if they bring in multiple draft picks at that tackle. At guard, it looks like they will rely on the players they currently have, with Cleveland and Vorhees given first dibs at the two starting guard positions.