Baltimore tried to get younger on the offensive line for the 2024 season. but the process left the Ravens a bit thin at the guard position. There is one perfect move the Super-Bowl hungry Ravens could make to fill out their roster before training camp begins.
Halapoulivaati Vaitai may not be the easiest name to pronounce, but he fits like a glove for the Ravens. The 6-foot-6, 322-pound veteran played as a tackle in his first four NFL seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. He switched to guard when he joined the Detroit Lions in 2020.
The Ravens don’t have a proven option at left guard right now. And their chips are heavily invested into the health of Andrew Vorhees, who didn't play during his 2023 rookie season because of injury. Vorhees is currently healthy, but adding Vaitai is a smart roster decision. Having a seven-year veteran as a fallback makes sense when you're trying to protect a valuable commodity like quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Free-agent G Halapoulivaati Vaitai could help Ravens
As part of the youth movement, the Ravens parted ways with their starting guards. Pro Bowl standout Kevin Zeitler signed with the Lions while John Simpson made it official with the New York Jets.
With four-year veteran Josh Jones being the only notable offensive line addition the team has made thus far this offseason, they are clearly committed to getting younger in the trenches on that side of the ball by giving several of their recently drafted options a chance to earn starting spots.
The current starting lineup has Ronnie Stanley at the anchor left tackle position, Vorhees at left guard, and Tyler Lindbaum at center. On the right side, guard Ben Cleveland and tackle Roger Rosengarten are out front. Cleveland came on strong at the end of the season and seems targeted for starting-lineup-fixture status.
But the depth chart is murky. Patrick Mekari, Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, Nick Samac, Josh Jones and Daniel Faalele make up an uninspiring group. And that's where Vaitai enters the picture. He won't cost top dollar, and that makes him even more enticing as a roster addition.
Vaita rated at 68.4 for pass blocking in 2023, according to Pro Football Focus. And his run blocking stood at 64.6. Those numbers fall in line with a guy who can help when inevitable injuries occur.
What about Baltimore's overall plan on the line?
Not everybody thinks the Ravens' youth movement is a wise step. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer said the approach is quite surprising.
“For now, the three new starters project to be Andrew Vorhees, Ben Cleveland, and rookie Roger Rosengarten, who have seven career starts between them,” Breer wrote. “And while the Ravens have been a draft-and-develop machine over the years, and great at harvesting offensive linemen, this particular dice roll was pretty surprising.”
Another SI writer, Gilbert Manzano, said the situation could cost the Ravens a shot at the Super Bowl.
“Perhaps a dominant running game with veteran Derrick Henry will allow the retooled offensive line to develop a rhythm blocking for Lamar Jackson,” Manzano wrote. “But do the Ravens have wide receivers who can get open quickly? Does the 30-year-old Henry still have plenty to offer on the field? Will the Ravens' defense be O.K. without former coordinator Mike Macdonald? All of these concerns, especially on the offensive line, could lead to a non-playoff season for the Ravens.”
Speculation aside, depth is an issue the Ravens need to address, and Vaitai seems to be the safe solution at this point on the NFL calendar.
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