Tag: Andrew Vorhees

PFF ranks Ravens’ offensive line near the bottom of the league

PFF ranks the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive line 25th in the NFL

One of the biggest storylines for the Ravens this offseason has been the complete retooling of the offensive line. After losing both right guard Kevin Zeitler and left guard John Simpson in free agency and trading right tackle Morgan Moses to the New York Jets, Baltimore is set to have three new faces protecting MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson this season.

The only two returning starters from last season’s unit will be left tackle Ronnie Stanley and center Tyler Linderbaum. Stanley has struggled to both stay on the field and perform at a high level in recent seasons. Linderbaum, entering his third season, is the stalwart of the line now.

With so much uncertainty regarding the offensive line this season, it should be no surprise that many people are down on the unit, including PFF’s Zoltan Buday. Buday ranked the Ravens’ offensive line near the bottom of the league at No. 25 ahead of the upcoming season.

“For parts of the 2023 season, the Ravens’ offensive line looked like a top-tier unit,” Buday wrote. “However, the team lost three starters: Kevin Zeitler, John Simpson and Morgan Moses. And while Tyler Linderbaum is already one of the best centers in the NFL, Ronnie Stanley has not been the same since his injury in 2020. The rest of the offensive line will consist of either unproven young players or offensive linemen who flashed ability as backups but have yet to show they can repeat those outings as starters.”

Baltimore will rely on a combination of unproven players, Ben Cleveland, Andrew Vorhees, Daniel Faalele, and rookie Roger Rosengarten, this season to keep Jackson upright as they look to return to the playoffs and right the wrongs from last season’s disappointing end in the AFC Championship.

Ravens news: Left guard position named Baltimore’s biggest weakness

Baltimore’s other position of need is backup quarterback, where a Lamar Jackson injury would force the Ravens to start 38-year-old Josh Johnson.

The Ravens finished the 2023 regular season with the NFL’s best record, and even after losing several quality starters and contributors, they’re still among a handful of Super Bowl contenders.

ESPN recently look at the biggest remaining roster hole for all 32 NFL teams, and the left guard position was deemed a weak spot.

Roster hole: Left guard

Right now, the penciled-in starter at left guard is Andrew Vorhees. Many scouts considered him a Day 2 prospect at USC until he tore his right ACL at the 2023 combine. That dropped him to the seventh round and cost him his rookie season in the NFL. If Vorhees isn’t ready to start, the Ravens could move over swing tackle Patrick Mekari or perhaps stick in 2023 sixth-round pick Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, who spent his entire rookie season as a healthy inactive.

Baltimore’s other position of need is backup quarterback, where a Lamar Jackson injury would force the Ravens to start 38-year-old Josh Johnson.

Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu battled John Simpson for the left guard battle last off-season, and he’ll give Vorhees a run for his money, while Ben Cleveland appears to be the favorite at right guard, with rookie Roger Rosengarten penciled in at right tackle.

Ravens’ 2023 rookie class ranked middle of the pack among all 32 teams

Baltimore Ravens’ 2023 rookie class ranked 17th among all 32 teams

The first season for the 2023 NFL rookie class is now in the books.

Using one year of data, CBS Sport’s Chris Trapasso ranked all 32 team’s draft classes.

The Baltimore Ravens landed at No. 17, with first-round wide receiver Zay Flowers listed as the sole Year 1 hit.

“Flowers made noticeable contributions to the Ravens boosted passing attack,” Trapasso wrote. “His 21 missed tackles forced was fourth among all receivers in football in 2023. After his selection in the first round, Baltimore, with an uncharacteristically small class, didn’t get much impact, and a fifth-round pick, cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly, didn’t even make the team out of camp.”

Several players from the 2023 class could be in line for expanded roles this season. Most noticeably, third-round pick Trenton Simpson will likely replace free agent Patrick Queen as an inside linebacker next to Roquan Smith. Simpson flashed his speed and playmaking ability against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the final game of the regular season.

Seventh-round pick Andrew Vorhees could be in line to compete for a starting spot as both right guard Kevin Zeitler and left guard John Simpson are set to hit free agency. Baltimore traded back into the seventh round to select Vorhees after he slid down the board due to a torn ACL he suffered at the combine.

Sixth-round pick Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu could also compete for one of the guard positions, while fourth-round pick Tavius Robinson could be in line for a more significant workload at outside linebacker after notching one sack as a rookie.

Ten players who could have bigger roles for Ravens in 2024

We’re looking at ten players who could have bigger roles for the Baltimore Ravens in 2024

The Ravens are amid a Super Bowl window, but there are huge decisions to make regarding All-Pros Justin Madubuike and Patrick Queen.

There are numerous free agents at the wide receiver and cornerback positions, while several players could be released for salary cap purposes.

Where things currently stand, Baltimore is expected to have roughly $7,328,828 in cap space via OverTheCap, the 20th most in the NFL.

That number could grow if the team opts to part ways with some expensive contracts (perhaps Ronnie Stanley or Marlon Humphrey.

Currently, the Ravens have 48 players under contract for the 2024 season, and we’re looking at ten contributors who could have more prominent roles.

 

 

How each Ravens’ 2023 NFL draft pick looked in preseason win over Eagles

We”re looking at how each of the Baltimore #Ravens six draft picks looked in the preseason opener against the Philadelphia Eagles via @thacover2NFL

The Baltimore Ravens entered the 2023 NFL Draft with limited capital and GM Eric DeCosta completed his only trade of the weekend in the seventh round.

The organization came away with six total picks, and strong draft grades from experts and analysts for a class that included an electric, and impactful wide receiver.

The Ravens opened the preseason with a 20-19 win over the Philadelphia Eagles, baltimore’s 24th straight preseason victory.

Two of the six picks were inactive, with Trenton Simpson returning from injury and Andrew Voorhees out for the year with a torn ACL.

Why Andrew Voorhees is a solid fit for the Ravens in 2024

#RavensFlock GM Eric DeCosta spoke about Andrew Vorhees and the value he brings to Baltimore.

The Baltimore Ravens traded back into the seventh round of the 2023 NFL draft to select USC offensive lineman Andrew Vorhees.

At USC, Vorhees was the highest-graded offensive lineman in the Pac-12 for the past two seasons. He was a big part of USC quarterback Caleb Williams’ Heisman Trophy run. His stellar play earned him an All-America distinction and multiple Pac-12 honors.

Vorhees won the 2022 Morris Trophy, given to the most outstanding offensive and defensive linemen in the Pac-12, voted on by the players. He started 48 games for the Trojans during his career and was named First-Team All-America by the Associated Press and Pro Football Focus.

Vorhees suffered a torn ACL during his NFL combine workout in February and is expected to miss the 2023 season. However, the Ravens expect him to make a full recovery and are intrigued by his potential when he returns to action in 2024.

“We are getting a tough and physical competitor,” Ravens GM Eric DeCosta said in a team statement. “[He’s] polished and experienced, [and] we have every expectation that he will be playing winning football for us in 2024. This is a move that really solidified our line for the coming years.”

Andrew Vorhees, injured at the combine, gets his name called on draft day

Vorhees is a perfect fit for the Ravens with his versatility and experience at each position on the offensive line. He’s a true asset in the run game and will help Lamar Jackson and the Ravens improve their pass protection.

Vorhees is a well-anchored pass protector who will eat up power rushes with good core strength and successfully drop to provide depth to the pocket for his quarterback.

Size (NFL Combine):

Height: 6′ 6”

Weight: 310 lbs

Arm Length: 32 1/8”

Hand Size: 10”

Athletic Testing (NFL Combine):

40-yard Dash: TBD

Vertical Jump: 29”

Broad Jump: 8′ 9”

Short-Shuttle: TBD

Three-Cone: TBD

Bench Reps: 38 reps

Ideal Role: Starting left guard

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Jersey numbers for Ravens’ 2023 rookie class revealed

The Ravens 2023 rookie class had their jersey numbers revealed

The Baltimore Ravens secured their six player 2023 draft class over the course of the past week, with each player hopefully being able to contribute both now and in the future. The team added at positions of need while also selecting some of the best players available, shaping their 2023 draft class in a very unique way.

On Friday, the team announced that their six-player class has officially chosen their jersey numbers. Wide receiver Zay Flowers will wear No. 4, linebacker Trenton Simpson will wear No. 30, outside linebacker Tavius Robinson will suit up in No. 95, cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly will wear No. 17, offensive lineman Malaesala Aumavae–Laulu will wear No. 71 and offensive lineman Andrew Vorhees will wear No. 72.

Flowers wore No. 4 in college, so it’s no surprise he stuck with the same number in the NFL. Simpson goes from No. 22 at Clemson to No. 30 as a Raven. Robinson wore 95 at Ole Miss and he wanted that number again in the pros. Kelly also wore No. 17 at Stanford, while Aumavae-Laulu and Vorhees are sticking to the same numbers they wore in college as well.

2023 NFL Draft: The best draft steal for every NFL team

Every NFL draft has its selection of steals — those players who could surprise despite their low selections — and here’s one for every NFL team.

One of the many reasons the Kansas City Chiefs won Super Bowl LVII was the job that general manager Brett Veach did outside of the first round of the 2022 draft. Three defensive backs (Bryan Cook in the second round, Joshua Williams in the fourth, and Jaylen Watson in the seventh) were difference-makers all season, and seventh-round running back Isiah Pacheco became the team’s bellcow back down the stretch. Also, second-round receiver Skyy Moore joined Pacheco with touchdowns in that Super Bowl victory over the Eagles.

First-round hits are nice, but it’s almost worse to miss in the first round than it is better to win there from an opportunity cost perspective. If you want to refresh your roster at a championship level, you had better get those picks right on the second and third day. Veach and his staff did that, and it was the difference that made all the difference in the end.

Moving to the 2023 NFL draft, we’ve selected one second- or third-day pick for every NFL team who could have a similar impact on their NFL roaters sooner than mater. Each of these players have reasons for their relatively low picks in line with their tape, stats, and talent, but these are the kinds of finds that can turn a team around over time.

Ravens reach agreements with three 2023 draft picks

Three members of the Ravens’ 2023 NFL draft class signed their rookie contracts.

On the day when Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson officially signed his contract extension to be in Baltimore for the next five years, three members of the 2023 Ravens draft class signed contracts as well, capping off a very busy week in Baltimore.

Cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly as well ass offensive linemen Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu and Andrew Vorhees all signed their rookie contracts before rookie minicamp kicks off. Vorhees tore is ACL at the NFL Combine so he won’t be playing in 2023, but the Ravens drafted him with the intention that he’d be ready for 2024.

Ravens Wire highlights best Andrew Vorhees plays at USC

.@TheRavensWire collected some of Andrew Vorhees’ biggest hits as a #USC Trojan. Enjoy!

The USC Trojans watched Andrew Vorhees hear his name called in the 2023 NFL draft despite tearing his ACL during the NFL combine. Vorhees is now a member of the Baltimore Ravens, and there is a chance this could be one of the biggest value picks if Vorhees recovers and plays as well as he did as a Trojan.

The tape is full of impressive plays, and if he didn’t get hurt at the combine, he likely would’ve been a Day 2 pick. John Dillon of Ravens Wire put together a list of some of the best plays from Vorhees’ time with the Trojans, and it’s fun to watch these plays thinking of him now being able to block for Lamar Jackson.