6 Ravens who disappointed the most in the 2021 season
By Justin Fried
4. Alejandro Villanueva, OT, Ravens
The Ravens signed longtime rival Alejandro Villanueva this past offseason with the expectation that he would step in as their starting right tackle for the 2021 season.
But after Ronnie Stanley’s setback in Week 1, plans changed in a hurry. All of a sudden, Villanueva was forced back to the left side where he remained for the rest of the year.
The 33-year-old did an admirable job filling in at a position he wasn’t even expected to play, but by the end of the season, it was evident that he was one of the weakest links of the unit.
Villanueva surrendered a whopping 55 pressures in 17 games this season. No other Ravens player allowed more than 23 adding context to what was a very difficult year for the seasoned veteran.
On top of that, Villanueva was flagged seven times. Once again, no other Ravens offensive lineman received more than three penalties.
Villanueva led all NFL players in pressures allowed while playing left tackle with only Miami Dolphins rookie Liam Eichenberg coming close to matching his total. His eight penalties were also tied for second-most among left tackles.
2021 was a challenging season for Villanueva and it’s far from a lock that he returns next year as the Ravens could opt to cut ties after one underwhelming campaign.