:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/assets/382529/IMG_3974.JPG)
Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports puts the five guys in front of QB Joe Flacco as the third best group in the NFL. He cites the big change of second year LT Michael Oher switching positions with Jared Gaither as the key to this squad. While he said the Ravens were actually below average at pass blocking this past year, he still thinks that overall this group will be among the best in the league in 2010. The additions at wide receiver should make Flacco's need for additional time to find an open receiver drop down, which will make the o-line look better as they won't have to protect him for so long.
In fact, Cole likes Michael Oher so much that he says he could pass Denver's Ryan Clady and Miami's Jake Long as the best at his new left tackle position.
Coles only rates the New Orleans Saints' offensive line as the best in the league, followed by the New England Patriots. The Ravens at #3, rank just ahead of the Atlanta Falcons at #4, and the Miami Dolphins rounding out the top five. Surprisingly, he only ranks the Indianapolis Colts line at #9, due to their lack of success at short yardage situations. Happily for Ravens fans, he has our AFC North competitors Pittsburgh Steelers front line rated 24th, far behind the Cincinnati Bengals at #15 and even the Cleveland Browns at #16.
See the entire story here.