Replacements: Should Ravens Target Tackle In First Round of Draft?
If there's an organization that deserves trust in their NFL Draft strategy, it's the Baltimore Ravens.
Over the last five years alone, the Flock has found a way to not only add to their existing dominant team with impact players but have stayed ahead of recent trends that have made them the envy of organizations across the league.
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Entering the 2024 NFL Draft, though, the Ravens are tasked with an interesting problem.
With plenty of top free agents leaving, and not enough cap space to fill all their needs, Baltimore could look to the Draft to replenish the talent that will leave over the next month. They could also decide to stay ahead of the existing issues along the offensive line.
While finding solutions to the free agency of Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson could be difficult, it's the tackle position that offers the most intrigue in the Draft.
The 2024 class at tackle is arguably one of the most talented in recent memory with as many as six players receiving clear first-round grades. Players like Joe Alt, Olu Fashanu, and Taliese Fuaga may be out of the running for a contender like Baltimore, but the later names of Tyler Guyton, and Patrick Paul could all be in contention when the Ravens make their selection.
Should the Ravens even target the tackle position, though?
When looking at 2023, the answer is an emphatic yes.
Ronnie Stanley has struggled with staying on the field for a few years now, and that is only the tip of the offensive line iceberg. Stanley may be 29 years old, but right tackle Morgan Moses is 32. With Patrick Mekari potentially moving inside to guard, it would open up the need to select a tackle early in April's Draft.
Of course, there is a downside to targeting a project offensive tackle as high as the first round this year - even if the class is as deep as it is.
With Stanley and Moses still under contract, a new rookie won't see the field right away in Baltimore. For a team expecting to lose plenty of starting-caliber players in free agency, it's not a very good allocation of resources if a top pick cannot provide immediate assistance to the team.
Immediate help, or long-term stability? That's the question the Ravens will have to answer in the draft this year. A first look at some of the tackles at the Scouting Combine could be the first step toward seeing which way the team will go.
