The Baltimore Ravens pulled off one of the best drafts any team had across the entire 2024 NFL Draft, and one of the main reasons this class is regarded so highly has to be their selection of Washington right tackle Roger Rosengarten in the second round.
Rosengarten is a tremendous pass blocker who has made major improvements in his run blocking. Perhaps one of the biggest signifiers of his talent is the fact that so many other contenders were trying to select him.
In need of some help at right tackle, the San Francisco 49ers (the favorites to face the Ravens if Baltimore is to make it to the Super Bowl) were reportedly hot on his trail. If the Ravens didn't select Rosengarten, he seemed like a lock to head to Kyle Shanahan.
According to Matt Burrows of The Athletic, many around the league believed the 49ers were ready to select Rosengarten at No. 63 overall before Baltimore nabbed him one pick beforehand. The offensive line is San Francisco's worst positional area, which could come back to haunt them in a hypothetical Super Bowl duel with Baltimore.
The #49ers ended up bolstering their CB group in Round 2, but in the view of many, the defending NFC champs were preparing to draft T Roger Rosengarten at No. 63. The #Ravens swooped in at No. 62 https://t.co/5J3ZPxs7c6
— Pro Football Rumors (@pfrumors) May 17, 2024
Baltimore Ravens stole Roger Rosengarten from possible Super Bowl foe 49ers
This isn't the only Super Bowl contender who wanted Rosengarten as their right tackle, as the Chiefs reportedly tried to trade up two spots in the order. Ultimately, Kansas City moved up to No. 63 for BYU tackle Kingsley Suamataia. San Francisco added Florida State cornerback Renardo Green at No. 64 and addressed the offensive line with Kansas' Dominick Puni in the third round.
While Puni is a very versatile player, Rosengarten is a superior pure tackle. Not only did he not allow a sack in his last two years at Washington in an offense that threw the ball deep all the time, but he did so as the blindside protector for left-handed quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
Rosengarten could be one of the rare second-round rookies who is an immediate starter in Week 1. His main competitors for the starting right tackle job are free agent gamble Josh Jones and gargantuan third-year backup Daniel Faalele.
If the Ravens are getting the player they saw on film during his time with the Huskies, they should feel more than confident in his ability to immediately perform against professional pass rushers. There's even a chance that Rosengarten will be able to go up against Nick Bosa and the 49ers if both teams play up to their potential.