Mink: The Ravens' offensive line rebuild has been the talk of the summer as they have replaced three starters. Head Coach John Harbaugh isn’t revealing his starters, but going by who started in the preseason, the projected line is left tackle Ronnie Stanley, left guard Andrew Vorhees, center Tyler Linderbaum, right guard Daniel Faalele, and right tackle Roger Rosengarten. Harbaugh said there could be a rotation at some positions, so veteran Patrick Mekari could take snaps at right tackle and perhaps Ben Cleveland at guard.
Reading the temperature around Baltimore fans, it seems like the concern about the offensive line is high. That's understandable considering there are so many "new" faces. The hyperbolic characterization from a Packers reporter that Lamar Jackson was "running for his life" in the joint practice didn't help. Neither did seeing the Ravens' lack of push in the run game during the preseason, where Baltimore averaged just more than 3.1 yards per carry over the three games.
For one, the pass blocking was generally pretty solid in the preseason, particularly from Faalele and Rosengarten. Second, the run game was very vanilla and lacked Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson, two players we know will stress defenses in unique ways. The Ravens have finished in the top three in the NFL in rushing yards per game each of the past six years (since Jackson arrived). I have confidence that the running game will be just fine.
But I have consistently heard and felt that the Ravens' coaches and front office are less concerned, and their actions have backed that up. Baltimore didn't make a trade for an established veteran before roster cutdowns, signaling their faith in the in-house starters. They know what they've done is a gamble. That's what happens any time you move on from more expensive veterans. But the Ravens are willing to bet that this group of offensive linemen will be good enough to win in Kansas City in Week 1 and they're very confident that they'll continue to grow and improve as the season progresses.
Brown: I think it depends on their feelings about Rasheen Ali, the fifth-round pick who made the 53-man roster but has been in concussion protocol. If Ali is healthy soon, the Ravens may continue with him as their No. 3 back.
However, the Ravens are always trying to strengthen the back end of their roster. If a back they like becomes available at the right price, they won't hesitate to make a move, particularly with Keaton Mitchell (knee) starting the season on the PUP list, meaning he'll miss the first four games.
I don't see the No. 3 back as a pressing need when Derrick Henry and Justice Hill are healthy. They're going to get most if not all the carries until Mitchell returns.
Mink: No, I don't think the Ravens are going to bring in another pass rusher at this point. They have a strong belief that this will be Odafe Oweh's breakout year, that veteran Kyle Van Noy can again excel in a pass rush role, and that David Ojabo is trending in the right direction and ready to contribute. Ojabo flashed in the final two preseason games and was noticeably stronger at the end of training camp, giving hope that he has turned a corner with his health and is ready to cash in on his rare talent.
Also, the fact that rookie third-round pick Adisa Isaac was not placed on injured reserve -designated for return to begin the year is a good sign that his soft-tissue injury will not put him on the shelf for an extended period. Considering how good Isaac looked in his preseason debut against the Atlanta Falcons, I'm encouraged by what he'll offer as a depth piece in the rotation. The Ravens will also get pass rush production from up and down their defense, so they're not a team that's going to bend over backwards to load up at outside linebacker.
Specific to Yannick Ngakoue, that trade deadline acquisition didn't work out for the Ravens four years ago (three sacks in nine games), so I doubt they'd dip back into that well now. Jason Pierre-Paul had three sacks in 14 games in Baltimore in 2022 and none in three games last season. He didn't sign with anybody until mid-November, and it was the Saints' practice squad.
Brown: I don't think the Ravens will make a trade to bring back Huntley. Yes, Huntley obviously knows the Ravens' system and had a 3-6 record for Baltimore during his nine starts from 2021-23. He looked good in the preseason for the Cleveland Browns and was one of four quarterbacks to make their 53-man roster.
However, Harbaugh has consistently expressed his confidence in Josh Johnson as the No. 2 quarterback. Johnson's perfect 11-of-11 passing day in the preseason against the Atlanta Falcons showed what he can do when he's in rhythm and has time to throw.
The Browns are reportedly looking to trade either Huntley or Jameis Winston, with the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Chargers in the market for a backup quarterback. It wouldn't surprise me if Huntley is traded, and he has familiarity with Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman, but I'd be surprised if he comes back to Baltimore.
