Usually, when you’re paying a guard $10 million per year, you’re starting him. The Baltimore Ravens might want to think about benching John Simpson, though. The 29-year-old has been absolutely horrible — there has to be a better plan.
Could Carson Vinson offer a solution?
It’d be a long shot. Vinson was drafted in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft and was viewed as a developmental lineman. In his second season, he’s gotten real opportunities and has flashed.
With Ronnie Stanley and Roger Rosengarten holding down the tackle spot, Vinson won’t have an opportunity there this year, or maybe even next year. However, guard may be a challenge worth tackling.
It’s getting to the point where Vinson might be better than Simpson. It probably won’t be an easy transition, but it’s worth testing the waters.
Carson Vinson might be better than what the Baltimore Ravens have at left guard
Look at where the Ravens are at. They’re 4-5, last in the AFC North, and are on a four-game losing streak. If things keep trending this way, they’ll fall out of the playoff race fast.
The coaching staff needs to try anything to fix it. Anything.
Baltimore already leads the league in offensive line combinations by a wide margin. They’ve run out 25 different combinations; that’s eight more than the second-place New England Patriots with 17.
What’s one more? None of the units have worked out, and while you can at least have some faith in Ronnie Stanley, Cam Jurgens, Vega Ioane, and Roger Rosengarten, it’s hard to hold out any hope that Simpson turns it around.
It’s fair to assume Carson Vinson would flat-out play better from his first snap at left guard if given the chance. It’s hard to be worse than Simpson, who’s allowed 17 pressures and has posted a 39.1 pass-blocking grade, per Pro Football Focus.
Sure, Simpson’s been decent as a run blocker, but Vinson could do that job.
Over 116 offensive snaps, Vinson’s PFF grade is a 66.3. And his pass- and run-blocking grades are 57.8 and 65.9, respectively.
I get it, inexperience might be an issue and lead to more flags. Those are already a persistent problem, though. Nothing would change if penalties were to become a problem for Vinson.
A Carson Vinson transition to guard may not be a huge issue
Carson Vinson transitioning to guard might not be an overly daunting problem either. In fact, draft experts labeled him as a player who may make a transition to guard at the professional level when coming out of the 2025 NFL Draft. Maybe that move comes a year and a half into his career.
At 6-foot-6, 325 pounds, Vinson has the frame to be a guard. He possesses good grip strength and impressive mobility for his size, which could make him a factor in the outside run game.
Playing inside might also hide Vinson’s technical flaws. He’s still underdeveloped with his hands, but he can use his size to his advantage in close quarters. It wouldn't be perfect; all it has to be is better than Simpson.
His high ceiling makes him an intriguing option, too. You already know what you’ll get in Simpson. He’s not reliable, is a penalty magnet, and looks like this year’s version of Daniel Faalele.
It’s worth noting this move has the potential to be a disaster. However, Baltimore should want to see if Vinson’s a part of their future. Simpson isn’t taking them anywhere; Vinson might be able to do something of note.
Add us as a preferred source on Google