Baltimore Ravens Better Be Right About Left Tackle Decisions
By Joe Serpico
Baltimore Ravens General Manager Ozzie Newsome better be right about the decision at left tackle to release Eugene Monroe after drafting Ronnie Stanley.
The inevitable has come. After months of speculation, Eugene Monroe is no longer with the Baltimore Ravens.
The franchise terminated Monroe’s contract after they failed to find a trade partner for him. The New York Giants were rumored to have interest in the eight-year veteran, but the two sides could not come to terms.
Ozzie Newsome now finds himself in a situation where first-round pick Ronnie Stanley better pan out or he will come under fire.
The Ravens decided to released Monroe for two reasons. First, they did not agree with his stance on marijuana. Second, and even more importantly, his salary did not match up with his play.
We cannot say that Monroe was a failure. He was a reliable left tackle in his time with the organization. He was not the guy protecting Joe Flacco when he got his knee destroyed against the St. Louis Rams.
The problem was he failed to stay healthy in his three years in Baltimore. He played in just 17 games the past two seasons with a variety of injuries. His inability to stay on the failed led to the decision to draft Stanley.
With Monroe and Kelechi Osemele both gone, both starters on the left side of the offensive line are no longer with the team. It also makes you wonder if Osemele was up to something when he made these comments after signing with the Oakland Raiders this offseason.
“Going through the roster, I kind of saw what everybody was saying, and the emphasis on building the offensive line, coming from a place where [it’s] not really appreciated, you know? Coming to a team where offensive line play is a focus and it matters and they want to build that up, that was a big factor.”
He might be onto something with some of Ozzie’s decisions this offseason. The Ravens have chosen to go with the cheaper options over proven vets.
Stanley will now be forced to protect Flacco’s blindside in his rookie season. Let’s not forget that the franchise quarterback is coming off ACL surgery, the first injury of his NFL career. One wrong move by Stanley, and Flacco can be gone once again.
The Ravens also need to figure out who takes over at left guard. With Monroe on the roster, Stanley would have played next to Monroe. Now, there is a competition for Osemele’s former spot on the offensive line.
The battle for left guard will now be between three players: John Urschel, Ryan Jensen and rookie Alex Lewis. Your guess is as good as mine as to who wins the job. It will be one of the more intriguing position battles to watch in training camp.
These are all decisions that Ozzie had to plan before deciding to release Eugene Monroe. He is putting a lot of pressure on Stanley, which puts pressure on himself as well. The Ravens haven’t exactly produced the best draft classes in recent years, and this could end up being the one that decides Newsome’s future.
Next: Ravens Finally Make Move with Eugene Monroe
Some have herald Stanley as the next Jonathan Ogden of this franchise. He better be or he and Ozzie might be run out of Baltimore sooner than later.