Michael Oher to Play Left Tackle in 2010

It looks like the Baltimore Ravens left tackle of the future is now the left tackle of the present. Michael Oher will be moving over to play left tackle in 2010, and former left tackle Jared Gaither will switch to the right side. This move was made today at the start of mini-camp and figures to be permanent, according to a team source, as reported by NFL.com's Jason La Canfora. While Gaither has more experience there, he is only two months older than Oher, yet hits the free agent market next year, depending on the state of the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement. Besides, as I had previously written here on Baltimore Beatdown since last summer, the Ravens never drafted Oher to be their right tackle. He was destined to protect Joe Flacco's "Blind Side" regardless of the book and movie by that same title, from the time the team traded up in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft to grab him.

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With Gaither's long term prognosis unknown, the move shows that the team is looking for consistency and stability at that all important position and figure that if they can have an experienced and solid right tackle for at least this season, then why wait for the enevitable to occur and just make the move now.

In addition, there is still the chance that Gaither will be dealt before the season begins and the rumor is that the Buffalo Bills still have interest in him. Most likely the team would have accepted a second round pick in this past April's draft and now the offer of a 1st rounder next year would probably be jumped on by the Ravens if the Bills put that on the table. The Ravens offensive line is deep when healthy, with Marshal Yanda and Oniel Cousins among others who could step in and anchor the right side. Either way, the Ravens still boast one of the youngest and best offensive lines in the league.

For more on the developing story, click to read the related stories on ProFootballTalk.com and the Twitter Feeds on BaltimoreRavens.com.

In addition, Click here to read the Pro Football Talk story on the Bills wanting to trade for Jared Gaither, and there is also a story on the trade possibilities featured on SB Nation's NFL page.