The Evolution Of The Ravens Offensive Line

[berad]

The Ravens Offensive Line that's preparing to line up in 2008 is far different from its recent predecessors.

2003 starters

LT - Jon Ogden (345 lbs)

LG - Edwin Mulitalo (350 lbs)

C - Mike Flynn (305 lbs)

RG - Bennie Anderson (345 lbs)

RT - Orlando Brown (365 lbs)

A total of 1,710 lbs of bulk and strength. Those are some gargantuan men, some really bruisers in the trenches. They paved the way for Jamal, leading him to his 2,066 yd season with an astounding 5.3 ypc average and 16 runs of 20+ yds (more than his last 3 seasons here combined). They were undoubtedly strong and "nasty", but not very agile. They excelled in run-blocking but their pass-blocking struggled, leading to a dreadful pass attack which ranked near the bottom of the NFL in all major categories (tied for 22nd in sacks allowed). All in all, the Offense was 21st in the NFL in yards per game.

2004 starters

LT - Jon Ogden (345 lbs)

LG - Edwin Mulitalo (350 lbs)

C - Mike Flynn (305 lbs)

RG - Bennie Anderson (345 lbs)

RT - Orlando Brown (365 lbs)

Same OL, same 1710 lbs of girth. No changes were made across the dominant OL from 2003. All the players were kept intact in the hopes of a repeat season performance. They came close, along with some added distractions. In February of 2004, Jamal Lewis was implicated in a drug-bust case. Jamal supposedly had used his cell phone to facilitate a cocaine deal. Jamal would miss a chunk of the 2004 training camp as well as part of the 2004 season (due to both his trial and an injury). Also, many of the linemen had substantial injuries in 2004, the projected starters were held out of 22 combined starts; Mike Flynn, in particular, missed the entire first half of the 2004 season, Casey Rabach (295 lbs) filled in for Flynn and the other injured linemen throughout the season. Jamal stilled raked up 1,006 yds rushing in his only 12 starts. He got a 4.3 ypc average. Chester Taylor subbed for Jamal when he was out, Chester reached 714 yds rushing. The duo combined for 1,720 rushing yds and a 4.35 ypc average. The Passing Offense and Total Offense were set back in 2004, both ranking 31st in yds per game.

2005 starters

LT - Jon Ogden (345 lbs)

LG - Edwin Mulitalo (350 lbs)

C - Mike Flynn (305 lbs)

RG - Keydrick Vincent (325 lbs)

RT - Orlando Brown (365 lbs)

The First starter drops out, Bennie Anderson signed with the Buffalo Bills in the Offseason. We picked up Keydrick Vincent, the starting RG from Pittsburgh. A loss in 20 lbs of bulk from our OL, 1,690 lbs total. The numbers really start dropping this season, though. The left side of the OL stayed pretty much the same throughout the 2005 campaign. The right side was lost midway through the season. Both Keydrick Vincent and Orlando Brown fell to injuries. Their replacements Brian Rimpf (RG, 320 lbs) and Tony Pashos (RT, 325 lbs) accounted for another loss of 45 lbs, dropping the total weight to 1,645 lbs. Jamal and the OL struggled through the 6-10 season. Jamal failed to reach 1,000 yds, only averaging 3.4 ypc, and the Ravens Offense struggled, although rebounding to 24th in the NFL (passing - 22nd, rushing - 21st)

2006 starters

LT - Jon Ogden (345 lbs)

LG - Edwin Mulitalo (350 lbs)

C - Mike Flynn (305 lbs)

RG - Keydrick Vincent (325 lbs)

RT - Tony Pashos (325 lbs)

Orlando left the Ravens and Tony Pashos stepped up to be a full-time starter. Our weight as of opening day 2006 : 1,650 lbs; a 60 lb drop from as recently as 2004. Four games into the season, the Ravens lost Mulitalo to an injury, Jason Brown (320 lbs) stepped up to be the starting LG. Keydrick Vincent also drifted in and out of the lineup, Chris Chester (305 lbs) replacing him. The OL shrunk to 1,600 lbs. Jamal Lewis was still struggling, averaging only 3.6 ypc behind the lightened OL. The passing offense, on the other hand stepped up, the more athletic, lighter linemen could more easily pass-block. The passing game jumped to 11th in the NFL and the Ravens allowed the 2nd fewest sacks in the league, also in large part thanks to the addition of Steve McNair in the offseason. Overall, the Offense was 17th in the NFL. A Huge jump from previous years.

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Since 2003, a total of 110 lbs of bulk and muscle was missed from our OL. This, compounded with injuries, legal trouble, and contract disputes, explains Jamal's production decrease and his release from Baltimore. The Ravens traded for Willis McGahee, you all know him, the all-around great RB who is very agile and can make tough yards and create and capitalize on the holes the OL makes. Jamal couldn't do that.

Jamal's running style, simply put, did not match up with our more athletic OL. He was a bruiser, a big, powerful running back that needed and depended on a large OL to make large holes for him. We had left our big OL behind. Jamal then left for one of the only teams that would sign him, the Browns. He even had to adjust his weight and playing style so that he could produce in Cleveland. This is a tidbit from an article before the 2007 season; "After playing at between 250 and 255 pounds the last several years, he said he's already down to about 240 and plans to play at 235." Article After that, Jamal had a good season rushing for 1,300+ yds. He had to change himself as a player, though.

This has just been some stuff on my mind. I was trying to argue this when people were whining Jamal was washed up. He wasn't, he just didn't fit our system any longer. And it's no one's fault. This is about a year late, I know, but I'm bored and it's raining outside.

*All of the weights of the linemen are generally unreliable, they gain and lose weight all the time, but I did the best I could.

[berad]

Oh, forgot 2008!

2008 starters (projected)

LT - Jared Gaither (350 lbs)

LG - Ben Grubbs (315 lbs)

C - Jason Brown (320 lbs)

RG - Marshal Yanda (310 lbs)

RT - Adam Terry (330 lbs)

Chris Chester could fill in anywhere along the interior line when needed. This line's weight reaches a total of 1,625 lbs, similar to that of 2006. Willis should thrive behind this OL, as well. They are big enough to make running lanes, yet athletic and organized enough to pass-block effectively. All they lack is experience, but they should be up for a big season.

[march4superbowl]

yeah, I think we have a solid group here. If they stay healthy and stay in Baltimore, they can mature together and have the potential to be an elite O-Line. But that might be a longshot.

[foreversunny23]

i think this is an underrated OL because it's a young squad. but the talent is there, and i think this OL will be solid. McGahee will have a personal best season and our passing game will reach the top 10. of course that's best case scenario, but i'm hopeful it will happen

[Bazard]

You have a point but what you cant really figure in is what amount of weight will be gained or lost through offseason conditioning grubbs and yanda should have gained anywhere from 10 to 15Lbs through the offseason as most second year players do as the mature from their college body to their nfl body. Grubbs and Yanda may probably be in the 320 range by time the season starts. And their is know way you can tell me Brown is 320 his body looks more than 5Lbs heavier than Grubbs's. The Evolution of this line looks like it may be somthing special. With all that athleticsism and strength as they continue to develop they could be a mix of the 03 Ravens and Those Denver Broncos lines that could always move around.

[b-morebrotha]

Aren't we going into zone blocking schemes under cam? I think the youth actually works out in our favor here if that were true

[theFRANCHISE]

After that, Jamal had a good season rushing for 1,300+ yds. He had to change himself as a player, though.

This has just been some stuff on my mind. I was trying to argue this when people were whining Jamal was washed up. He wasn't, he just didn't fit our system any longer. And it's no one's fault.

You saved me A LOT of work and research in trying to figure out Jamal Lewis's decline!

I had tried to argue last season that Jamal just wasn't the same player in Cleveland that he was in Baltimore, and I was right, to an extent. Of course, the difference is, I tried to downplay Jamal's importance. I mean, I still believe that he's not as good as he was in Baltimore, and that his yardage is misleading, but that's beside the point. The point is, Jamal is just not the same player, and there's no single reason for his last couple of disappointing seasons in Baltimore.

[b-morebrotha]

You saved me A LOT of work and research in trying to figure out Jamal Lewis's decline!

I had tried to argue last season that Jamal just wasn't the same player in Cleveland that he was in Baltimore, and I was right, to an extent. Of course, the difference is, I tried to downplay Jamal's importance. I mean, I still believe that he's not as good as he was in Baltimore, and that his yardage is misleading, but that's beside the point. The point is, Jamal is just not the same player, and there's no single reason for his last couple of disappointing seasons in Baltimore.

I believe he just thought too much instead of just hitting the dern hole (i.e. reggie bush), trying to duplicate the long runs he had his great yr of 2000 plus yrds. In cleveland there's less pressure less to think about, he could just run. He will be a 1000 yrd gainer this yr but still staying off my fantasy F.F. team.

[justifythegame]

All they lack is experience, but they should be up for a big season.

Not Terry! That guy <isn't very good>!! I wouldn't even want him on the depth at #2 (maybe #3). Whenever that guy comes in he just stands around while defenders just walk past him or just gets manhandled by someone half his size. Anytime he is playing, one of our QBs takes a major hit and/or sidelined.

I wish we would sign Shane Olivea already.

[berad]

Not Terry! That guy <isn't very good>!! I wouldn't even want him on the depth at #2 (maybe #3). Whenever that guy comes in he just stands around while defenders just walk past him or just gets manhandled by someone half his size. Anytime he is playing, one of our QBs takes a major hit and/or sidelined.

I wish we would sign Shane Olivea already.

The same Shane Olivea who's been suspended by the NFL?

[MDmid14]

Incredible research and well written post berad. I like our OL for this year. Even though they are young nothing is more important then experience and I'm willing to sit through a few missed assignments and some sacks to see the progress they make for years to come.

[justifythegame]

The same Shane Olivea who's been suspended by the NFL?

REALLY? He got suspended!? but why??

i heard rumors a while back that olivea may have agreed to a contract with the Ravens but they were just waiting for ogden to retire first to free up some cap.

[berad]

REALLY? He got suspended!? but why??

i heard rumors a while back that olivea may have agreed to a contract with the Ravens but they were just waiting for ogden to retire first to free up some cap.

He was suspended for substance abuse, 4 games

[berad]

Incredible research and well written post berad. I like our OL for this year. Even though they are young nothing is more important then experience and I'm willing to sit through a few missed assignments and some sacks to see the progress they make for years to come.

thank you

[rayvenfan_52]

Well Ill take the passing game over the rushing game anytime. Even if they are a young OL. If they can protect whoever our QB is going to be then Ill be happy with it.