When the Oakland Raiders lured Kelechi Osemele away with a $55 million contract, it started up a competition between John Urschel and Ryan Jensen to see who would be the new starting left Guard for the Baltimore Ravens in 2016. And now that the draft has concluded, that competition looks like it will be more intense and something to watch during training camp.
Let's take a look at who could win the job:
John Urschel
The 2014 5th round pick did well during his rookie year, with four starts at Guard in the regular season and during the playoffs. Injuries caused him to be shifted to Center, where he didn't do so well, but now that Jeremy Zuttah is healthy, he should be able to move back to Guard, where he shines.
Ryan Jensen
The 2013 6th round pick played well in the four games he played at Guard. After spending his first two seasons on the sidelines, this could be Jensen's chance to win a starting job and make a name for himself.
Ronnie Stanley
The 6th overall pick might not start at Left Tackle right away. The Ravens may choose to do what they did with Jonathan Ogden and start Stanley off at Guard. At least until Monroe gets hurt again.
Alex Lewis
The Ravens have mentioned that they might put the 4th round pick at Left Guard and Lewis is open to the change and believes that he can thrive.
The Ravens have a lot of competition for the role of starting Left Guard and all of the candidates are young men who are hungry to make a name for themselves. Some of them have proven themselves in live games while others have high potential. The competition will be fierce, which should ensure that the winner will be tough and ready when the season starts.