OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh wasn’t ready to announce his starting offensive line for the team’s Week 1 game against the Kansas City Chiefs. However, it’s not hard to read between the lines and make that determination, at least with the two starting guard spots.
“I think we’re close,” Harbaugh said after Monday’s practice. “I think we have a pretty good idea and what way it’s trending in different areas. It’s not altogether solidified, but we’re in a good place right now.”
Andrew Vorhees, a 2023 seventh-round pick who spent his entire rookie season on the non-football injury list as he recovered from a torn ACL, has been the first-team left guard throughout training camp and in the two preseason games. Daniel Faalele, a 2022 fourth-round pick who was a reserve tackle in his first two NFL seasons, has done the same at right guard.
Given that nobody else has really gotten extensive reps at either spot this summer and the matchup with the Chiefs is just over two weeks away, it seems pretty close to a formality that Vorhees and Faalele will begin the season as the starters inside. If that wasn’t the plan, this would seemingly have been the week for things to change with a joint practice against the Green Bay Packers scheduled for Thursday and the preseason finale set for Saturday at Lambeau Field.
After being a reserve tackle his first two NFL seasons, Daniel Faalele is in line to start at guard for the Ravens in Week 1. (Tommy Gilligan / USA Today)
However, Harbaugh indicating that the team is “close” to making a final decision doesn’t suggest an about face is in the offing as the Ravens look to fill the spots vacated by Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson’s free-agent departures this offseason.
The Ravens still have a decision to make at right tackle following the March trade of veteran Morgan Moses. Veteran Patrick Mekari, who has occupied the valuable sixth offensive lineman role for the team in recent seasons, has split first-team reps with second-round rookie Roger Rosengarten throughout camp. Mekari started the first preseason game at right tackle and the second one at center, while Rosengarten made his first start at right tackle in last Saturday’s preseason victory over the Atlanta Falcons.
Baltimore values Mekari’s versatility and readiness to jump in at any of the five offensive line spots during the course of the game. The Ravens also pretty much know what they are going to get from the sixth-year pro.
However, Rosengarten is the team’s future at right tackle. It just isn’t clear whether that future will start Week 1 against the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium in what figures to be a hostile environment for a rookie tackle making his regular-season debut.
The Ravens still expect 2023 Pro Bowl selection Tyler Linderbaum to start at center in that game. Linderbaum hasn’t practiced since Aug. 1 because of a neck injury, but Harbaugh said Monday that he’s doing everything he needs to do to be ready for Week 1.
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“He’s right on schedule, just kind of right where we were planning,” Harbaugh said. “He won’t be in any kind of contact work this week, but he’s in all of the (walk-through) practices that we do — he’s been doing all of that, so, he’s in a good place.”
With Linderbaum not practicing, Ravens rookie seventh-round pick Nick Samac worked as the first-team center. Harbaugh said that Samac, who was slowed earlier in the offseason by the broken fibula he suffered while playing for Michigan State in November, made a “big move” over the past week and played well in Saturday’s preseason game.
This is a big week for Samac, who is perceived to be on the roster bubble. With left tackle Ronnie Stanley, Vorhees, Linderbaum, Faalele, Rosengarten, Mekari, Josh Jones and Ben Cleveland viewed as roster locks, that leaves one or two offensive line spots to be decided. Samac, Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu and Tashawn Manning are the top competitors for those spots.
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Other thoughts, observations
• Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson had a brief scare when he was forced to leave practice for about 10 minutes Monday. It wasn’t clear what happened, but Jackson was seated on the field behind the play consulting with head athletic trainer Adrian Dixon. The quarterback was flexing his right foot/ankle. He headed inside with Dixon, but returned to practice and took his usual number of reps. Jackson said after practice that he felt “wonderful.”
• Before his brief departure, Jackson was putting together a really nice practice. He made one of his best throws all summer when he hit Rashod Bateman in stride for a 60-yard touchdown. Bateman had a step on cornerback Ka’dar Hollman and Jackson, who has been erratic with the deep ball for much of training camp, dropped it right into his hands. Jackson also made a perfect throw to tight end Isaiah Likely in his one-on-one rep against first-round cornerback Nate Wiggins. Jackson placed the ball just over Wiggins’ right shoulder and into’s Likely’s hands. Wiggins never even had a chance to turn his head around. The lone blemish to what was a strong day by Jackson was his end zone interception to Damarion Williams. Jackson was trying to get the ball to wide receiver Keith Kirkwood in the back of the end zone, but his throw was too late and Williams had time to step in front and pick it off.
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• Wiggins also registered another training camp interception. He broke on rookie quarterback Devin Leary’s pass to tight end Qadir Ismail and intercepted it. Wiggins took a lot of reps, a good indication that he’s feeling much better after spraining his shoulder in the preseason opener. Fellow rookie cornerback T.J. Tampa, who was activated last week from the physically unable to perform list after he had pre-training camp surgery on a double hernia, also took another step forward by participating in the team session of practice.
• Ravens tight end Mark Andrews still hasn’t practiced since he was involved in a scary car accident less than two miles from the team facility on Aug. 14. Harbaugh, though, said that Andrews is dealing with a “very minor” injury. He added, “Don’t worry about Mark. He’s going to be fine.” The Ravens did lose a tight end to a significant injury in recent days. Scottie Washington, who spent part of last season on the Ravens’ practice squad, broke his hand on a special teams play during the preseason game against the Falcons. Washington is expected to land on injured reserve.
• Rookie running back Rasheen Ali (stinger) and wide receiver Devontez Walker (ribs) remained out of practice Monday, putting the Ravens closer to potentially having to make a decision about their immediate futures. The Ravens will have to cut their roster from 91 to 53 by 4 p.m. on Aug. 27. If the Ravens aren’t convinced that Ali (fifth-round pick) and Walker (fourth-round selection), will help the team early in the season, they could put both rookies on IR and open up spots for two others. Both Ali and Walker have had disappointing summers. Ali seemingly has fallen behind Owen Wright in the battle for the third running back spot. Walker has battled injuries and inconsistency and seems unlikely to have a notable role on offense even if he was to start the season on the 53-man roster.
• Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken was not at the Ravens’ practice, giving quarterbacks coach Tee Martin an opportunity to call the plays. Monken’s father, Bob, a longtime high school football coach, passed away Aug. 4. His services were held Monday in Illinois.
(Top photo of Andrew Vorhees: Terrance Williams / AP Photo)
