Tag: ben cleveland

John Harbaugh gives his thoughts on Ravens’ revamped offensive line so far

The Baltimore Ravens have revamped their offensive line in a big way for the 2021 season. John Harbaugh gave his thoughts on the unit so far

The Baltimore Ravens went through a bit of an overhaul to their offensive line in the 2021 offseason. They signed guards Kevin Zeitler and Michael Schofield as well as tackles Alejandro Villanueva and Ja’Wuan James while also bringing in guard Ben Cleveland in the draft.

When asked about how he feels about his new offensive line unit so far, head coach John Harbaugh said that he was ‘very pleased’ with them.

“Right, same thing. Getting those guys that are new, so getting them merged into the offense is a big part of it, and then also watching them play has been a pleasure. They’re all ball, all the time – both of those guys. Whether it’s meeting room, weight room, conditioning [or] on the field work – they’re all ball, all the time. I love that about them. I think they’re going to be a formidable tandem on the right side. I’m really pleased with them so far.”

Many predict that Baltimore’s offensive line from left to right will be Ronnie Stanley, Ben Cleveland, Bradley Bozeman, Kevin Zeitler, and Alejandro Villanueva. If that is indeed the group that starts in Week 1, it would mean a different player would be playing at each position compared to how the line looked in the final game of 2020, with Bradley Bozeman being the only constant, although he was playing left guard, not center.

The Ravens struggled with injuries and some poor play on their line last season. With the talent and depth that they’ve added in 2021, it seems that Baltimore isn’t planning on being thin at the position this year, and Harbaugh is happy with what he’s seen out of his offensive line so far.

John Harbaugh provides injury update on Ronnie Stanley

The Baltimore Ravens lost left tackle Ronnie Stanley midway through the 2020 season. John Harbaugh provided an injury update on the tackle

The Baltimore Ravens had to deal with plenty of injuries across their offensive line during the 2020 season. However, none of the losses they sustained were as big as left tackle Ronnie Stanley, who suffered a gruesome leg injury in Baltimore’s Week 8 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers that knocked him out for the remainder of the season.

When asked about Stanley’s progression as the 2021 season quickly approaches, head coach John Harbaugh offered an encouraging update, saying that the left tackle is “on schedule”.

Stanley will be a welcome addition back to an offensive line that has undergone plenty of changes during the 2021 offseason. The team has added guards Kevin Zeitler, Ben Cleveland and Michael Schofield, brought in tackles Alejandro Villanueva and Ja’Wuan James, and moved on from Orlando Brown Jr., Matt Skura, and D.J. Fluker. It also appears that Bradley Bozeman is moving to center as he returns to the position he played throughout college.

Hopefully a full bill of health is in store for Stanley this year. The sixth-year tackle has never played a full season in his NFL career, so if he’s able to play a full 17 games this year he’ll provide a big boost for a new-look offensive line unit that will be tasked with opening up lanes in the running game as well as protecting star quarterback Lamar Jackson. Based off of Harbaugh’s comments, it seems like Stanley will be back on the field in time to get in football shape and make an impact.

Even without Julio Jones, Ravens’ offense set to dominate in 2021

The Baltimore Ravens didn’t acquire star wide receiver Julio Jones, but even without him, their offense is still set to dominate in 2021

Over the past few weeks, the Baltimore Ravens had their name featured in plenty of rumors surrounding former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones. The pass catcher and Atlanta looked like they were heading for a split, and that’s what happened, as last week Jones was traded to the Tennessee Titans for a second round and a fourth round selection.

The addition of Jones would have caused Baltimore’s offense to be a nightmare to gameplan for. He is still one of the best receivers in the NFL, and would have provided an outside presence that the Ravens haven’t had in years. However, despite what Jones’ would have added to if traded to Baltimore, the Ravens’ offense is still set to dominate in 2021.

Without Jones, Baltimore has had one of the best offenses in the league for the last two seasons. Ever since quarterback Lamar Jackson has taken over at the helm for the Ravens, the team has established a strong running game that is extremely hard to stop. Between him and running backs J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards and even Justice Hill, Baltimore is set up to have another strong year on the ground in 2021.

However, even though the Ravens’ running game will be the team’s bread and butter, that doesn’t mean Baltimore isn’t going to throw the football in 2021. The team added plenty of pass catching threats in the offseason including Sammy Watkins, Rashod Bateman, and Tylan Wallace. Each of those players can play on the outside, which is something that the Ravens desperately needed in their wide receiver room. Now the team has the flexibility to move talented pass catchers all around the offense, which with the combination of the rushing attack will make things difficult on defenses.

Even though the team made plenty of new additions on the offensive side of the ball that also includes offensive linemen Kevin Zeitler, Alejandro Villanueva, Ben Cleveland and more, Baltimore also has talented players such as Marquise Brown, Mark Andrews, and more that have familiarity with Baltimore’s offensive scheme. Add that in with the fact that the Ravens will also get All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley back alongside one of the best blocking tight ends in the league in Nick Boyle, and the team is gushing with talent, even without Jones on the roster.

With all of the talent that the team has surrounded Jackson with, it’s fair to expect the fourth-year signal caller to take a big leap during this upcoming season. He’s shown improvement in each of his first three seasons, and although he experiences a statistical drop off in 2020 from his amazing MVP campaign in 2019, he’s been working on little things that have made him a better player, both throwing and running the football.

While Jones would have been a massive addition to Baltimore’s wide receiver room, the organization clearly believes in the young pass catchers already in the offense. Whether it was Jones’ contract, injury history, age, or even the draft capital it would have taken to acquire him, the Ravens didn’t end up pulling the trigger on acquiring the future Hall of Famer. However, just because Jones isn’t in Baltimore doesn’t mean that the Ravens’ offense won’t be great once again in 2021. They’ve been one of the best offenses in the league without the former Falcon, and they’ll continue their offensive dominance moving forward.

Watch: Ravens’ 2021 draft class tries to guess ’90s entertainment icons

The Baltimore Ravens have been putting their 2021 draft class to the test. This time, they were tasked with naming ’90s entertainment icons

The Baltimore Ravens have been having fun with their 2021 draft class over the course of the past few weeks. From getting them into the building for the first time all the way to OTAs, each rookie has been getting a feel for the NFL little by little.

One thing that Baltimore’s creative team has done is put out a series of videos of the draft class trying to name things from the ’90s. First, the rookies were tasked with naming items from the ’90s, followed by naming artists from the time period. Now, they were asked to name entertainment icons from what some classify as a long time ago, and they didn’t disappoint with their answers.

It seemed like certain players knew almost everything they were handed, including Daelin Hayes and Ben Cleveland. However, most of the rookie class was able to correctly guess things like “Remember the Titans”, “Friends”, and even “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air”.

Many are familiar with what the Ravens’ rookies can do on the field, but these videos and activities are a good way to get a glimpse into what each of them is like off of it. It seems like Baltimore drafted players who fit their culture and have great personalities, which is something the team values tremendously.

With extremely deep offense, Ravens might have to make some difficult decisions

The Baltimore Ravens brought in plenty of playmakers to round out their offense. However, they could have to make some tough decisions

The Baltimore Ravens have always been a team that values depth at as many positions as possible. Having so much depth is a good problem to have, but sometimes it can create roster crunches that turn into tough decisions.

In 2021, Baltimore might have put together one of the deepest rosters they’ve ever had. The team only has a few minor needs, and even those don’t necessarily have to be addressed, as the players already on the roster can make those holes seem smaller than they actually are if they perform at a high level.

On the offensive side of the ball in particular, the Ravens made sure to add plenty of talented playmakers that can not only play at a high level, but also fit their style of play. Both the additions and the players already on the roster have bought into Baltimore’s style of offense, which is extremely important.

When looking at how deep each position on the offense actually is, one would be hard pressed to find any huge weaknesses. The team has three quality young quarterbacks, including a star in Lamar Jackson. They have three great young running backs as well that compliment each other while also bringing something different to the table than the other two.

Where the offseason additions begin to be seen is at the wide receiver position, where the team added Sammy Watkins, Rashod Bateman, and Tylan Wallace to compliment players such as Marquise Brown and Devin Duvernay. At tight end, the team has a plethora of options behind Mark Andrews and Nick Boyle, and the offensive line saw a boost with the acquisitions of Kevin Zeitler, Alejandro Villanueva and Ben Cleveland, as they’ll team up with Ronnie Stanley, Bradley Bozeman and others.

Having all of that depth is a good thing for the Ravens, but once it’s time for the team to trim their roster to 53 players, it could result in a few difficult roster decisions for Baltimore. At quarterback, the team might have to choose between Tyler Huntley and Trace McSorley if they need an extra roster space. Wide receivers Miles Boykin and James Proche seem like they’re going to be fighting over one roster spot. At tight end, there are a plethora of options who could try to secure the third tight end spot in Jacob Breeland, Eli Wolf, Eric Tomlinson, Josh Oliver, and others. Even on the offensive line, there will be training camp battles to determine multiple positions, and players like Ben Bredeson, Ben Powers, Tyre Phillips and more will have their hands full competing for both starting spots and roster spots.

Overall, the Ravens will go into the 2021 season with a well-rounded roster that can sustain good play even in the event of injuries. However, the team will most likely have to let some talented players go once it’s time to cut their roster down for the regular season.

 

Watch: Ravens’ rookies try to guess items from the ’90s

The Baltimore Ravens drafted eight players in the 2021 NFL draft. In a video made by the team, they were asked to name items from the ’90s

The Baltimore Ravens have always done a great job of helping people understand their players off of the field. While the goal of the franchise is to win football games, knowing about the personalities of the players who suit up on Sundays is always nice. While they’re athletes, they’re also people too, and that’s an important thing that some people will occasionally forget. Baltimore prides themselves on having a great on-field product, but also a great culture off of the field, and the people that the Ravens bring into their organization play a key part in that.

Baltimore recently put out a video featuring their 2021 draft class where they were asked to guess some items that were popular in the ’90s. The Ravens’ rookies were born anywhere from 1997-1999, so a few of them had a bit of trouble figuring out what some of the things were.

Old iPods, VHS tapes, CD players and more were a few of the things that some of the Baltimore 2021 draft class weren’t able to figure out. It seemed like guard Ben Cleveland knew everything he was handed, recalling stories about how he would use each item during his childhood. However, most of the other rookies didn’t look like they knew what they were looking at, although some did have a general idea.

As the season continues to ramp up, there should be more of these kinds of videos made by the team. The Ravens’ social department always does a phenominal job of giving a glimpse into the players’ personalities, something that is very refreshing and fun to learn about.

Ravens could see immediate contributions from more rookies than usual in 2021

The Baltimore Ravens can value experience when it comes to handing out snaps. However, the 2021 rookies could contribute more than usual

The Baltimore Ravens selected eight players in the 2021 NFL draft. They filled many of their needs while also drafting quality prospects, adding up to a solid overall draft haul for the team.

Despite seemingly having great draft classes most years, something that has been a theme in recent years for Baltimore is the organization not playing many of their rookies unless they were an extremely high draft pick or play well enough to the point where the coaches can’t keep them off of the field.

For example, in 2020 the Ravens got major contributions from first-round pick Patrick Queen and second-round pick J.K. Dobbins, but even for Dobbins, he had to earn his way onto the field as he only had 25 carries through his first six weeks of the season. Other rookies such as Justin Madubuike, Malik Harrison, Devin Duvernay, and James Proche made some impact, but didn’t see the field nearly as much as some would have liked.

Despite Baltimore being a bit inconsistent when it comes to giving rookies playing time, within the Ravens’ 2021 draft class there is the potential to have more first-year contributors than usual. First-round pick Rashod Bateman should see plenty of snaps early as a main pass catching weapon for Lamar Jackson, while fellow first rounder Odafe Oweh will look to replace some of the edge rusher production that Baltimore lost in the offseason.

Other Ravens rookies who could make big impacts during their first year are guard Ben Cleveland, edge rusher Daelin Hayes, and fullback/tight end Ben Mason. All three players will be auditioning for big roles on the team from Day 1, and if they impress over the course of both training camp and the preseason, each could earn a massive amount of snaps.

Players such as defensive back Brandon Stephens, wide receiver Tylan Wallace, and cornerback Shaun Wade all have the talent and the ability to help Baltimore in their first season, but the positions they play are all extremely deep, so it could be hard for them to find playing time early, especially being mid-round draft picks. That’s not to say they won’t contribute during their rookie year, but their paths might be a bit steeper than some of their fellow teammates’.

The Ravens value experience and production at the NFL level when it comes to giving out snaps. That’s not to say they completely neglect rookies or other young players who don’t have as much time playing in the league, but it seems like sometimes Baltimore clearly favors veterans as opposed to younger players. That’s not a bad strategy to have, but in most cases talent is talent, regardless of age. The Ravens’ 2021 draft class has plenty of skill, and there could be more immediate contributions from them as opposed to years prior with different Baltimore draft classes.

Watch: Ravens’ 2021 draft class takes the field in Baltimore for first time at rookie minicamp

The Baltimore Ravens began their 2021 rookie minicamp on Friday. The team posted clips of their rookies on social media going through drills

The Baltimore Ravens were able to secure an extremely solid draft class in 2021, selecting eight talented players. The team is excited about what each prospect can bring to the organization, and will look to develop them into quality contributors.

Rookie minicamp for Baltimore began on Friday, and many first year players were seen taking the field in a Ravens uniform for the first time. Baltimore posted pictures and videos on their social media accounts showing their newest young prospects preparing for their first NFL minicamp.

Baltimore also posted some of their rookies going through drills and getting coached up.

The Ravens’ rookies will look to have a strong remainder of minicamp as they learn the playbook and get their feet under them.

Former Georgia OL Ben Cleveland explains why he eats squirrels

Former Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Ben Cleveland explains his “squirrel diet” to the Baltimore Ravens media.

Former Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Ben Cleveland was drafted in the third round of the 2021 NFL draft. Now, Ben Cleveland is already explaining his “squirrel diet” to the Baltimore Ravens media.

The former Georgia lineman makes it clear that he prefers deer meat, but if there’s none of that left, then fried squirrel begins to find its way on to his menu. That’s one way to survive the winter. Ben Cleveland may be looking for a few hunting spots around Baltimore if he hasn’t found any yet.

His quote in this interview is legendary stuff:

Cleveland’s full quote about his squirrel diet is:

I don’t know if it was a specific (squirrel) diet. It’s more so one of those things where you eat what you got in the freezer from the fall. So had a few squirrels freeze-dried in there. So get a little hungry, ain’t got no deer meat left, fry up a squirrel or two and just go eat that.

Ben Cleveland will give the Baltimore Ravens toughness, strength, and power along the interior of their offensive line. Cleveland is one of the more interesting offensive linemen in the NFL. His physique and athleticism combination is impressive and he has lots of big game experience from his days at Georgia.

Ben Cleveland will be fun to watch over the years, unless, of course, if you are a squirrel.

 

 

Ravens rookie Ben Cleveland’s quick, go-to meal: ‘Fry up a squirrel or two’

“It tastes like squirrel. I don’t know how else to explain it to you,” Ravens’ Ben Cleveland said.

Baltimore Ravens rookie guard Ben Cleveland clarified something this week: He doesn’t maintain his 6-foot-6, 357-pound frame with a specific squirrel diet, but if he’s hungry and there’s not much around, he’ll dig some squirrel meat out of the freezer.

While it’s obviously not the most popular animal to eat, people do eat it, and the Toccoa, Georgia native hasn’t been shy about enjoying it, in addition to hunting deer, turkey and other game animals.

In March at Georgia football’s pro day, Cleveland was looking a little more slender than usual and said his “squirrel diet definitely, probably, helped cut a little bit of weight this offseason.”

And then on Friday, the NFL rookie elaborated on what exactly his “squirrel diet” means.

Cleveland explained:

“I don’t know if it was a specific [squirrel] diet. It’s more so one of those things where you eat what you got in the freezer from the fall. So had a few squirrels freeze-dried in there. So get a little hungry, ain’t got no deer meat left, fry up a squirrel or two and just go eat that.”

So the next big question is, what does squirrel taste like? Cleveland said squirrel with Old Bay could be a nice touch, should any Marylanders be interesting in trying out a dish and added, zia BaltimoreRavens.com:

“It tastes like squirrel. I don’t know how else to explain it to you,” he said on the Ravens’ The Lounge podcast. “Some squirrels in south Georgia, they’ll taste a little bit more nutty. Up here, our acorns and stuff aren’t really as strong as the ones down south. Most of them up here, it just tastes like squirrel. If you put enough seasoning on it, you can make it taste like anything you want it to taste like.”

Hey, whatever works for ya.

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