NFL Mock Draft: Ravens Address Offensive Line Issues
It is no secret that the Baltimore Ravens have a lot of decisions to be made regarding personnel over the coming weeks. Heading into the offseason with over 20 players set to hit the free agent market, Baltimore must pick and choose who they keep and who they let walk out the door.
While defensive stars Patrick Queen and Justin Madubuike loom as the biggest dominos to fall for Baltimore, the offensive line is perhaps even more pressing given that Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson (both starters) are free agents.
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With the Ravens being so close to a Super Bowl, bringing back as many players as possible is always the goal, but in truth, it is rarely that easy. With both Zeitler and Simpson's futures up in the air, along with Ronnie Stanley being in and out of the lineup due to injuries, NFL.com has Baltimore fortifying the offensive line in the first round, by selecting Arizona tackle Jordan Morgan.
"It is time for the Ravens to look for a potential replacement for Ronnie Stanley on the edge," NFL.com writes. "Morgan is a hard-nosed competitor who also provides the positional flexibility to slot into multiple roles along the front line."
Protecting Lamar Jackson's blindside will be job one for Morgan, and as a pass protector, his talent is there for all to see. His run blocking needs some fine-tuning and given the Ravens want to run the ball, if he is selected, expect that to be a point of emphasis in training camp.
Getting the offensive line sorted out will be one of the main priorities for the Ravens over the coming weeks as losing both Zeitler and Simpson isn't ideal for a team aiming to make a deep playoff run again.
In Morgan, Baltimore could be getting Jackson's protector for the next decade, and with the strength of the offensive line in this draft class, the Ravens would be getting a serious player to help solidify their front five.
