After losing John Urschel and Nico Siragusa, the Baltimore Ravens are bringing in free agent lineman Austin Howard for a visit.
After all of the injuries the Baltimore Ravens have suffered to start training camp, we knew they weren’t done making moves.
Two notable losses have come on the offensive line have come within the last week. John Urschel retired and Nico Siragua suffered a major knee injury. Both were competing for starting time this season. We saw depth be a problem for the offensive line last season and there’s no way the same narrative could happen again in 2017.
It looks like Ozzie is making some moves. Recently released offensive tackle Austin Howard is in Baltimore for a visit with the Ravens.
The news was first reported by Ravens beat writer Jeff Zrebiec.
Recently released by the Raiders, OT Austin Howard is in Baltimore for a free-agent visit with the Ravens, per sources.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) August 4, 2017
Howard is a familiar face for the Ravens organization. He signed with the Ravens before the start of the 2011 season and spent the entire season on the practice squad.
Howard was then signed by the Jets and his career took off. After winning the starting job in 2012, he started all 16 games for two straight seasons. That play earned him a five-year deal with the Raiders in 2014. He was a major contributor on the offensive line before being released last week.
Signing Howard would be a major help to the Ravens offensive line. He’s got experience playing at both guard and tackle. That kind of versatility is certainly enticing from an offensive line perspective. With James Hurst not penciled in as the starter at right tackle, this could be the answer.
Is he healthy?
Health is the main concern for Howard. As consistent as he was with the Jets, injuries were a problem in Oakland. He missed three starts in 2015 with a knee injury and then six the following season with ankle problems.
Right now, Howard is currently recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. It looks like he should be ready for the start of the season, but there is no guarantee. The Ravens will certainly be taking a good look at his health. With limited cap space and holes to fill, they will need to be careful with their money.
If Howard is healthy, he would be a fantastic signing. It gives the offensive line an experienced player who could potentially come in as a week 1 starter. Adding more depth never hurts.