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Football analytics site Pro Football Focus recently ranked all 32 offensive line units in the NFL and the Ravens came in at no. 23.
23. Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens are rock solid at left tackle (Ronnie Stanley) and right guard (Marshal Yanda), but every other position is a big question mark. Left guard Alex Lewis and center John Urschel have flashed potential in the past and could push this ranking higher. The same though cannot be said for right tackle James Hurst.
It’s nice to see that Ronnie Stanley and Marshal Yanda are valued and help anchor the unit, but as PFF points out, the rest of the offensive line posses a question. And it’s been a long time coming. At the conclusion of 2015 the Ravens let Kelechi Osemele walk and failed to retain Rick Wagner this offseason, further damaging the unit.
The fall to 23 is a reflection of the offseason the team had along offensive line after letting Wagner walk and trading starting center Jeremy Zuttah to the San Francisco 49ers. For reference, PFF had the Ravens ranked at No. 9 at the conclusion of 2016.
9. Baltimore Ravens (13)
Top overall grade: LG Marshal Yanda, 92.0 (No. 1)
Top pass-blocking grade: LG Marshal Yanda, 94.5 (No. 1)
Top run-blocking grade: LG Marshal Yanda, 84.9 (No. 3)
Rookie LT Ronnie Stanley struggled badly on either side of his injury, but those two games accounted for two of the three sacks he allowed all year, and eight of the 27 total QB pressures. Over the final eight weeks of the season, he was the league’s best pass-protecting tackle. Marshal Yanda remains the NFL’s best guard, proving it this season while flipping to the left side of the line midseason without so much as a hiccup in play. Rookie Alex Lewis struggled in his first year, but much of that was due to being forced to cover at LT instead of being allowed to settle in at LG, where his best games came.
Again, Alex Lewis was mentioned as a name to look out for and if the team can utilize him at left guard then that’s a major boost going forward. As far as the center and right tackle positions are concerned, there could be some drop off in play if John Urschel and James Hurst can't improve upon the performances they've had throughout their careers. Urschel in particular has always been a player that has randomly filled in for players due to injury, but hasn't shown enough to secure a starting spot on the line. Going forward, Ravens’ owner Steve Bisciotti has made it known that his focus is on improving the offensive line, so perhaps a solution to help this unit is still in the works.