Offensive Line

**eastjacket** · 03-07-2013, 07:28 AM

The Ravens front office should continue upgrading offensive line. We saw what Flacco could do when protected, Brady-like performance.

**leachisabeast** · 03-07-2013, 07:47 AM

Welcome to the boards Mr captain obvious!

**The Excellector** · 03-07-2013, 08:18 AM

Four fifths of the offensive line are really set. Michael Oher looked better at RT and that was in short notice. Given an entire off-season to prepare for RT, I would expect that improvement to continue. Marshal Yanda is arguably the best Guard in the league. The team has been very high on Gino Gradkowski since they drafted him. This was expected. Kelechi Osemele seems to fit LG best. Let's keep him there. Find your LT. Is it McKinnie? Is it Long? Is it a draft pick? Is it a combination of the two?

**bmorecareful** · 03-07-2013, 10:10 AM

I have a sneaky suspicion that we're all going to be disappointed yet again in how the FO handles the OL this offseason. I think they will allow the market to set McKinnie's price and they will have no qualms whatsoever letting him walk if his price is a penny higher than what they want to pay. That will leave us in essentially the same position we were for most of last season--which was once again a crisis of their own creation.

The Ravens are still fumbling about trying to replace Jonathan Ogden, and still following the same approach they used when JO was here. They simply do not prioritize the OL and never have. They will gladly spend draft picks on offensive linemen, but rarely first rounders (which are usually reserved for high-impact defenders). They do a good job of developing their mid-round picks for the most part but very rarely re-sign them, so they're constantly cycling through players and re-shuffling. The same is true now; they committed long-term to Yanda, but the other 4 OL positions have been continuously in flux.

I expect the Ravens to go into 2013 with Oher at LT, backed up by the developmental LT of the future. They will add an interior OL who can play guard and center to back up and "compete" with Gradkowski, who will be the starting center in between KO and Yanda. At RT, they will likely give Jah Reid one last shot to get healthy and win a starter's spot (I think he fits better at RT than LG) but he will be pushed by Jack Cornell or a cheap FA in camp.

**AirFlacco** · 03-07-2013, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by bmorecareful

I have a sneaky suspicion that we're all going to be disappointed yet again in how the FO handles the OL this offseason. I think they will allow the market to set McKinnie's price and they will have no qualms whatsoever letting him walk if his price is a penny higher than what they want to pay. That will leave us in essentially the same position we were for most of last season--which was once again a crisis of their own creation.

The Ravens are still fumbling about trying to replace Jonathan Ogden, and still following the same approach they used when JO was here. They simply do not prioritize the OL and never have. They will gladly spend draft picks on offensive linemen, but rarely first rounders (which are usually reserved for high-impact defenders). They do a good job of developing their mid-round picks for the most part but very rarely re-sign them, so they're constantly cycling through players and re-shuffling. The same is true now; they committed long-term to Yanda, but the other 4 OL positions have been continuously in flux.

I expect the Ravens to go into 2013 with Oher at LT, backed up by the developmental LT of the future. They will add an interior OL who can play guard and center to back up and "compete" with Gradkowski, who will be the starting center in between KO and Yanda. At RT, they will likely give Jah Reid one last shot to get healthy and win a starter's spot (I think he fits better at RT than LG) but he will be pushed by Jack Cornell or a cheap FA in camp.

Oher at LT is my greatest fear. I keep seeing Jack Cornell's name in this forum and how Castillo is working with him. Another thread said Bisciotti is high on him.

**Section 502 Raven** · 03-07-2013, 02:35 PM

they should draft with the intention of not renewing oher after his rookie contract runs out next year. there was talk earlier in this season about extending oher. i thought that was crazy and apparently it was a bad rumor.

i was driving one weekend and 98 rock was replaying the denver playoff game on the radio. it must have been the week before the superbowl. i heard ismail say "stay on your block 74". it was in response to a sack on joe. you don't hear players called out much but i think it is obvious to everyone about his level of play.

**moose10101** · 03-07-2013, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by bmorecareful

They simply do not prioritize the OL and never have. They will gladly spend draft picks on offensive linemen, but rarely first rounders

Two of the Ravens' last four 1st round picks were offensive linemen. 50% isn't high enough?

In rounds 1-3 in the past six years, 6 out of 20 have been O-linemen. That's not enough?

**Gabrosin** · 03-07-2013, 05:16 PM

Originally Posted by moose10101

Two of the Ravens' last four 1st round picks were offensive linemen. 50% isn't high enough?

In rounds 1-3 in the past six years, 6 out of 20 have been O-linemen. That's not enough?

I was about to post the same thing. We've invested heavily enough in the offensive line as far as I'm concerned. It's not the FO's fault that Grubbs wanted too much money to stay, or that they hit on Yanda in the third making Grubbs expendable. It's not the FO's fault that they had to take a prospective LT with flaws like Oher because we haven't drafted in the top ten since Suggs (unless you count our trade down for Flacco, which seems to have worked out all right).

We drafted Jah Reid and Ramone Harewood and Adam Terry before them as projects that failed to pan out. We just need to keep trying. And to recognize that we could find a decent LT in free agency this year (e.g. Sam Baker) and let him man the spot for a couple years while waiting for our next OT prospect (Menelik Watson?) to mature.

It is very, very rare for any college player to be able to play LT as a rookie. Even Ogden didn't.

**pslholder96** · 03-07-2013, 09:45 AM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

Welcome to the boards Mr captain obvious!

That is so wrong

**GOTA** · 03-07-2013, 09:52 AM

McKinnie and a draft pick is the way to go. I'd love to go into next year with McKinnie, KO and a draft pick as options for the position. Long is out of out price range and isn't that good. Baker has had a lot of injuries. Most of the other good tackles have had success on the right side and it's tough to know if they can play effectively at LT. McKinnie on a short term deal with some young guys who could replace him at some point makes the most sense.

**Ravenswintitle** · 03-07-2013, 09:55 AM

I tend to agree; find a way to keep McKinnie around on the cheap for one more year but draft someone to groom. They're not going to spend top bucks on the Oline like some other teams

**lobachevsky** · 03-07-2013, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

Welcome to the boards Mr captain obvious!

Oh I dunno, I thought that Cap'n O's post was just chockful of useful information & profound insights...

Originally Posted by Ravenswintitle

...find a way to keep McKinnie around on the cheap for one more year...

And while they're at it, cure AIDS, end world hunder, & make peace in the Middle East--any of which is more likely to happen.... Face it, McKinnie has his ring, his buds are either gone (#52) or on their way (#20), & he wants/needs every dollar he can get. Some team will pay him more than the Ravens.

Originally Posted by bmorecareful

I have a sneaky suspicion that we're all going to be disappointed yet again in how the FO handles the OL this offseason. I think they will allow the market to set McKinnie's price and they will have no qualms whatsoever letting him walk if his price is a penny higher than what they want to pay. That will leave us in essentially the same position we were for most of last season--which was once again a crisis of their own creation.

Concur...damn it all.

I expect the Ravens to go into 2013 with Oher at LT, backed up by the developmental LT of the future. They will add an interior OL who can play guard and center to back up and "compete" with Gradkowski, who will be the starting center in between KO and Yanda. At RT, they will likely give Jah Reid one last shot to get healthy and win a starter's spot (I think he fits better at RT than LG) but he will be pushed by Jack Cornell or a cheap FA in camp.

Sounds about right. And the season's fate may hinge on whether the "developmental LT" manages to break into the lineup before Flacco ends up on IR...damn it all.