What The Signing Of Bryant McKinnie Means To The Baltimore Ravens’ Offensive Line
By Riley B
Earlier today, the Baltimore Ravens signed veteran tackle Bryant Mckinnie. The former Minnesota Viking was waived after showing up to training camp overweight. I like this move for many reasons, but it raises more questions than answers for the Ravens offensive line.
Much more after the jump…
A lot can be inferred from this move. Is McKinnie there to provide depth or is Jah Reid just not ready to play in the NFL yet? Is Michael Oher the reason for the addition or is McKinnie just there to mentor Jah Reid? While we won’t know the answer for sure, we do know that the Ravens’ organization felt the same way about the O-line that the fans did. The Ravens needed a tackle and Bryant McKinnie is their answer.
Many say that this move is a hugh risk, but I couldn’t disagree more. At worst, McKinnie can help mentor Michael Oher and Jah Reid and will provide the team with some reliable depth at tackle. But if McKinnie shows up ready to play, than the Ravens have the option of moving Oher back to right tackle without losing any production on the left side. With McKinnie and Oher at tackle, Ben Grubbs and Marshall Yanda at guard, and Matt Birk at center, the Ravens have an offensive line similar to the one in 2008. A line that helped produce one of the most successful rushing attacks in Ravens history.
Bryant McKinnie isn’t a complete stranger to the Ravens’ crew. McKinnie and Matt Birk played with each other for the majority of their careers in Minnesota. He is also a University of Miami alumni, something that Ed Reed and Ray Lewis will be happy to hear about. Welcome to the purple and black Bryant McKinnie!
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