The OL could be solid next season without significant investment

**ArgentinaRaven** · 01-21-2022, 06:45 PM

I still don't understand why people have hope in the recovery of Stanley and James, hope kills slowly, let's solve those issues and then, if we're lucky and they recover, we'll see what we do.
that was the mistake this year, wait

**RAVEN2FLY** · 01-21-2022, 08:04 PM

You need insurance policies for your tackle positions. No guarantee Stanley will be back at an all-pro level. James in still unproven and with 18 game week schedule you need depth. So its not as simple as looking at names on a paper.

**GullyGill** · 01-21-2022, 08:13 PM

we have 2 tackles that have been hurt for 2 years

IMO they have to take a tackle with one of their first 2 picks

**FloridaBasedFan** · 01-21-2022, 08:37 PM

Originally Posted by Ravenswintitle

They talked about it last year and did next to nothing. Lamar had the yips most of the season and then gets hurt. Can we please fix the line?

Defense needs help but what does it matter if the offense can't score?

Thats not exactly accurate. They signed 2 FA linemen. It just so happens one worked out well and the other not so much. Its pretty obvious they also expected Stanley to have recovered enough to play at an acceptable level. There is a little thing called the salary cap. When a team has even a few holes to begin with you cant always afford to sign starter level replacements for every injured player on the roster just in case they dont make it back. If Stanley had returned and only played at an acceptable level our line would have been fine.

**The Wizard of OZ** · 01-21-2022, 08:43 PM

The biggest problem right now is not knowing the health status of Stanley and him having a damn near 17 mil cap hit next year. If you take a tackle at 14 you are expecting this to be a starting player. But if Stanley and James are healthy, now you have a problem. You are not getting anything from your first round pick until next year when James is off the books. We don't have that luxury when we are probably going to have two holes on the defensive line, Bowser coming back from an Achilles and a secondary that needs to be upgraded. So right now it's just a wait and see game honestly. I'd certainly say take a tackle no later than the 2nd and double down in the 4th but the 1st pick does not have to be a tackle unless they get some really bad news on Stanley and James.

**PainServer52** · 01-21-2022, 08:45 PM

This was EDC train of thought last year coming into this seaon lol

**John Reglarperson** · 01-21-2022, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by leachisabeast

IMO the Ravens could let Bozeman walk and move Mekari back to C. I think Mekari's improved play at RT is more to do with the development of him as a player rather than being better suited as a tackle. I have said it before, Mekari is better on the inside with his kind of size and core strength. If he can improve his snapping in the offseason, you already have your starting C who could even be an upgrade over the less athletic Bozeman.

I really liked what I seen from Cleveland down the stretch. I think with a full offseason, he could really improve on his weaknesses and become a good starting LG on this line. He is similar to a Brandon Brooks who started as a part time rotation player for the Texans and ended up becoming a pro bowl calibre guard. I think you keep Ben Powers on the roster as an insurance policy, because Cleveland was quite injury prone in 2021.

Zeitler had a very solid season, let's hope that continues into next season.

The biggest question is at both tackle spots... let's hope that Stanley comes back and is finally over this terrible injury and let's also hope that JuWan comes back from his ACL because he is an above average RT and could be a big upgrade over AV or Tyree Phillips. We could also draft a a swing tackle with one of our top 3 picks (maybe take an Orlando Brown type in the 3rd rd?)... you also have Sharpe who could provide some depth.

So with some luck (we will need some huge luck considering the fact that it seems to be impossible for us not to have significant injuries every offseason)... we could field a top 10/top 5 OL with a starting unit of...

Stanley-Cleveland-Mekari-Zeitler-James

And that's without spending much capital. We should be spending most of our capital on an ageing front 7 in the offseason. We need to become a top 5 defense once again.

That's the "take the best player off a mediocre at best line and magically the line gets good"
plan?

I'd prefer add a new top athlete to the oline. Or more than one.