Tag: ben cleveland

Ravens put the entire NFL on notice with dominant 35-10 win over Bills in Week 4

Baltimore Ravens put the entire NFL on notice with dominant 35-10 win over the Buffalo Bills in Week 4

The Ravens were a 0-2 team searching for an identity and were heading to Dallas for a must-win matchup against the Cowboys.

After holding on to defeat Dallas, Baltimore took another big step and put the entire league on notice with a dominant 35-10 win over the Buffalo Bills at M&T Bank Stadium on Sunday night in front of a raucous crowd.

Josh Allen was 16-29 passing for 180 yards but was sacked three times on the night and finished with a 73.9 rating before exiting midway through the fourth quarter as Baltimore had a 25-point lead.

For the Ravens, it was all about the running backs as Derrick Henry logged 24 carries for 199 yards (8.3 avg) and one rushing touchdown.  Henry also had a receiving touchdown.  His running mate, Justice Hill, had six catches for 78 yards and a receiving touchdown.

Overall, Baltimore allowed 237 yards on 57 offensive plays and held the Bills to 3-13 on third downs.

6 options for Saints to help replace Erik McCoy after injury

Here are six options for the New Orleans Saints to try and replace center Erik McCoy after his injury sustained in Week 3

The Erik McCoy injury which he sustained against the Philadelphia Eagles is expected to hold him out for 6 to 8 weeks, which puts the New Orleans Saints in quite a predicament. They now have to figure out who is going to start at center for the foreseeable future to try and keep the team on track until McCoy returns, which would be anywhere from Week 10 to Week 13. The options they have are few and far between on the roster, but there are a few, and there are also some notable ones in free agency or even a trade candidate if it comes to that.

Here are six options for the Saints to try and replace Erik McCoy:

Let’s get some of the on-roster options out of the way first, as they tend to be the most likely choice when an injury occurs. Lucas Patrick was the initial replacement for McCoy in Week 3, as Oli Udoh came in at guard due to the Saints having a lack of center options on the roster at the time. Patrick has been exceptional at guard through the first few weeks, but he did not look great at center no doubt. Keep in mind, he was asked to revert to his former position after primarily being a guard option throughout the offseason. After only a few snaps he had to change positions and mindset, which is difficult as center is a completely different stance. He may take the first start just to see if he can adjust in Week 4, or they may use him at guard and find another option.

Shane Lemieux is the other center option for the Saints actively on the roster, as the assumption would be that Cesar Ruiz will remain at guard. Lemieux got some run time at center during preseason, and while he did not look exceptional, he may be the go-to guy if they want to keep someone around from in-house. He has some NFL level experience and has had times where he looked serviceable, the real question would be if he can perform at that position well enough for a longer period of time.

Mason Cole is probably the best option outside the roster currently, as he has starting NFL experience, and started an entire season for 2023 and 2022. In 2023 he played 1069 snaps, only giving up two sacks and only had 4 penalties. His biggest issue was pressures, allowing 37 in 2023, however he only gave up 21 in 2022. While he was not perfect in his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers, he was a decent starter, and at this point there are very few remaining free agents at the center spot who are not retired, injured, or lower quality than Cole at this current juncture. He would be a good veteran presence to fill in for McCoy until he gets back, and then good depth for the remainder of the season.

Another free agent option also played for the Steelers in that time period, that being J.C. Hassenauer. He most recently got playing time with them in 2022, and then signed with the New York Giants before tearing his tricep. Most recently he signed with the Washington Commanders in August, however was released prior to the season starting. 2021 was his best season, as he played 277 snaps, gave up no sacks, and had no penalties. He has not been a full-time starter throughout his career, more of a spot-starter, with only 7 games as a starter compared to his 45 games played. He could be an intriguing player to look at though, just to see if he has juice left in the tank.

If the Saints want to look for one of their former players while not having to give up anything in return, they could look to bring back center Will Clapp, who is currently on the Buffalo Bills practice squad. The Bills already have two centers so he is unlikely to get the call up to the active roster in the near future, and the Saints already have knowledge of how he plays. He spent four seasons with the Saints from 2018-2021, playing in 34 games and starting 7. Most recently he was with the Los Angeles Chargers, where he started 11 games, played 702 snaps, and only had one penalty and one sack allowed. He could be one to watch for with the Saints, as the New Orleans native could look to return home if given the opportunity.

The primary trade option for the Saints so far would be Ben Cleveland, who was a third round pick by the Baltimore Ravens in 2021. At 6-foot-6 and 360 pounds, he absolutely has the size to hold down the interior, and he had been training at center alongside Tyler Linderbaum throughout the offseason despite being a guard previously. Recently head coach John Harbaugh made it clear that the Ravens will not be starting him soon, and had some criticism of him even which does not bode well. This has led to trade speculation surrounding Cleveland, and he could be an option for the Saints at center, or even at guard with whomever they prefer at center. 2021 was his largest snap count, as he had 367 total, and in that time he had two penalties and no sacks allowed. He could be an intriguing one for the Saints to keep an eye on as a trade candidate in the coming days.

Could the Ravens’ offensive line look completely different against the Cowboys?

Ravens’ offensive line will look different against the Cowboys

During his last press conference of the week, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh did everything but hint at changes coming to the embattled offensive line.

Baltimore has been inconsistent upfront through two games, and last Sunday’s shocking loss to the Raiders saw Maxx Crosby earn AFC Defensive Player of the Week after dominating the Ravens’ revamped offensive front.

“I think it’s still a competition,” he said when asked about any possible changes. “It’s still up in the air for certain spots.

“You probably will see some different guys in different spots. That’s just part of it.”

Roger Rosengarten has looked impressive during his snaps at right tackle, and Patrick Mekari could slide over at right guard for Ben Faalele. The undervalued Ben Cleveland could also be in line for more snaps in the rotation.

Baltimore’s offensive line will certainly need to perform well against a Cowboys defense led by one of the NFL’s best pass rushers, outside linebacker Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence.

Ben Cleveland responds to John Harbaugh’s candid assessment of his play

Ben Cleveland had made it clear that he’s going to keep fighting to try and win a starting spot.

As you might have heard, the Baltimore Ravens have had some issues adjusting to a revamped offensive line. Right guard Daniel Faalele has had some noticeable struggles, but head coach John Harbaugh made it clear earlier this week that Ben Cleveland has not done anything to beat out Faalele.

“If Ben had earned the job at right guard, he would be the starting right guard,” Harbaugh told the media on Monday.

“You look at the tape, and he didn’t beat out Daniel or anybody. I think Ben is a good player. I like Ben. I want Ben to take the next step.

“He’s in his fourth year. Ben knows what he needs to do. If he wants playing time, he knows how he needs to play and how he needs to practice when he gets that chance.

“So our evaluation right now is that Daniel outplayed Ben. Just facts, straight up. Matter of fact. … If I see that Ben is playing better than Daniel, then Ben will be the starting guard. He practices every day. Just like I tell all the guys: show me.”

Well, it just does not get any more straightforward than that. Harbaugh epitomized the idea of “tell us what you think.”

But of course, Cleveland heard all this, and he won’t take it lying down. Cleveland had made it clear that he would keep fighting to try and win a starting spot.

“I feel like I’ve been my most consistent and most proactive throughout camp,” he said in an interview with the Baltimore Sun.

“It’s been a struggle having to move around positions with injuries and stuff like that. But as far as adapting to other positions and just playing where I’m asked, I feel like I’ve been extremely consistent and competitive.”

The injury situation within the position group disadvantaged Cleveland. When Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum missed a few weeks due to injury this summer, someone had to take the snaps at the position.

That job fell to Cleveland, forcing him to miss time at the position where he could conceivably see major playing time.

“There weren’t a whole lot of right guard reps taken by me during camp just because of injury and all the above,” Cleveland continued on in the interview.

“So just staying ready for when my number gets called to go in and play.”

You knew there was going to be an adjustment period and some growing pains for a line that is replacing three out of five starters. Unfortunately, the next task is a formidable Dallas Cowboys pass rush led by the All-Pro Micah Parsons.

On paper, this doesn’t seem like a “get right game” for the OL.

 

John Harbaugh on potential offensive line changes: ‘We’re always going to play the best players’

The Ravens gambled on youth this offseason by letting both starting guards Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson walk in free agency while trading away right tackle Morgan Moses to the New York Jets. This decision looks quite questionable after an 0-2 …

The Ravens gambled on youth this offseason by letting both starting guards Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson walk in free agency while trading away right tackle Morgan Moses to the New York Jets.

This decision looks quite questionable after an 0-2 start to the 2024 season, with the most significant issue being a struggling offensive line with three new starters. This has led to questions about whether the team will change the starting lineup, particularly at right guard and right tackle. 2022 third-round pick Daniel Faalele has started both games at right guard to start the year, while versatile veteran Patrick Mekari has handled most duties at right tackle, with rookie second-round pick Roger Rosengarten rotated in on occasions.

Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh was asked if he would consider changing the offensive line following the team’s 26-23 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2.

“Yes, I’m just going to look and try to coach the guys and keep getting better with the guys,” Harbaugh said. “I’ll look at the tape, and we’ll see. We’re always going to play the best players; that’s part of it, if that is what your question is. We’ll always try to do that.”

Ben Cleveland is the obvious replacement at right guard if Harbaugh decides to bench Faalele, while Rosengarten would take over full-time duties at right tackle from Mekari. Cleveland has performed well when given the opportunity in previous seasons, and Rosengarten appears to offer more pass protection than Mekari.

 

 

Ravens GM Eric DeCosta is prepared for growing pains with young, retooled offensive line

Baltimore Ravens GM Eric DeCosta is prepared for growing pains with young, retooled offensive line

The Ravens saw the decline last summer, decided to let two looming free-agent offensive linemen walk, and traded Morgan Moses to the New York Jets.

During his Thursday press conference, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta acknowledged that an offensive line imploding could take place, and it would ultimately set the franchise back.

Baltimore wanted a younger offensive line, and DeCosta acknowledged that there could be growing pains.

Starting left guard John Simpson exited, and the Ravens replaced him with Andrew Vorhees, a seventh-round pick out of USC who missed his entire rookie season while rehabbing a knee injury.

Talented right guard Kevin Zeitler (34) departed, and the younger and bigger Daniel Faalele was inserted.

After Morgan Moses was traded, former Washington Huskies stud Roger Rosengarten was drafted in the second round in April, and he looks like a future All-Pro.   Next Thursday night will see the offensive line feature three first-year starters, with Vorhees, Rosengarten, and Daniel Faalele inserted in critical positions and likely to see a lot of All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones.

Baltimore is also adjusting to a new offensive line coach. George Warhop is joining John Harbaugh’s staff, replacing longtime offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris, who passed away from an “acute illness.”

Head coach John Harbaugh says he knows who the starters will be but has declined to announce them for strategic purposes.

John Harbaugh says Ravens have made a decision on starting offensive line for Week 1

John Harbaugh says Ravens have made a decision on starting offensive line for Week 1

The Ravens are about 24 hours away from trimming their roster down to a 53-man juggernaut. With the season opener at Kansas City closing in, head coach John Harbaugh has an idea about his starting offensive line in this crucial season.

Following Monday’s efficient practice, Harbaugh told the media a decision has been made, although he didn’t reveal.

Andrew Vorhees, the 2023 seventh-round pick out of Southern Cal who spent his entire rookie season on the non-football injury list as he recovered from a torn ACL, will start at left guard.  Daniel Faalele, a 2022 fourth-round pick trying to become this franchise’s Jordan Mailata, will start at right guard.

Veteran Patrick Mekari has split first-team reps with second-round rookie Roger Rosengarten throughout camp. Still, he’s probably better served being the sixth man and a guy who can play four or five positions.

Tyler Linderbaum will start at center, while Ravens rookie seventh-round pick Nick Samac should make the roster as his backup.

Josh Jones, Ben Cleveland, Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, and Tashawn Manning should make the roster and give Baltimore a solid ten-man unit.

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3 big questions for the Ravens coming out of preseason finale

We’re looking at 3 biggest questions or concerns for the Baltimore Ravens coming out of the preseason finale

The Ravens completed their preseason with a 30-7 loss to the Packers on Saturday afternoon. While the coaching staff works to trim the roster down to 53 players, we’re looking at the three biggest questions for a club searching for a Super Bowl berth.

Baltimore had the NFL’s best record in 2023 but could not defeat the Chiefs at home, suffering a 17-10 loss to Kansas City in the AFC Championship game at M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens added Derrick Henry to the running back position and have Isaiah likely ascending as one of the top young tight ends in the league.  Even with a stacked roster, there are still questions, and we’re looking at the three most significant concerns coming out of the preseason finale.

1. Ravens’ offensive line depth

Baltimore will will likely roll with a group that includes Ronnie Stanley, Andrew Vorhees, Tyler Linderbaum, Daniel Faalele, Roger Rosengarten, Patrick Mekari, Ben Cleveland, Josh Jones, Sala Aumavae-Laulu. The Ravens led the NFL in rushing last season and then added Derrick Henry during the free-agency frenzy. The team saw Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson depart via free agency, while Morgan Moses was traded to the Jets. Baltimore has the offensive talent to be explosive and dominant, but can the offensive line be physical at the point of attack while giving Lamar Jackson time to be efficient in the passing game?

2. Can Trenton Simpson develop into an All-Pro?

Simpson will replace Patrick Queen at one linebacker spot, and Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr prepared the former Clemson star linebacker.

Simpson played into the third quarter of the preseason finale to get more game reps for the second-year linebacker, and he even came away with a big interception. Simpson doesn’t have to be dominant from Day 1, but he has the athleticism and physicality of a future All-Pro.

3. Can Lamar Jackson achieve postseason success

Lamar Jackson will enter year 7 in the NFL, having never passed for over 4,000 yards in a regular season. Thanks to Derrick Henry’s arrival and Isaiah Likely’s emergence, Jackson will shatter his career-high 3,678 passing yards from 2023. That won’t matter if the Ravens flame out in the postseason. Jackson’s career playoff record is 2-4, and he has a passer rating of 75.7, 1,324 yards, six touchdowns, and six interceptions in six playoff games. Baltimore hired Todd Monken last off-season to take his talents to the next level while adding more weapons like Derrick Henry to mesh with Zay Flowers, Isaiah Likely, Mark Andrews, Rashod Bateman, Keaton Mitchell, Nelson Agholor, and more.

Ravens vs. Packers: Top photos from preseason finale at Lambeau Field

We’re looking at the top photos from the Baltimore Ravens preseason loss to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field

It’s only the preseason, but the Ravens will head towards the 53-man roster cutdown date with a sour taste after a 30-7 loss to the Packers at Lambeau Field on Saturday afternoon. Josh Johnson was 5-7 for 71 yards and one passing touchdown, while Michael Pratt led Green Bay in passing, going 8-12 for 80 yards and one touchdown. The Packers were dominant on the ground, amassing 193 rushing yards, as Ellis Merriweather led all ball carriers with 16 yards for 74 yards. The Packers held the ball for nearly ten minutes longer than the Ravens and out-gained Baltimore by 326 yards to 177 for John Harbaugh’s bunch. With Baltimore now turning its attention toward the Chiefs, here’s an instant analysis of the loss. ***

John Harbaugh says Ravens are close to naming starting offensive line for Week 1

John Harbaugh says the Baltimore Ravens are close to naming starting offensive line for Week 1 vs. the Kansas City Chiefs

The Ravens are eight days away from trimming their roster down to a 53-man juggernaut, and with the season opener at Kansas City closing in, head coach John Harbaugh has an idea about his starting offensive line in this crucial season.

Following Monday’s efficient practice, Harbaugh told the media he’s closing in on his decision, but it’s likely already been decided.

Andrew Vorhees, the 2023 seventh-round pick out of Southern Cal who spent his entire rookie season on the non-football injury list as he recovered from a torn ACL, will start at left guard.  Daniel Faalele, a 2022 fourth-round pick trying to become this franchise’s Jordan Mailata, will start at right guard.

Veteran Patrick Mekari has split first-team reps with second-round rookie Roger Rosengarten throughout camp. Still, he’s probably better served being the sixth man and a guy who can play four or five positions.

Tyler Linderbaum will start at center, while Ravens rookie seventh-round pick Nick Samac should make the roster as his backup.

Josh Jones, Ben Cleveland, Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, and Tashawn Manning should make the roster and give Baltimore a solid ten-man unit.

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