As with any offense, the operations start and end up front with the offensive line. The Baltimore Ravens are lucky to have two Pro Bowlers, Ronnie Stanley and Tyler Linderbaum, patrolling the game in the trenches, along with second-year right tackle, Roger Rosengarten, on the rise. However, there is a ton of uncertainty on the inside.
Daniel Faalele is assuming the job at right guard, as he comes off a career-best campaign. He was named a Pro Bowl alternate, but it was not a particularly outstanding season. Still, the 25-year-old provided starting-caliber play, especially later in the year. The critical concern is at left guard.
Ben Cleveland and Andrew Vorhees are battling for the final starting spot on Baltimore’s offensive line. Rookie third-round selection Emery Jones Jr. could also compete for snaps, but he is sidelined with a shoulder injury at training camp. That leaves a golden opportunity for Cleveland or Vorhees to start in 2025.
Following Thursday’s practice, offensive coordinator Todd Monken provided an outlook on how the first two weeks of training camp have gone. When asked about the offensive line, he commended the efforts of Cleveland and Vorhees so far.
“I’m excited. I think there’s a great battle between Ben Cleveland and Vorhees. We got talent there. That’s why you draft o-linemen,” Monken said. “I like how we played in pads in the first couple days. It’s been hot; it’s hard on those guys. If it’s hard on anybody; it's the big guys up front. But that’s what we’re here for. We’re here to get ourselves in football shape, and you only do that by playing football.”
Ravens' left guard battle is heating up
Of the two, Vorhees was expected to be the easy choice for the spot. The Ravens traded back into the 2023 NFL Draft to select the USC product in the seventh round. An ACL tear kept him off the field in his rookie season, and although he finally got his first glimpse of NFL action in 2024, he fell behind Faalele and Patrick Mekari on the depth chart. With Mekari now a Jacksonville Jaguar, the spot is Vorhees’ to take, but Cleveland is making it tough.
Cleveland was a third-round pick in 2021, but his career has been disappointing up to this point. He has started just seven games in four years, providing uninspiring play along the interior. Still, Baltimore re-signed him to a one-year deal this past offseason, and with Monken’s praise, it sounds like he is making the most of his second chance.
This battle will carry into the preseason, where the coaching staff will see how each of the guards fare in game action. Neither has proven much of anything in their NFL careers thus far, so the coming weeks will provide a period for growth and development ahead of the regular season. But with the Ravens competing for a Super Bowl, they will need to develop starting qualities soon.