The Ravens made a move to strengthen their offensive line late Tuesday night by dealing draft picks to the Jacksonville Jaguars for left tackle Eugene Monroe.
The deal still has to be finalized by Monroe passing a physical, but the Ravens expect the five-year veteran to arrive in Baltimore Wednesday night or Thursday.
How soon will it take before the former first-round pick takes the field for his new team?
"I don't know," Head Coach John Harbaugh said Wednesday. "He's not here yet, so once we get him here we'll figure that out.
"Obviously we're bringing Eugene in to play. How soon that can happen remains to be seen. The main thing is that it makes us better. It makes us better almost immediately."
The Ravens plan to use Monroe at left tackle, Harbaugh said, which could mean that he will replace veteran Bryant McKinnie in the starting lineup. McKinnie has started every game for the Ravens at left tackle this season.
Harbaugh did not specify how Monroe's arrival will impact McKinnie's status on the roster.
"We're looking forward to getting him in here and seeing how it goes," Harbaugh said.
Monroe is a veteran player who has been a starter in Jacksonville since his rookie season. Learning a new system in a matter of days presents a challenge, but his new teammates expect him to adjust quickly.
"It shouldn't take too long," right tackle Michael Oher said. "You've got power plays, inside zone, outside zone, pass. It's all football for a lineman. It shouldn't take him too long to get acclimated and get going."
Monroe, 26, is in the final year of his rookie contract. The Ravens are looking for a long-term solution at left tackle, and the team could have interest in extending him beyond this season.
When asked about Monroe's contract status affecting the trade, Harbaugh said "all of that stuff kind of weighs into it," but did not say whether the Ravens would try to work out an extension during the season.
"He has one year left," Harbaugh said. "We'll see how it shakes out over the next 12 weeks."
