Despite going through drastic changes, the Baltimore Ravens are having a very strong offseason. They fired John Harbaugh and shed most of his coaching staff. In his place, they hired an exciting young coach in Jesse Minter. Minter has also impressed with some intriguing pieces he’s brought onto his coaching staff.
Although all these moves have the Ravens headed in the right direction, all eyes are focused on how the front office will improve the roster. They fell well short of expectations in 2025, and they need a complete revamp in several key areas.
One of those areas is the offensive guard spot. It appears that rookie offensive lineman Emery Jones. Jr. is ready to take over one spot in 2026, but the other position will likely be vacant with Daniel Faalele set to hit free agency. There are a few veteran options available this free agency period to fill that spot. Someone who could be a better fit, though, is a possible cap casualty: Jacksonville Jaguars guard Ezra Cleveland.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine constructed a list of three possible cap casualties from each team this offseason. Cleveland made the list for the Jaguars. Ballentine wrote:
“Cleveland makes the cut here because it's the single cut that could save the Jaguars the most cap space. That illustrates how little wiggle room they have in that way with James Gladstone turning the roster over to his liking.”
“However, it remains unlikely that Cleveland will be gone. He's the best of the Jaguars starting interior trio on the offensive line. That's not something that Liam Coen is going to want to mess with.”
It may be unlikely, but in the off chance that Cleveland is released, General Manager Eric DeCosta must be the first to jump on the phone.
Ravens could find stability at guard in unlikely Ezra Cleveland cut scenario
Pretty much since Week 1 of the 2025 regular season, Ravens fans have clamored about adding more talent to the interior of the offensive line. Center Tyler Linderbaum can only do so much. Now, with a new head coach and new offensive line coach in the building, it wouldn’t be a shock if guard is the first weakness the team addresses in free agency.
Minter said in his introductory press conference that he wants to make sure they have the best possible team around quarterback Lamar Jackson in 2026. He’s one of the best players on the planet, but the horrific protection limited him and also led to injuries. Adding a guy like Ezra Cleveland would immediately solve that critical need.
What makes Cleveland such a desirable option is not just that he’s been a quality starting lineman throughout his six-year career. It’s not just his consistency, either. It’s the fact that he’ll still be only 28 years old by the time the 2026 season kicks off.
Many above-average guard options in free agency come with a bit of a risk. For guys like Kevin Zeitler and Joel Bitonio, it’s their age. Sure, they’re both playing at a high level, but they’re also closing in on retirement.
Alijah Vera-Tucker could also hit free agency, and while he’s a talented player, injuries have been a red flag throughout his career. A triceps tear has ended his season twice (2022 and 2025), and an Achilles tear ended his season in 2023. He has only managed to play in 27 games out of a possible 68 over the past four seasons.
Clearly, if Cleveland were to be cut, he would instantly become one of the top guards available. Again, Ballentine noted it is extremely unlikely. Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence just had the best season of his career, and it’d be unwise to get rid of one of your better linemen. If it does happen, though, Cleveland would be a perfect fit in Baltimore.