"For Better or Worse" is a series that will look at various position groups leading up to the 2019 preseason. Instead of a regular position break down this series will compare how position groups look between now and this time last year.
Today's article will take a look at where the offensive line lines stands.
2018
At this time last year Ronnie Stanley and Marshal Yanda were really the only locks to be in the starting five. Meanwhile Matt Skura and Alex Lewis, who went on to start, were both entrenched in position battles with the likes of Bradley Bozeman, Nico Siragusa and Jermaine Eluemanor. Siragusa was rebounding from a serious injury that ended his rookie season before it even started in 2017 and was mainly looking to make it as a backup interior lineman and Bozeman was a 6th round pick in the draft who wasn't expected to see any immediate playing time. James Hurst was slotted at the right tackle position although Orlando Brown Jr more than played up to having that role. Brown saw the most preseason action of any offensive lineman but John Harbaugh and company seemed committed to making him earn it after his unprofessional showing at the combine. This was probably also done to curtail any accusations of nepotism which many critics threw at the Ravens after they drafted Brown.
2019
The Ravens finished the 2018 season as the tenth ranked offensive line according to pro football focus. The two locks at the beginning of the season, Ronnie Stanley and Marshal Yanda both had good years with Stanley earning the third highest pass rating out of any tackle and a pro bowl appearance and Yanda ranking third overall among guards. Orlando Brown Jr finally got a chance to start in the second half of the season proving to be more than serviceable, surrendering no sacks in the regular season. Brown's emergence solidified both tackle spots and slides James Hurst to the right guard position where he seems to play stronger. Brown's ability not only provides capable play at the edges but it takes away Hurst's liabilities on the end.
With Alex Lewis recently being placed on the PUP list, Hurst will probably become the starting left guard next to Ronnie Stanley. Although Lewis isn't a top lineman in the league, his absence intensifies the lack of depth the Ravens have on their front line. It is unknown how this year's fourth round pick Ben Powers will progress but he possesses the tools to be a mauling run blocker, however he will lack the agility to pick up blocks in the passing game. Powers most likely won't make it a position battle in camp this year but there could be one brewing at the center position with Bradley Bozeman and Matt Skura. I predict Bozeman to make a big progression this year and take over the center role with Stanley and Hurst starting to his left and Yanda and Brown to the right. This will leave Eluemanor, Skura and Powers as backups for the interior and fill-ins for Hurst who can bounce to the outside of the line if needed. Outside of those eight there doesn't seem to be many other candidates who are capable of handling any game action in the NFL. The lack of the depth, especially on the outside, is concerning and it would be crippling for the Ravens to have any other injuries outside of losing Lewis. Some younger and non established pieces that could be intriguing are 6'6 tackle Greg Senat who was with the team last pre season and rookie guards Patrick Mekari and Patrick Vahe. Senat has a good chance of making the team as the squad is very thin on the exterior and an injury to Stanley or Brown could very well collapse the line.
Conclusion
With very little change outside of Nico Siragusa being claimed by the Packers last season and the addition of Ben Powers through the draft, the offensive line should be set for progressing as a unit. Stanley has come into his own as a pass blocking tackle and Brown should continue to develop into becoming one of the better tackles in the league.
Yanda continues to show no signs of slowing down at 34 years old even with injuries and he should once again be a constant on the line in 2019. The line now has three capable starters versus the two they had a year ago which is a sign that the group should be trending in the right direction.
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