Baltimore Ravens guard Kevin Zeitler has been in the NFL since arriving in Cincinnati as the No. 27 overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. He's always been considered one of the better offensive linemen in the league, but it took until last season for him to see a Pro Bowl.
Zeitler came to the Ravens in 2021 as a free agent, and he'll be a free agent next month unless he and the Ravens can reach an agreement on a new deal.
Should they look to resign a player coming off his best season at 33 years old, or should they let him walk in free agency while opening up another need on a talented offense?
CBS Sports recently ranked the top 25 free agents about to hit the open market, and the former Wisconsin Badger hit at No. 19.
19. Kevin Zeitler, OG, Ravens
"Zeitler was the NFL's second-highest-graded pass-blocking guard at Pro Football Focus in 2023, and he allowed just 21 pressures all year. His run blocking slipped a bit and he is headed into his mid-30s (he'll turn 34 in March), but any team looking for a starting guard that likely won't break the bank should look in his direction."
In 2021 Zeitler signed a three-year, $22 million deal (AAV of $7.5 million) with the Ravens as a 30-year-old lineman who has had solid experience but was never considered the best at his position.
Now, that price tag could go up. Not just because Zeitler reached the Pro Bowl or recorded an elite 69.3 Pro Football Focus grade, but because he's the best guard on the open market.
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