Tag: Kevin Zeitler

Ravens training camp: Top photos from Day 5 of practice

We’re looking at the top photos from Day 5 of Baltimore Ravens training camp practices

The Ravens had a day off from training camp on Thursday but returned to the Under Armour Performance Center on Friday and Saturday for their first two full-padded summer practices. Lamar Jackson returned to the lineup after a medical evaluation for flu-like symptoms. At the same time, the team honored the late Jacoby Jones on the day that family and friends traveled to New Orleans for his funeral services. With Sunday’s practice quickly approaching, here are takeaways and notes from Saturday’s session. ***

John Harbaugh confirms Ravens are trying Daniel Faalele at offensive guard

John Harbaugh confirms Ravens are trying Daniel Faalele at offensive guard

The offensive line for the Baltimore Ravens is set to look quite different this season after losing three starters this offseason. The Ravens will have new faces at both guard positions and right tackle after John Simpson and Kevin Zeitler left in free agency and Morgan Moses was traded to the New York Jets.

One player initially thought to be in the mix for the opening at right tackle was Daniel Faalele. Faalele, entering his third season, has seen some playing time at both tackle spots through the first two years of his career. During training camp, however, Baltimore has experimented with the massive offensive lineman at guard.

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh confirmed that the team was giving Faalele a shot at the position.

“We’re going to give it a shot and see how it looks,” Harbaugh said. “Daniel [Faalele] has very good feet for his size. He’s a big man, but he can move his feet; he can also bend and create leverage. When you’ve got that kind of size when you’re coming off the ball and some of those combination blocks, we feel like he’s got a chance with Tyler [Linderbaum] to move people in there, so all of those things. He keeps working on using his hands. [When] things happen quicker, you have to get your hands up quicker, you have to get your hands on people a little quicker – he’s working on that part of it, too – so we’ll see how he adapts.”

Ben Cleveland and Andrew Vorhees are two other names in the competition for the open guard spots.

Ravens initial 90-man roster arranged by uniform number ahead of training camp

Baltimore Ravens’ 90-man roster at the start of 2024 training camp

The Baltimore Ravens have officially reported to the Under Armour Performance Center for the start of training camp with the first practice scheduled for Sunday morning.

There will be starting jobs and roster spots up for grabs, which should make for some intriguing position battles throughout camp and the preseason.

Currently, the Ravens have 90 players on their roster, and that will be trimmed down to 53 ahead of the start of the regular season, and by August 27.

With training camp underway, here’s an updated look at the Ravenss’ initial 90-man roster at the start of training camp, organized by jersey number.

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.

The Detroit Lions offensive line is top-ranked unit going into 2024 season

The Detroit Lions offensive line is top-ranked unit going into 2024 season as more national outlets keep ranking the Lions No. 1

It should come to no surprise that the Detroit Lions have the top ranked offensive line going into the 2024 season. When looking at rankings compiled by both Sharp Football Analysis and Pro Football Focus (PFF), the Lions offensive line is at the top spot for both data sites.

Looking at Sharp Football, they’ve got the Lions ranked number one with the following reasoning behind it:

“The Lions signed 12-year veteran Kevin Zeitler in the offseason to replace Jonah Jackson on their offensive line. Zeitler is coming off his first Pro Bowl season and will join a unit that we ranked No. 1 in the NFL. Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker both ranked in the top 10 in ESPN’s pass block win rate while guard Graham Glasgow finished second in run block win rate.”

As for Pro Football Focus, they had this to say about the Lions offensive line:

“When healthy, the Lions’ offensive line was arguably the best unit in the NFL last season. Right tackle Penei Sewell was the league’s highest-graded offensive lineman, and Frank Ragnow earned the top spot among centers. Although the unit lost right guard Jonah Jackson in free agency, the Lions signed veteran guard Kevin Zeitler, who ranked 15th in PFF grade among guards in 2023.”

Additionally, the PFF article shows the offensive grades for the Lions offensive line. It shows the following:

LT: Taylor Decker — 81.1 (9th out of 81 offensive tackles ranked)

LG: Graham Glasgow — 74.9 (8th out of 79 offensive guards ranked)

C: Frank Ragnow — 88.8 (1st out of 36 centers ranked)

RG: Kevin Zeitler — 71.6 (15th out of 79 offensive guards ranked)

RT: Penei Sewell — 92.8 (1st out of 81 offensive tackles ranked)

Having the top ranked offensive tackle and center in the NFL shows up on tape every single week for the Lions. It’ll be interesting to see if the Lions can maintain this top spot all season long. With the addition of Kevin Zeitler and draft capital spent on the offensive line, it appears likely for the Detroit Lions to be dominant in the trenches once again.

Video: Breaking down the Lions offensive line depth chart ahead of training camp

Video: Breaking down the Lions offensive line depth chart and potential ahead of training camp

The latest in the series of Detroit Lions positional breakdowns is now available to watch and stream. Recorded via the Detroit Lions Podcast, this edition goes over the offensive line room as it stands heading into training camp.

From the excellent starting five, which many feel is the best in the league, through the veteran depth and the rookies, this one covers coach Hank Fraley’s unit. What is in line for rookies Christian Mahogany and Giovanni Manu? Can a newcomer like Netane Muti seize a reserve spot over a holdover like Kayode Awosika? What’s the backup plan behind All-Pro center Frank Ragnow?

All that and more in this video, which I recorded during the week.

An audio-only version of the show is available from your favorite podcast provider.

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Lions not worried about new OL Kevin Zeitler learning the offense despite missing time already

Lions not worried about new OL Kevin Zeitler learning the offense despite missing time already with preexisting injuries

The Detroit Lions have a new starting right guard for 2024 in Kevin Zeitler. The veteran signed as a free agent this offseason after three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens.

However, Zeitler still hasn’t been available to practice for Detroit at any of the sessions open to the media. The 34-year-old is still dealing with knee and ankle injuries that ended his 2023 Ravens season early. Zeitler was at minicamp but didn’t participate in any on-field team drills.

Offensive line coach Hank Fraley brushed off any concerns about Zeitler not being ready to roll in Detroit.

“He’s got a lot of experience,” Fraley said recently. “He’s doing new things, a little bit of new technique maybe he hasn’t been asked in a while to do. Offensively, we do a lot here, a lot of variety, and it’s been fun for him. Some of it can be challenging for him, which is good, to keep you engaged. So it’s been good for the room, and these guys get along, they gel and he’s been professional. I think that’s what guys get to see.”

The experience is readily evident. Zeitler has played at least 1,000 snaps in eight of the last nine seasons, including last year. He’s done that with four different teams (Cincinnati, Cleveland, New York Giants, Baltimore) in a variety of different offenses. With PFF scores consistently in the upper 70s overall, he’s handled the variety with aplomb repeatedly.

Fraley expects Zeitler back for training camp in July, and he expects him to be ready.

“We’ll really get it when training camp comes up front,” Fraley stated. “When the pads go on. We like to joke around, this is like being in underwear for us up front. D-line and O-line, it’s tough. That’s where we’re going to join, get it.”

Zeitler’s arrival pushes Graham Glasgow, last year’s right guard for most of the season, to the left guard spot. Glasgow took a lot of reps at his new spot in the spring. Free agent Netane Muti, Kayode Awosika and sixth-round rookie Christian Mahogany got the vast majority of the right guard reps in the sessions open to the media in OTAs and minicamp.

Every move the Ravens have made so far this offseason

With the 2024 NFL Draft fast approaching, we’re looking at every move the Baltimore Ravens have made this off-season

The Ravens will look drastically different on both sides of the football field after undergoing massive changes in player personnel and the coaching staff.

Baltimore signed Justin Madubuike, one of the league’s best defensive linemen, to an extension. After inking Madubuike to a deal, Baltimore landed Derrick Henry for two years and $16 million.

However, the Ravens suffered significant free-agent losses. 

Patrick Queen (Steelers), Geno Stone (Bengals), and Gus Edwards (Chargers) were among eight free agents to sign elsewhere. Baltimore also traded Morgan Moses to the Jets and released Tyus Bowser in a cost-cutting move.

With the NFL draft fast approaching, we’re reviewing every move Baltimore made this off-season.

Can star RB Derrick Henry be the missing piece to the Ravens’ Super Bowl puzzle?

The Baltimore Ravens already ranked No. 1 in the NFL in rush yards per game last season, so is Derrick Henry really the missing piece?

The Baltimore Ravens already ranked No. 1 in the NFL in rush yards and attempts per game last season, so is running back Derrick Henry the missing piece to their puzzle?

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The Ravens totaled about 156.9 rush yards a game in 2023 through 541 carries. Their offense dominated tremendously on the ground, but this success should be heavily credited to the defense, which allowed opponents to score just 16.5 points per game.

With opponents held to low-scoring outputs, quarterback Lamar Jackson and offensive coordinator Todd Monken were allowed to commit to running the ball. However, with their defensive secondary expected to take a few steps back, the offense may need to be even more dynamic this upcoming season,

Furthermore, the Ravens’ rush-by-committee approach now needs to be delegated proportionately.  Will Henry average 20 carries and Jackson 10? How will running back Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell fit into the equation? 

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Ultimately, while it is premature to give a swift answer to these preliminary questions, the Ravens need to consider building their secondary with the best defensive backs available in the upcoming NFL Draft. Ravens’ fans should celebrate the arrival of Henry; it wasn’t inadequacy in the run game that ended the Ravens’ season last year.

However, the historic 60-sack, 18-interception season is behind the Ravens’ defense, so offensive excellence may need to balance the books for a secondary that may digress. Henry may need to have his most remarkable season yet if the Ravens plan on returning to the AFC Championship.

15 biggest salary cap hits for the Ravens in 2024 after first wave of NFL free agency

With the second wave of free agency heating up and updated signings, we’re releasing the Ravens 15 biggest salary cap hits according to Over The Cap. 

Change is always good for the soul, and after a stunning loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game, Baltimore has undergone a dramatic reconstruction that could pay off with championship dividends.

Changes hit the defensive coaching staff as Mike Macdonald accepted the Seahawks head coaching job, Anthony Weaver became the defensive coordinator in Miami, and Zach Orr was promoted from inside linebackers coach to defensive coordinator.

Baltimore signed Justin Madubuike, one of the league’s best defensive linemen, to an extension. After inking Madubuike to a deal, Baltimore landed Derrick Henry for two years and $16 million.

However, the Ravens suffered significant free-agent losses. Patrick Queen (Steelers), Geno Stone (Bengals), and Gus Edwards (Chargers) were among eight free agents to sign elsewhere. Baltimore also traded Morgan Moses to the Jets and released Tyus Bowser in a cost-cutting move.

With the second wave of free agency heating up and updated signings of cornerback Ka’Dar Hollman, linebacker Chris Board, and offensive guard Josh Jones, we’re releasing the 15 most significant salary cap hits according to Over The Cap.