Veteran Lineman Filling Critical Role for Ravens

With three starting spots open, the Baltimore Ravens' offensive line remains one of the team's biggest questions late into the offseason.

Tyler Linderbaum and Ronnie Stanley are set in stone as the starting center and left tackle respectively, but the other three spots are up for grabs. There are multiple contenders for each of those spots, and in all likelihood, the Ravens won't know for sure who wins them until training camp begins in late July.

One of the players competing for a starting job is sixth-year tackle Patrick Mekari, but the Ravens may have another plan for him. Mekari has the rare ability to play all five offensive line positions, so the Ravens coaching staff could opt to use him in a "sixth man" role so he can fill in anywhere in case of injury.

"Right now, Pat [Mekari]'s situation is just more of a good quality ... I see him in my eyes as a starter, OK? In my eyes, he's a starter, but he's in the position where he can play multiple positions, and that's the role that we'd like to see him in right now," offensive line coach Joe D'Alessandris told reporters. "Does that mean ... If we have an injury, guess what? You're starting, Pat. But it's not that he can't start, it's just that we see the versatility and the benefit of that opportunity. There are not many guys in the NFL that can play center, both guards and tackle. The last time we had a guy here that could do both was James Hurst, and he played both tackles and both guard positions, and he just retired with a fantastic career. Pat's having a nice career."

The 6-4, 305-pound lineman has plenty of experience, as he has started 36 of the 71 games he's played for Baltimore. So if he is thrust into action, Ravens fans can rest easy knowing that the offensive line won't miss much of a step.

With how much D'Alessandris and the Ravens value versatility, Mekari is a perfect fit as a Swiss Army knife up front.

"I think you have to have [versatility], just me. I was fortunate enough to come up under a head coach, many, many years ago, when I started off my career, and the philosophy was, 'The No. 2 right tackle might not be as good as that No. 2 right guard. Let's find a way to get the five best [offensive linemen] on the field,'" D'Alessandris said. "So, that's how I grew up as a coach, to put your best five – as often as you can – on the field, so position flexibility is important for us here at the Ravens, and I know, for myself, as a coach, because you go into a game: you have seven – sometimes you have eight – but sometimes the roster has to change a little bit. Those guys have to be able to play multiple positions, because you don't know what the injury factor could be for that game."