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Should We Worry About The Baltimore Ravens Offensive Line?

By Chris Schisler

Jul 31, 2016; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley (79) warms up during the morning session of training camp at Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 31, 2016; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley (79) warms up during the morning session of training camp at Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Baltimore Ravens offensive line doesn’t appear to be a weakness for the 2016 season:

Marshall Yanda is quite possibly the best right guard in football. Rick Wagner is a solid right tackle. Jeremy Zuttah is a reliable center that is perfect for the Baltimore Ravens zone blocking scheme. However you’re not worried about that. We already know what we have on the right side of the line. The questions pop up on the left side.

Related Story: The Ravens Game Plan Must Revolve Around Their Strengths

The Ravens are starting two new faces on the left side, Ronnie Stanley and John Urschel. Stanley is the Ravens first round pick from Notre Dame. Urschel has been a back up for the last two seasons; now he is set to fill the Kelechi Osemele void. The Ravens offensive line’s performance hinges on these two players. Are they up for the task?

Stanley was a highly coveted player in the 2016 NFL Draft. In the Ravens first preseason game, he showed why he was a top 10 pick. He took on a powerful defensive end and protected Ryan Mallet. The sixth overall pick even sprung open a couple of big plays in the running game. In total there were a handful of positives to take from his first performance in a game setting.

Stanley will have some growing pains. That is what comes from being a rookie.This is especially true at the pivotal left tackle position. There is still reason to have concerns about Stanley. Nobody should expect him to be Jonathan Ogden right away (though that is a benchmark most never even dream to reach). Stanley simply muted the concerns last Thursday. He gave the Ravens a reason to be optimistic. At this stage in the preseason, that’s all the team can ask for.

John Urschel is a good football player. I think it is quite possible that he ends up being the surprise of the season. It is not like we don’t already know what he brings to the table. We just need to see it for a full season. Urschel has started 10 games in the past two seasons. He hasn’t played to the level of Osemele but he hasn’t played bad either. Urschel is a talented offensive lineman who is only going to get better the more he plays.

Next: Matt Judon Impresses In First Game

The bottom line is clear. We know what to expect from the right side of the offensive line. The left side of the line is what gives fans concerns. The offensive line looks good. It looks good on the left and the right. I know that starting a rookie and promoting a back up sounds alarming. I just know the line has given us no reason for alarm so far. The Ravens offensive line absolutely should not be what keeps Ravens fans up at night.

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