The Baltimore Ravens weren’t entirely quiet at the NFL trade deadline. Surprisingly, their only deal on Tuesday was improving the team. They acquired Ryan Neuzil from the Atlanta Falcons for Andrew Vorhees and a 2028 sixth-round pick.
That’s somewhat of a head-scratching decision, to say the least. Not moving Vorhees; it’s a relief he’s gone. Moving a pick to bring in Neuzil raises some questions, though. He’s on a one-year deal, and the Ravens are struggling in 2026.
Baltimore is probably hoping to upgrade their interior offensive line depth. Neuzil is a better backup center, coming over with 38 career starts there. As for the draft capital, they might get that back, as Neuzil is a free agent next offseason and could net a compensatory pick.
Still, does it make sense? Some intriguing variables in the equation are unanswered.
Baltimore Ravens’ Ryan Neuzil addition is an odd one, but has potential
At face value, the motivation is clear. The Ravens’ offensive line has been battered by injuries, and if those rear the ugly head again, they at least have Neuzil to turn to. He’s not horrible either.
According to Pro Football Focus, Neuzil has a 65.1 overall grade, 66.3 pass-blocking grade, and 62.4 run-blocking grade in nine games. That’s passable, especially if Baltimore needs him for spur-of-the-moment reps.
The 29-year-old also has a relationship with offensive line coach Dwayne Ledford. Neuzil played under him from 2022 to 2025 in Atlanta, and the deal marks five straight seasons with Ledford in Neuzil’s corner.
Ledford also recruited Neuzil to Appalachian State.
Simply put, this was likely a decision Ledford banged the table for.
Could something bigger be at stake, though? It’s no secret that Baltimore’s offensive line is a disaster. And while depth is critical, given this team’s injury luck, Neuzil may have an outside chance to start if things get worse along the interior.
John Simpson isn’t a starting-caliber player. He’s not even close to one. You can’t keep trotting your quarterbacks out behind a guard who’s allowed 17 pressures and has registered a 39.1 pass-blocking grade, per Pro Football Focus.
Neuzil has experience at guard in college. He made 44 consecutive starts at that spot at Appalachian State. Sure, he’d be a severely undersized guard in the NFL at 6-foot-3 and 305 pounds, but that time under Ledford and a scheme that relies on athleticism is a decent fit.
Still, he could get embarrassed by bigger defensive linemen on inside runs and pass plays. With that risk, Simpson might unfortunately be the better option.
It’ll be interesting to see how Neuzil’s Baltimore career plays out. It’s almost certainly a depth move, which can’t hurt, especially if the organization gets that sixth-round pick back as compensation for Neuzil signing a deal this coming offseason.
If that’s the case, fans should be happy trading Andrew Vorhees for Neuzil.
However, it’s hard to ignore there’s potential for more. I don’t think you can rule out a move guard. With all their offensive line struggles, the Ravens may deem it necessary.
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