Ravens training camp: 3 key storylines to watch in 2020
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: Ravens’ Interior Offensive Line Battles
Last year, Football Outsiders ranked Baltimore’s offensive line third best in run blocking and eighth best in pass protection.
Those are pretty good rankings, especially considering veteran center Matt Skura missed five regular-season games and the playoffs with a serious knee injury a year ago.
Skura’s health will be something to watch during training camp. The lateral movements employed by offensive coordinator Greg Roman will put a lot of pressure on Skura to be at 100 percent right out of the gate. If Skura isn’t ready to go, one can assume Patrick Mekari winds up being the primary fill-in once again.
But the bigger battle at hand will be at right guard, as the Ravens look to find someone capable of replacing now-retired lineman, Marshal Yanda.
Yanda’s absence opens up the door for one of Baltimore’s offseason pickups, former Seahawks lineman D.J. Fluker, to get first-team reps during training camp. Ben Powers and the 2020 rookie, Ben Bredeson, are also going to be in the hunt as well.
Considering Baltimore won’t want to suffer too much a drop in production from this group last year, it’s safe to say the O-line play in camp will be of the utmost importance.