Ravens Backup Line Decisions Being Questioned

But offensive line is one of those position groups in which they're only as productive as their weakest link. Just one failure to stand tall against a committed pass-rusher can ruin the rest of the offense, and a few of the Ravens' options on the right side have failed to hold up their leg of the deal. Daniel Faalele and Andrew Vorhees have caught a particularly-hefty share of the blame for many of the Ravens' shortcomings.

They held pat at the trade deadline, though, internally deciding that reinforcements to back up the usual starters could be built up from within. A few recently-drafted options in the young Corey Bullock and the controversial Ben Cleveland have continued waiting in the wings for their names to be called on the occasional subs, but one recent elevation looks to challenge the rotation that the Ravens have built up.

Is There Room for New Blood?

Emery Jones was brought in by the Ravens as a part of their more recent draft haul, a third-round pick who suffered a shoulder injury at the Draft Combine that held him out of the season's first half. His activation heading into this past weekend's matchup against the New York Jets bumped amount of available offensive linemen to eight, forcing some analysts to question the Ravens' plans for their other reserves that they don't plan on actually using beyond burning roster spots.

"Why is Ben Cleveland on this team?" the Baltimore Banner's Kyle Goon pondered. "I don't think the Ravens want to play him, if he was a realistic option he would have played by now. He had a DUI in the offseason, they signed him back, why's he on this team?"

"It's not depth if you're not gonna play the guy. He's not a realistic option to challenge for a starting guard spot, why's he there? Is it just in case Andrew Vorhees or Daniel Faalele fall down some stairs? The only reason to bring him back, if you know he's disappointing, is thinking he can challenge for one of these spots, and the fact that he hasn't challenged for one of these spots is absolutely damning for this franchise."

Cleveland didn't ever jump off the screen over the duration of his rookie deal with the team that drafted him in 2021, and their activation of Jones seems to indicate that they trust him to check into the occasional game as he gets his legs under him, but that would nullify the need for so many reserve linemen at a position that prioritizes top-end talent over depth.

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh's gone on record in stating his faith in the same starters along the front line, trusting them to continue finding their rhythm entering the final third of the Ravens' regular season schedule. If he wants to put them in a position to make as many positive plays as he can, he and the front office need to get on the same page in figuring out which of their rostered players he plans on turning to on a weekly basis.