Baltimore Signing John Simpson Puts Writing on the Wall for This Ravens Veteran

The Baltimore Ravens might be more known for their signing of edge rusher Trey Hendrickson during the first week of free agency, but another move they made might have more of an impact on the roster.

Baltimore also signed offensive guard John Simpson to a three-year, $30 million contract to be one of the new starting interior linemen. It was a much-needed move for the Ravens as they dealt with the loss of Daniel Faalele in free agency.

The guard position was already one of the weaker points of the roster, with struggles there throughout the 2025 season. Simpson's arrival is a welcoming sight for Ravens fans, but not everyone on the team will feel the same way, as his move also sends a strong message to one of their own.

John Simpson's signing puts one Ravens veteran on notice

Last season, Faalele started at right guard, while the other starting guard on the left side was Andrew Vorhees. In his first year as a full-time starter, Vorhees allowed 28 pressures, eight quarterback hits, and three sacks on 513 pass blocking snaps while also being penalized three times. He received a Pro Football Focus overall grade of 54.6, ranking 60th out of 81 NFL guards.

Baltimore Ravens guard Andrew Vorhees | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Not all was that bad for Vorhees in 2025, as he started all 17 games and played in 96% of the offensive snaps. His playing time earned him a performance-based bonus of $1,199,318, the sixth most in the NFL.

With that being said, Vorhees might not end up being a starter on the Ravens in 2026. Simpson is most likely going to start at either left or right guard. The other position, though, is a toss-up between Vorhees and 2025 third-round pick Emery Jones Jr.

Jones missed most of 2025 with an injury, but did sometimes rotate with Faalele at right guard late in the season to earn some playing time. Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta did state this offseason that he sees Jones starting in 2026, which does not bode well for Vorhees.

Even with Simpson's arrival, it doesn't guarantee that the Ravens could skip on a guard in the 2026 NFL Draft. Penn State offensive guard Olaivavega Ioane has been slated to land with the Ravens with the 14th overall pick in the draft next month.

The reality is Vorhees did decently last year, but the Ravens have been finding upgrades in the offseason at guard. He's going to have a very challenging mini-camp and training camp as he enters the 2026 season.

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