Is Oline a Long Term Problem

[Ranger]

I was thinking today, which is generally a dangerous proposition for me. I worry about the trenches for this team. And then I had the rather late Epiphany that our offensive line is probably going to be just fine long term. Of course, this year we are ravaged by injury and there isn’t a lot we can do about it. I don’t really see it as a failure in the front office, because while you understand injuries are a part of the game, you can’t have starting level players as back ups all across your team.

Our injury situation is unique in that it seems to have hit certain positions extremely hard. It’s not like the injuries are very spread out, they seem to be concentrated to groups. Obviously next year we will get our running back room back, peters should be healthy, and our linebackers seem to be coming along OK. Which left me thinking about the offensive line.

Will Ronnie Stanley ever be the same? That’s the question that I go back-and-forth on and to me is going to be the linchpin of whether or not our offensive line is going to be good or not. If he comes back healthy and returns to pro-form, we will also get Ja’Wuan James back at right tackle. Both of those guys are so far ahead of who we currently have playing at tackles that just those two returning in and of itself will make this wholeoffensive line incredibly improved. Then I look at Zeitler, and while he hasn’t been fantastic he has been steady, so to me that’s three or five positions that really don’t need a lot of attention. So that leaves center and left guard. Now I realize a lot of people are rooting for Ben Cleveland, and that man has all the physical tools to be an absolute monster, so we may well indeed only be talking about a Bozeman replacement. He also hasn’t been atrocious, but he also hasn’t been very good at least in my estimation. I certainly think that we can do a lot better.

So given that we have 12 draft picks in an aging O-line and D line , I would invest more heavily in draft capital in the Offensive line if it were me. Given that we’ve got some room to maneuver with the amount of draft picks we have, and even if we don’t we should be able to stack quality depth if not find starters with that many swings. I was just curious do the rest of you feel like offensive line is a long-term problem or is it just an acute problem? Also with that do, we signed Ja’Wuan James long-term? It seems like now would be the time to do it considering we would have at least some leverage given his injury history and the fact that we stashed him anyway. What are the rest of you think? I for one am incredibly optimistic about what our office of line could look like next year, I think we legitimately have a chance to go from worst to first.

Also I know offensive line has probably been brought up, but I went five pages back and I only saw threads about Villanueva. I didn’t see it all encompassing line problem, but I only went five pages back.

[Dirt1]

As you stated, if Stanley comes back to the same level as he was before this injury, the Ravens will be fine. If Stanley can't come back or retires, then the Ravens are royally screwed from a cap perspective. Add in Ju'Wan James at RT, and the Ravens OL should be pretty strong next season. Colon could fill in at Center if Bozeman signs elsewhere, and I think the hope is that Cleveland can be the longer term replacement for Zeitler at RG in a couple of years, and do a decent job at LG until then. Powers is signed through next season, but I don't see the Ravens giving him a second contract. Powers isn't that good, but has starting OG experience, so it is likely that some team will offer him more money than the Ravens would be willing to pay.

I would still like to see them take an OT in the second or third round next year in case either Stanley or James can't return from injury playing at a high level. I don't see the Ravens resigning James beyond next season. They will see if he is able to return before paying him any more money, and if he can return and play at a high level, he will cost too much to resign. I could also see the Ravens use one of those fourth round picks they have on a C/OG.

[NjRavensFan]

Stanley coming back at an elite level would be awesome but I’d be very happy with him coming back at all above average

[Ravenswintitle]

was just looking at the Athletic first mock draft. I'll believe it when I see it but...

31. Baltimore Ravens — Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota
Would Baltimore draft a Gopher in back-to-back first rounds? It’s possible if the Ravens target an offensive tackle late — for a humongous human, as Faalele is a verified 6-foot-8 and 379 pounds with 35-inch arms and 11-inch hands. He is relatively new to football and is still learning how to get the most out of his unique skills, but he moves surprisingly well for his size and his anvil hands thump defenders into tomorrow.

[BcRaven]

As (Ranger) you stated, if Stanley comes back to the same level as he was before this injury, the Ravens will be fine. If Stanley can't come back or retires, then the Ravens are royally screwed from a cap perspective. Add in Ju'Wan James at RT, and the Ravens OL should be pretty strong next season. Colon could fill in at Center if Bozeman signs elsewhere, and I think the hope is that Cleveland can be the longer term replacement for Zeitler at RG in a couple of years, and do a decent job at LG until then. Powers is signed through next season, but I don't see the Ravens giving him a second contract. Powers isn't that good, but has starting OG experience, so it is likely that some team will offer him more money than the Ravens would be willing to pay.

I would still like to see them take an OT in the second or third round next year in case either Stanley or James can't return from injury playing at a high level. I don't see the Ravens resigning James beyond next season. They will see if he is able to return before paying him any more money, and if he can return and play at a high level, he will cost too much to resign. I could also see the Ravens use one of those fourth round picks they have on a C/OG.

Dirty, I can't disagree with your assessment. I'd just add Mekari to the mix as perhaps a RT/C back-up. BTW, I hope we do resign Boze (which I think we will), but if not, I also like Colon. Anyway, no matter what we've got to draft OT and OG fairly early. Considering we've got 2 maybe three 3rds (depending on how they rate Judon) and four or five 4th round picks, EDC can certainly accomplish that... Bc

[Doctor]

was just looking at the Athletic first mock draft. I'll believe it when I see it but...

31. Baltimore Ravens — Daniel Faalele, OT, Minnesota
Would Baltimore draft a Gopher in back-to-back first rounds? It’s possible if the Ravens target an offensive tackle late — for a humongous human, as Faalele is a verified 6-foot-8 and 379 pounds with 35-inch arms and 11-inch hands. He is relatively new to football and is still learning how to get the most out of his unique skills, but he moves surprisingly well for his size and his anvil hands thump defenders into tomorrow.

We need two more viable Tackles, regardless of Stanley & James’ ability to return from injury.

My wife’s family are Minnesota alumni, and they’re huge Gophers fans. Her brothers all love Daniel Faalele…they say he’s a more athletic Phil Loadholdt (who was a pretty good RT for the Vikings).

[jonboy79]

There is no easy answer to this.
OL could be a strength, a weakness or anything in between moving forward. So many question marks with potential. M
If truly healthy,
Stanley, Cleveland, Bozeman, Ziegler, James could and should be a nearly elite line next year but are we re-signing Boze and will the two tackles return healthy?


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[Raveninwoodlawn]

Stanley being a quality LT returning is key.

And they need to keep Mekari this offseason and preferably Bozeman.

They really need to do a better job of developing these mid round OL guys they are drafting...Cleveland developing would be awesome for instance. And we need developmental depth at OT.

[RevBarnes]

Stanley coming back at an elite level would be awesome but I’d be very happy with him coming back at all above average

That's where I am

[QtR Nevermore]

It is a bit of a problem. Zeitler and Mekari are quality players who'll be around next season. Fingers crossed for Stanley and James too, but after that, who knows? Cleveland's an unknown, Powers and Colon should be back ups and Phillips has a long way to go even to be that.

I'd draft a Tackle by the second round at the latest. Villanueva isn't it, and both Stanley and James will be coming off serious injuries. Without a high draft pick we could find that Mekari is our best OT option for a second season.

I'd also use a 3rd or 4th on an interior lineman. I've changed my mind about resigning Bozeman. He hasn't upgraded the Center position the way we hoped. He's been fine, but nothing special. He was better at Guard.

Bozeman's play has been pretty similar to what we saw from (healthy) Skura and Mekari at the position in the last couple of years, so there's no point paying for that. Colon, Mekari and maybe a draft pick could give us a similar level of performance for substantially cheaper. If we want better play at the position than we've been used to, Free Agency or a higher draft pick will be needed.

I'd draft a developmental Tackle late too.

[pslholder96]

Too much uncertainty in the OL going forward. We have to build up the trenches again. So I think the long term outlook isn't good unless we invest heavily in the draft. Ronnie Stanley and Juwan James are returning from injuries. We don't know if they will be who we think they can be. Mekhari has been thrusted into a difficult situation and held up okay but he isn't the answer at RT. Bozeman at center has been steady but are we prepared to sign him long term? History says no. Phillips and Cleveland are still trying to find their groove at the guard positions. So bottom line is our depth isn't very good. We're about to sign Lamar to an expensive contract so now is the time to invest draft capital in the OL and hope we get a couple of hits.

[Jfoh]

This draft is deep at everything except QBs, which we do not need. Our wr room is full, we should be getting our two best rb back so only one open spot there. TE will be Andrews and Boyle so one opening there. We have seven o linemen but need three more for depth or upgrades. The defense needs a bit of work. The d line needs two younger players, lb should get a couple upgrades and DB needs three new younger players.

So in no order;

1RB
1 TE
3 O Linemen. Could do C, G, T.
2 D Linemen
2 LB
2 DB/CB/S
11 total picks. Only when we draft TE we always draft two of them so 12 total picks.