Roger Rosengarten Is Excited To Play Alongside of Ravens Rookie Olaivavega Ioane

The Baltimore Ravens third-year tackle expects the right side of the offensive line to be an overwhelming strength for the foreseeable future after being a glaring liability too often last year.

Dec 31, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions offensive lineman Olaivavega Ioane (71) against the Boise State Broncos during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

For the first two years of his career, Baltimore Ravens right offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten lined up next to what ended up being a failed experiment at guard in Daniel Faalele, a former converted tackle. That won't be the case moving forward after the team used the No. 14 overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft to select Olaivavega Ioane out of Penn State.

The former Nittany Lion isn't just the best natural interior offensive linemen from this year's class, but among the top talents at the position to come out in several years. Several members of the team have praised him for his professionalism and possessing maturity far beyond his years, with Rosengarten being the latest in a recent appearance on 'The Lounge' podcast.

“With kind of all the departures we've had in the offensive line room, myself and Ronnie (Stanley), I feel like have definitely kind of stepped up in that leadership, but you could tell, (Vega) coming in as a young guy he is, kind of already that veteran mentality,” Rosengarten said.

Ioane has been so impressive in how detail-oriented he has been in executing and carrying out his work during the offseason program that he's indistinguishable from a seasoned veteran.

“You definitely tell within the plays we're running, I couldn't tell if he's been in the league for five years or is his first year,” Rosengarten said. “The progressions he's made, the strides he's made, along with the technique he has, and the God-given ability it's exciting.”

The synchrony with which guards and tackles on either side of the offensive line have to play is essential to the success of the blocking unit and the offense as a whole. As the Ravens saw far too often during what was a massive letdown of a 2025 season, consistent lapses and missed assignments can not only derail a drive but also result in getting their franchise quarterback hurt.

“It's everything within pass protection (and) run game,” Rosengarten said. “If one guy is off, then the play is going to either go for 15 yards or minus five.”

The bond he and Ioane have already established feels like one that has been fostered over several years, despite having only been lining up next to each other for a couple of months.

“He's come in and our communication has been, I feel like the best it's ever been, and he's going to be a really good player," Rosengarten said. "I feel like that connection between myself and him is going to be really strong on the right side.”

Sharing wisdom and embracing change

Oct 6, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Roger Rosengarten (70) walks off the field after the victory over the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

While Rosengarten opened his rookie season in a two-man rotation for the first three weeks back in 2024, he knows what it's like to be a highly drafted offensive lineman that is tasked with playing a big role from Day 1, like Ioane will be doing from the season opener. He's been giving his new linemate some helpful "tips and tricks" that aided in his own development, which he learned from both experience and his own veteran mentor Stanley.

“I just tell him about my growth from offseason OTAs to training camp,” Rosengarten said. “I feel like he’s already made such a big stride there, and I feel like he's already way far ahead of where I was.”

Ioane isn't the only new addition to the Ravens' reshaped offensive line room that Rosengarten is excited about. They brought back veteran left guard John Simpson in free agency, hired renowned offensive line coach and run game coordinator Dwayne Ledford, and signed a pair of free agents to compete to replace three-time Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum.

“Losing Tyler stung,” Rosengarten said. Last year was not the year we wanted, especially up front, and coming in with a clean slate, and you get a veteran guy like John, who's already been here, who I used to watch film as a rookie of John killing dudes already know he has a mentality for it.

“You mix that with a good scheme that kind of fits all of our playstyles with (Vega) in there and Danny (Pinter) and (Jovaughn Gwyn
) and Corey (Bullock) battling for that center job, I think it's going to be a lot better. And that expectation is going to be set high, but I think we're willing to challenge it.”