Ravens Add Former Steelers Offensive Tackle Alejandro Villanueva
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens further boosted their offensive line by signing former Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Alejandro Villanueva to a two-year, $14 million deal, according to multiple reports.
Villanueva is a stout durable player that has not missed a start in the past five seasons. The addition of Villanueva could give the Ravens more flexibility to replace Orlando Brown Jr, who was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs one week prior to the 2021 NFL draft.
Brown is determined to play left tackle full-time but Baltimore has already signed Ronnie Stanley to a long-term deal to stay at that position. Brown will have that opportunity with the Chiefs.
The Ravens did not select a tackle last weekend in the NFL draft. So, they moved swiftly to land Villanueva, who will not cost the team any compensatory draft picks.
“Well, we have some guys that we think are going to compete right now at the right tackle spot, and we’re excited about that," Baltimore GM Eric DeCosta said at last week's draft. "As I learned from my mentor [executive vice president] Ozzie Newsome, we don’t have to play games until September. We’re confident that we’ll have a right tackle. We’ll have a strong offensive line. The best guys are going to play. We have great competition, and we’ll be ready to play when the time comes.”
The Ravens starting offensive like could be imposing:
- LT Ronnie Stanley
- LG Ben Cleveland
- C Bradley Bozeman
- RG Kevin Zeitler
- RT Alejandro Villanueva
Villanueva is solid at both run blocking and protecting the quarterback in the pocket, an area where the Ravens struggled last season for Lamar Jackson.
