Baltimore Beatdown
As the final preseason game approaches, the Baltimore Ravens will soon have to finalize their 53-man roster and starting lineups before Week 1. There are many roster spots and some, albeit less, starting roles still yet to be concluded. As per usual, head coach John Harbaugh and company will have to make some tough decisions.
According to Harbaugh, one key positional area has already been decided still weeks in advance. While speaking to media on Tuesday afternoon, Harbaugh proclaimed that the team is set with their starting offensive line.
The Ravens entered this summer with three of the five starting spots on the offensive line already set in stone: left tackle (Ronnie Stanley), center (Tyler Linderbaum), and right tackle (Roger Rosengarten). The only question mark was what they would do at both guard positions. Ultimately, the conclusion is what was the general consensus months ago — Andrew Vorhees and Daniel Faalele will be in the starting left and right guard spots.
With this, the Ravens will begin the 2025 season with the same exact five-man group front that they did a year ago. Last season, Stanley and Linderbaum were the only incumbent returning starters. Rosengarten, Faalele, and Vorhees each won their respective battles during the summer to earn starting jobs.
Shortly into the season, however, Vorhees was sidelined with an injury and replaced in the starting lineup by veteran Patrick Mekari at left guard. Mekari wound up not relinquishing that role and started for the remainder of the season. The Ravens’ offensive line as a whole improved as the year progressed and gelled well together, becoming a strong overall unit by season’s end.
The only change now will be Vorhees re-entering the lineup and filling Mekari’s shoes. The Ravens have been high on Vorhees ever since taking a flier on him in the draft two years ago. Vorhees rehabbed for his entire rookie season and then played only 268 offensive snaps last season. In limited action, though, including the preseason as well, the former seventh-round pick has shown promise.
The Ravens are also high on Faalele, which has been a point of contention among many fans both last year and into present day. Faalele, who the Ravens drafted in the fourth round back in 2021, made a transition from offensive tackle to right guard last year and started every game at that spot. The results were mixed, to say the least, but Faalele did seem to improve as the year went on.
He’s had some more moments of struggle thus far through two preseason games in 2025, albeit in limited playing time. At 6-foot-8, 380 pounds, physical size and strength is not an issue for the former Minnesota Gopher, but rather consistency and technique. He is more developed as a run blocker than pass blocker.
Despite his shortcomings, the Ravens have been resolute top-to-bottom in their belief in him. Harbaugh has been an outspoken advocate for Faalele, as has offensive coordinator Todd Monken and other coaches and players alike. Faalele...
