Why Baltimore Ravens Swing Tackle Battle Isn’t Nearly As Close as Fans Think

Last offseason, the Baltimore Ravens made bringing a veteran free agent to serve as their swing tackle one of their top post-NFL Draft priorities. When they signed former Los Angeles Rams multi-year Joseph Noteboom to a one-year deal exactly a week after selecting Carson Vinson in the fifth round of the 2025 draft, it was praised as a savvy move.

Franchise left tackle Ronnie Stanley was coming off his first fully healthy season in nearly half a decade, and starting right tackle Roger Rosengarten was heading into just his second year on the job. Reinforcing their depth at the premium position by adding a player with Noteboom's experience, who had 35 career starts under his belt at the time and was a starter on a Super Bowl-winning team, made perfect sense.

Fast forward to this offseason, and the Ravens waited until the onset of training camp to bring in a veteran lineman with tackle experience, first by signing Hakeem Adeniji and replacing him with Kendall Lamm, who they also just placed on the reserve/retired list. The fact that the front office and general manager Eric DeCosta didn't feel the need to sign an experienced player at the position goes to show just how much faith in Vinson to fill that vital role on the team in his second season.

The former small school product out of Alabama A&M, who was the only prospect from a historically black college to get drafted last year, appeared in seven games as a rookie, all of which came after Week 9 as he supplanted Noteboom as the Ravens' swing tackle in the second half of the season.

Vinson continued that momentum into the offseason, even after the Ravens overhauled almost the entire coaching staff, including the offensive coordinator, with Declan Doyle replacing Todd Monken, and the offensive line coach, with Dwayne Ledford replacing George Warhop. Every time Stanly has missed a practice, it's been Vinson who has stepped in and taken the left tackle reps with the first-team offense, and his coaches have been impressed with how he has performed.

"I think [Vinson] has done a great job," head coach Jesse Minter said. "He plays with a violence, a physicality and a mindset that I really like. He has gotten better and better. He worked his butt off here in the strength and conditioning program in the offseason. I think he has taken a nice jump and put himself in [a] really good position to potentially be that swing tackle for us."

The preseason is the next step for Vinson and the rest of the Ravens' offensive tackles to prove themselves. With Stanley among the established starters that Minter has already said won't play
in the team's exhibition opener, Vinson will likely get the starting nod against the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday night.

Looking further down the road

Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley looks on during an NFL OTA at Under Armour Performance Center.. — Jun 10, 2025; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley (79) looks on during an NFL OTA at Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Quality offensive tackles are hard to come by, and those who can play at a high level are even more difficult to find and cultivate. With Stanley only under contract for two more seasons, the Ravens could continue grooming Vinson behind him and eventually have him take over as his successor by or after the final year of his rookie deal.

At 6-foot-7 and 325 pounds with long arms and impressive athleticism, Vinson has all the physical tools to develop into a high-caliber offensive tackle. With a teacher like Ledford, who is renowned for his ability to teach and get the best out of young linemen, the Ravens might have a steal on their hands when it's all said and done.

One of the central figures on the team who has really helped Vinson improve the most over the course of the offseason program was prized free-agent addition, four-time Pro Bowl edge defender Trey Hendrickson. The 10th-year veteran has gone up against the second-year pro probably more than anyone, dating back to organized team activities, and has been challenging him and providing helpful feedback along the way.

"Anytime you have a younger player asking you what you're seeing from their stance — that is a good thing in a developmental role. I remember when I was doing that with Terron Armstead, [so] to have a little bit of wisdom to shed — to help other players — is humbling to be in that position."

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