The Baltimore Ravens are entering their bye week with some difficult decisions to make. By all accounts from the team, it is clear that they are still hoping to compete and make the playoffs in 2025. However, at 1-5, they have dug themselves into a deep hole.
Many believe they will be sellers at the trade deadline, as most mock trades predict that Baltimore will deal franchise tight end Mark Andrews. That may not be the case, though.
With so much talent on the roster and an encouraging Week 6 performance, despite their loss to the Los Angeles Rams, there is reason to believe the Ravens could be buyers. After adding safety Alohi Gilman in the Odafe Oweh trade, they clearly have the desire to make moves to send this team in the right direction as they inch closer to the second half of the 2025 campaign.
If they truly want to be competitive, they will need to improve the offensive line. One addition they could make that could not be more obvious is offensive guard Kevin Zeitler.
Trading for Kevin Zeitler could save the Ravens’ season
Zeitler was a fan favorite among Ravens fans during his tenure from 2021 to 2023. He earned his first career Pro Bowl nod in his final season with the team, and played a significant role in the team’s dominance on the ground and through the air. Since departing, he has not missed a beat, even deep into his career.
He continued to be a key piece on the offensive line with the Detroit Lions in 2024, and through five games with the Tennessee Titans this year, he remains one of the best guards in the NFL.
Zeitler has posted a 69.5 overall grade, per Pro Football Focus, which ranks 19th among 109 qualifying offensive guards. He ranks far above-average in both the run and pass operations, and is one of the better players on the struggling Titans.
The Titans sit at 1-5 entering their Week 7 matchup with a New England Patriots team that is firing on all cylinders. All signs point to them dropping to 1-6, and with the franchise in the midst of a rebuild, the 35-year-old Zeitler likely does not have a future in Tennessee. He is also on a one-year contract, which makes him a clear candidate. The perfect landing spot could be in Baltimore.
The Ravens have seen both of their starting guards have trouble through six games. Andrew Vorhees is coming off a season-best game against the Rams, but has been a negative asset all year, and Daniel Faalele is unreliable.
Quarterback Lamar Jackson is expected to return from his hamstring injury in Week 8 versus the Chicago Bears, but he is not capable of saving this season alone. The poor offensive line has been a thorn in his side all year, but adding a player like Zeitler could help turn the season around.