The Baltimore Ravens have used the past couple of days to shore up their roster as they dive headfirst into training camp. On Friday, they added special teams value by signing veteran wide receiver Chris Moore. Now, offensive tackle Hakeem Adeniji is expected to join the team.
Adeniji was one of many players who had a tryout in Baltimore on Friday. Just a day later, Eric DeCosta and company are expected to swoop in to sign him.
The 28-year-old brings experience at offensive tackle. The Ravens already had that with Ronnie Stanley and Roger Rosengarten, but when it comes to their backups, it’s a very new group. Baltimore needed another veteran body to help stabilize that room, and Adeniji could certainly do that in camp.
Baltimore Ravens emphasize experience at offensive tackle with reported Hakeem Adeniji move
At the moment, the Ravens’ main depth pieces at tackle are Carson Vinson, Diego Pounds, and Gerad Lichtenhan. Combined, that trio has just two years in the league and seven offensive snaps.
While there might be some potential there to uncover in each of them, it’s not exactly reassuring to have three guys with that little experience as your next men up. Injuries happen, and for Ronnie Stanley, they’ve been an unfortunate constant throughout his NFL career. That’s why someone like Adeniji was needed.
Adeniji comes to Charm City having played in the NFL since 2020. He was selected in the sixth round by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2020 NFL Draft, and has gone on to play in 55 games and make 16 starts. He also has another seven playoff starts under his belt, one of which came in the Super Bowl 56.
He’s bounced around a bit, as he has suited up for the Bengals, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns, and Dallas Cowboys across his six-year career. Sure, he has endured struggles with each of those teams, but being a veteran that the Ravens can turn to could be important.
More than anything, though, this move might be more leadership-focused. Again, Vinson, Pounds, and Lichtenhan barely have any NFL experience. Adding another seasoned voice to those positional meetings during camp could prove invaluable for the development of that young trio.
Even with that, expectations shouldn’t be that high for Adeniji. In fact, he’s probably on the outside looking in when it comes to the grand scheme of things. He definitely has an uphill climb to make the 53-man roster.
Veteran bodies can be important in training camp, though. Players will inevitably get banged up, and others might take personal days, so bringing in depth, especially those with experience like Adeniji, is always a smart decision.
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