It wasn't long ago that John Simpson was struggling with his confidence and unsure of what his future held.
Now, he'll be the Baltimore Ravens' starting left guard when the season begins on Sept. 10 against the Houston Texans.
"When I came in, I lacked confidence," Simpson said. "I didn't know what would happen or what was going on. I think that mindset, getting better one day at a time and changed my mindset and my confidence. Mistakes are going to happen, just try to overcome them and go to the next play."
Simpson beat out rookie Sala Aumavae-Laulu to be one of the team's five starting offensive linemen. Being in that competition gave Simpson a boost throughout training camp and the preseason.
"I'm a competitor," Simpson said. "Anybody that's a competitor wants to compete. That gave me a little juice. I feel like it helped me throughout camp, and it gave me something to look forward to every day."
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh announced the decision on Saturday after the team's final preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"He's earned that," Harbaugh said. "John deserves it. He's had a great camp. A vet, and physical. I love the way he played."
Simpson was drafted in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. He played 35 games for Las Vegas and started 21, including all 17 in 2021. Simpson got cut by the Raiders on Dec. 9, then signed with Baltimore's practice squad on Dec. 19.
Simpson noted the impact of Ravens offensive line coach Joe D'Alessandris in helping him regain his confidence. He also said that D'Alessandris told him he'd be the starter a few days before it was announced.
"He knows what his guys are capable of," Simpson said of D'Alessandris. "You can't ask for nothing better than that in an O-line coach. He also gives me great confidence. He'll get on me when I make a mistake, and then he'll give me praise when I do good. That's all you can ask for."
Simpson is the only new starter on Baltimore's offensive line, which anchored the third-best rushing attack in the league last season. For all of the headlines surrounding the Ravens' offense with the additions of offensive coordinator Todd Monken and receivers Zay Flowers and Odell Beckham Jr., Simpson and the offensive line will remain pivotal to the unit's success.
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