Baltimore Ravens: Who Wins the Left Guard Competition?
By Joe Serpico
One of the more important position battles for the Baltimore Ravens will be who takes over at left guard. Let’s analyze the candidates.
This is an offseason that will go down as one of the more crucial of the franchise. If all the moves made this airing pan out, the Baltimore Ravens are back to being contenders. If not, we could be looking at the first back-to-back losing seasons since 1997 and 1998 campaigns.
General Manager Ozzie Newsome decided it was time to make some changes. He figured out ways to restructure some of the contracts within, rid of some veterans for salary cap purposes and replenished with the acquisitions in free agency and the draft.
Ozzie attacked the team’s needs. Baltimore needed a downfield threat so they added Mike Wallace. They needed help in the secondary and brought in Eric Weddle to play safety and Jerraud Powers at corner. Ben Watson gives Joe Flacco one more threat in the passing game. The pass rush will be better with the selections of Bronson Kaufusi, Kamalei Correa and Matt Judon in the draft.
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The problem is, to make some of those moves, they had to lose at other places. The Ravens still have a need for an inside linebacker. They also have a hole to fill on the offensive line with Kelechi Osemele now with the Oakland Raiders.
The original plan was to place Ronnie Stanley at guard in his rookie season. That plan changed when the Ravens released Eugene Monroe last week. It’s a decision that Ozzie better be right about because the entire life side of the offensive line will have a new look.
Who is the guy who will take Osemele’s vacant spot? Your guess is as good as mine. Let’s take a closer look at each option, starting with the player I feel has the best shot at taking the starting job.
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