The Baltimore Ravens were expected by many to get rid of veteran tackle Ronnie Stanley and his expensive contract. In a shocking twist, the Ravens decided to hold on to him and instead move on from a cheaper contract in experienced right tackle Morgan Moses.
The Ravens traded the reliable Moses to the offensive line-needy New York Jets, with whom Moses played for two seasons before joining Baltimore, along with a fourth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft in exchange for a higher fourth-round choice and a sixth-round selection.
The offensive line now has just two locked-in starters in Stanley at left tackle and Tyler Linderbaum at center. The Ravens could look to the Draft to find a tackle who could come in and establish himself as a long-term asset, but they might not want to rely on a youngster to shoulder such a big load.
The Ravens need to continue looking at the free agent market for more solid additions that can keep Lamar Jackson upright and create big running lanes for Derrick Henry. All of these players could be signed for relatively cheap sums of money and provide solid production as a stand-in for Moses.
3 offensive tackles the Ravens must sign to replace Morgan Moses
3. Josh Jones, Houston Texans
After three up-and-down seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, Jones, a former Houston Cougar, spent last year as a backup behind names like Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard with the Texans. Jones started three games, and he could be looking for a starting gig on a team like Baltimore.
While Jones wasn't great in his first two years with the Cardinals, PFF and his film both showed a tremendous improvement in 2022. Last year, his playing time was so infrequent that it's hard to make any sweeping judgments on his play. The 2022 version is a solid starting tackle in this league.
Josh Jones could fit in nicely with the Baltimore Ravens
Jones has been moved around the offensive line quite frequently in his professional career, which could appeal to the Ravens. Even if they draft a right tackle, Jones could be worth targeting as a Patrik Mekari-type backup who can be trusted to provide passable play at multiple positions.
The Ravens aren't in a position to spend a ton of money on a big-name replacement for Moses, and some might have a bit of trepidation about relying on a rookie for such an important task during a Super Bowl or Bust season. The Ravens could get a ton of bang for their buck with Jones.