Osemele Sets Sights on Pro Bowl

It was turbulent rookie season for Ravens' guard Kelechi Osemele in 2012. He started all 16 games of the regular season at right tackle, but due to late-season offensive line struggles, he was moved to left guard come playoff time in an offensive line shuffle that saw Bryant McKinnie reinserted into the lineup at left tackle, bumping Michael Oher to right tackle.

Osemele excelled at guard in the playoffs, where his quickness and athleticism really shone through and his longer arms allowed him to engage defenders more quickly than the average guard. In an interview with Ravens' official site, Osemele said that John Harbaugh and the offensive staff approached him directly during OTAs, "They told me personally that my goal this season should be Pro Bowl or bust, it's the expectation they have for me". The Ravens would sure love to find a solid, steady replacement for Pro Bowl left guard Ben Grubbs, who departed via free agency before the 2012 season to join the New Orleans Saints. Osemele has been in attendance at every OTA so far this offseason, and seems to be working extremely hard at improving his game, claiming he already feels stronger, faster, and more durable than he did in his rookie season. 2013 could be a breakout year for the young guard who burst onto the scene in the 2012 playoffs. Paired with Marshal Yanda, the Ravens could potentially have the best guard tandem in the league by the time its all said and done in 2013.