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Jermaine Eluemunor to the Patriots: 3 big for the Ravens

By Chris Schisler

NEW ORLEANS, LA - AUGUST 31: Jermaine Eluemunor #71 of the Baltimore Ravens drops back to pass block during a preseason game against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on August 31, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Ravens defeated the Saints 14-13. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - AUGUST 31: Jermaine Eluemunor #71 of the Baltimore Ravens drops back to pass block during a preseason game against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on August 31, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Ravens defeated the Saints 14-13. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LA – AUGUST 31: Jermaine Eluemunor #71 of the Baltimore Ravens warming up before a preseason game against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on August 31, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Ravens defeated the Saints 14-13. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA – AUGUST 31: Jermaine Eluemunor #71 of the Baltimore Ravens warming up before a preseason game against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on August 31, 2017 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Ravens defeated the Saints 14-13. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

2. The Ravens may have just prevented themselves from a big mistake:

Jermaine Eluemunor is a classic example of a player with all the physical gifts you look for, who simply doesn’t have it. The Ravens toyed around with the idea of Eluemunor being the starting left guard. They benched him in practice and gave him the job back. It never felt like the Ravens were confident in Eluemunor. If Eluemunor had stayed he may have gotten the starting job by default. That would have been a mistake.

light. Related Story. The easiest roster cuts to predict for the Ravens

The Ravens are saving themselves from having to make a change during the season. Harbaugh stubbornly waited to start Orlando Brown Jr. last season. Putting Bryant McKinnie in for the Super Bowl run was the right move; yet it was a move Harbaugh should had pulled the trigger on sooner. If the Ravens start Ben Powers at left guard, they will skip a step and get to the right combination from the word go. The Ravens may have gotten better by subtraction. Parting with offensive linemen when the offensive line is already an area of doubt is a bold move. The Ravens may have done it because it was the right thing to do.

Only time will tell if the Ravens offensive line will be bettered by subtraction. What is obvious is that Eluemunor was never going to be a Ben Grubbs or a Kelechi Osemele. The Ravens drafted Eluemunor as a project. He was a fourth round pick, who picked up football later than most. The project is now Bill Belichick’s to complete.

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