OTL: Could Any OL Answers Come From Within?

Just two weeks ago, the Ravens saw Tyler Linderbaum leave Baltimore to the tune of a lucrative three-year $81 million contract with the Raiders. The 2022 first-round pick earned three Pro Bowl nods in his first four seasons, but simply priced himself off of a roster that has plenty of expensive talent at other positions.

Linderbaum’s departure added insult to injury when we consider the Ravens’ poor guard play last season. Daniel Faalele and Andrew Vorhees were both incredibly disappointing at their respective positions surrounding Lindy, yet both started all 17 games. Between Linderbaum, Faalele’s being a free agent currently (though he remains un-signed), and the poor performance of Vorhees, Baltimore was facing the possibility of having to replace three of their five offensive linemen from 2025.

Fortunately, the Ravens did make an initial move to shore up the interior, signing John Simpson to a three-year deal. Simpson will slot in at left guard, and should almost certainly provide an upgrade over what Vorhees did at the position last season.

Tale of the Tape: Welcome Back, John Simpson

As of right now, the other two spots are question marks. The Ravens signed Danny Pinter and Jovaughn Gwyn as depth, but the starting spots are very much open. Of course, the draft is coming up, and Penn State OG Olaivavega Ione could be a target, but the Ravens still have some intriguing options in-house that could make an impact.

OG Emery Jones Jr.

Jones was drafted in the third round of the 2025 Draft with the potential to win a job in camp, but began the season on injured reserve with a shoulder issue that kept him off the practice field until late October.

He played just 49 snaps last season, but saw some key late season action against the Patriots and Steelers while Vorhees and Faalele dealt with minor injuries.

GM Eric DeCosta spoke highly of Jones a few weeks ago on “The Inner Circle” Podcast. “We feel really strongly about him being a guy who is going to come in and win a spot for us at the guard spot,” DeCosta said.

The fans clamored to get Jones on the field last season amid the guard struggles, and he may just get his chance in 2026. It won’t come without competition, though. Vorhees is still under contract, and even if a first-round guard isn’t the path the Ravens take, a mid-round pick could still come in and compete.

OG Andrew Vorhees

The aforementioned Vorhees really struggled last season, but is likely to return in 2026. Vorhees was a very interesting prospect out of college. He Tore his ACL at the 2023 Combine, leading him to slide all the way to the seventh round, where Baltimore took him with pick No. 229. After a full rehab year in 2023, he started three games in 2024 then won the starting left guard job in 2025.

Vorhees brings the most experience to the table, and if a certain coach were still at the helm, it seems like he’d be a shoe-in for the starting spot, but my gut tells me the Ravens go in a different direction. Remember, Steve Bisciotti was critical of the o-line during his press conference following Harbaugh’s firing, and it feels like a shake-up is more likely than not.

C Corey Bullock

Bullock will almost certainly not take a starting job, but has plenty of versatility that makes him worth keeping around in the meantime.

The former Maryland Terrapin was signed as an UDFA in 2024, and though he didn’t make the 53-man, he was stashed on the practice squad and kept for the full season. Fast forward to 2025, and an impressive camp and preseason from Bullock earned him a spot on the roster as the backup center.

There is some added competition in the room; the recent free agency signings of Pinter and Gwyn certainly muddy the waters. That said, the Ravens have developed Bullock into a solid reserve piece, and someone they’ll likely want to keep around.

Flock, the 2026 Draft starts April 23. Until then, kick your feet back and relax. Opening Day is just two days away, and hopefully the Orioles can provide a good bridge between now and the second week of September.

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Source: https://russellstreetreport.com/2026/03/24/out-to-lunch/offensive-line-answers/