KO at left tackle in 2016.

[52520Andrew]

Not exactly sold on K.O. being the guy for us at LT. Reminds me of a Bengals player(forget his name which is kinda a spoiler for how he did) a couple years ago who had a nice string of games at LT and then got signed by Tampa to a big contract and laid an egg. Meanwhile the guy Tampa cut in Donald Penn(I do know his name) has done very well for himself in Oakland. The good thing about K.O. is that we can move him back to guard if he struggles(assuming we re-sign him which I am not sold on but if we cut Monroe we have a shot depending on what other teams are thinking) but I would want to invest an early pick into a OT. 

 

If we were able to re-sign K.O. and got a guy like Tunsil or Stanley(I know people including myself aren't as sold on his run blocking but his pass protection is great and I can't say enough how important that is with a QB coming off a torn ACL), I'd be pretty pumped. I'd be fine waiting until the second pick to get a tackle as well and hope someone falls to us there, maybe third if K.O. does well these last 2 games at LT. I just don't want to get burned again with another big signing and K.O. does have the back problems as well. People go on about how important our draft picks are but our FA signings are going to be just as important here and we can't miss after the contracts that have already been given out. 

[GrimCoconut]

Not exactly sold on K.O. being the guy for us at LT. Reminds me of a Bengals player(forget his name which is kinda a spoiler for how he did) a couple years ago who had a nice string of games at LT and then got signed by Tampa to a big contract and laid an egg. Meanwhile the guy Tampa cut in Donald Penn(I do know his name) has done very well for himself in Oakland. The good thing about K.O. is that we can move him back to guard if he struggles(assuming we re-sign him which I am not sold on but if we cut Monroe we have a shot depending on what other teams are thinking) but I would want to invest an early pick into a OT.

If we were able to re-sign K.O. and got a guy like Tunsil or Stanley(I know people including myself aren't as sold on his run blocking but his pass protection is great and I can't say enough how important that is with a QB coming off a torn ACL), I'd be pretty pumped. I'd be fine waiting until the second pick to get a tackle as well and hope someone falls to us there, maybe third if K.O. does well these last 2 games at LT. I just don't want to get burned again with another big signing and K.O. does have the back problems as well. People go on about how important our draft picks are but our FA signings are going to be just as important here and we can't miss after the contracts that have already been given out.

It was Collins and I made this same comparison recently, so I clearly agree with your assessment here completely. I do think KO could be the exception and not the rule, and his situation is different since Collins was a back-up and not a starting guard Edited December 21, 2015 by GrimCoconut

[Wildabeast88]

Could we franchise tag KO, any benefit to that?

The cost would be to high like 10-12million

[Winchester]

If ravens resigned kelechi, the salary hit could be minimal the first couple yrs then bigger salary when ravens can get some of the losers like Jimmy and aging or injured players off the books. Yanda I expect elite in 2016 but he is no spring chicken!! Kelechi is the eventual leader of the interior trio!!

[GrimCoconut]

If ravens resigned kelechi, the salary hit could be minimal the first couple yrs then bigger salary when ravens can get some of the losers like Jimmy and aging or injured players off the books. Yanda I expect elite in 2016 but he is no spring chicken!! Kelechi is the eventual leader of the interior trio!!

Some aspects of this comment are good and others left me befuddled.

While I agree that we can backload the deal so it's more expensive later, I don't think we can realistically count on cutting Jimmy Smith. Honestly, this is a very myopic view. What if Jimmy Smith goes beast mode and plays great next season? I guess we still must cut him because we planned for it.

Lol I hope this shows you the fallacy in this idea. Now, what does make sense is expecting to keep only one of Suggs and Dumervil and cutting Monroe as ways of future compensation of cap resources.

[Winchester]

Some aspects of this comment are good and others left me befuddled.

While I agree that we can backload the deal so it's more expensive later, I don't think we can realistically count on cutting Jimmy Smith. Honestly, this is a very myopic view. What if Jimmy Smith goes beast mode and plays great next season? I guess we still must cut him because we planned for it.

Lol I hope this shows you the fallacy in this idea. Now, what does make sense is expecting to keep only one of Suggs and Dumervil and cutting Monroe as ways of future compensation of cap resources.

Great points!! However I personally guarantee Jimmy will not go beastmode!! You have already seen his song and dance and ready for the next performer. He may be serviceable at best. I would almost prefer Terrance Cody go on a bean and water diet and play cornerback for the ravens!!

[GrimCoconut]

Great points!! However I personally guarantee Jimmy will not go beastmode!! You have already seen his song and dance and ready for the next performer. He may be serviceable at best. I would almost prefer Terrance Cody go on a bean and water diet and play cornerback for the ravens!!

Lol okay. We'll see what happens, I guess. He's played very well at times. I do understand criticism that goes his way if it's legit. I won't act like I'm absolved of bias here. I think very highly of Jimmy Smith. That said, I sympathize with those concerned about him.

I think we'll be better off if he does. I wouldn't count him out yet, although I do understand if you do.

[52520Andrew]

It was Collins and I made this same comparison recently, so I clearly agree with your assessment here completely. I do think KO could be the exception and not the rule, and his situation is different since Collins was a back-up and not a starting guard

Yeah I think the fact that K.O. can slide into guard and be a great player there helps a lot. I just would not be comfortable with him as our only option at LT. I think if we re-sign him and cut Monroe, that drafting another guy would be huge for the future of the O-line.

The big thing I would be worried about is opponents getting film on K.O. at LT and making adjustments. It is easy to look good at a position if the other team does not have film on you. I am a firm believer of the "New QB effect" for this reason. When opponents have time to look at every play and pick your game apart, it becomes a lot harder to do well and I am sure K.O. will have to deal with that at LT if we keep him there.

[Cawtious]

I think the more he plays LT and plays fairly well, the more out of reach he becomes for the Ravens. I think the Ravens realize that K.O may actually price himself out of the Ravens reach and are simply affording him the opportunity to make a lot more in free agency. While helping themselves at the LT position given Hurst's inability to pass protect consistently.

I agree with this right here ^.  They are using him to fill a void and giving him the chance to earn more $$$ when he hits the FA market.  Zuttah will be here for camp.  If Urschel remains healthy and continues to show his capabilities at Center, then Zuttah will not be on the 53 and gone.  Jensen will be your new starting LG, and can slide to the inside if Urschel is injured.  

 

Meyers, if he starts acting the part of a team player can back Jensen @ LG and if he shows promise should move up to the 53 after camp next year.  If Meyers doesn't progress, I see him taking a walk.  We need to draft a LT, and also another G in the late rounds to push Meyers and Jensen.

 

This is going to come down to dollars.  KO will demand too high a price.  He is on the block and it will be better for him and for us in the long run.

[GrimCoconut]

I would normally agree that Zuttah could go but I don't see a reason to do it if we truly intend on letting Monroe go. That would be significant change on the OL. I think we'd rather keep Zuttah another year and use him at center or LG depending on our plans for Urschel.

Cutting Monroe and Zuttah and letting KO walk in free agency would mean we'd have three new starters to start next season. Urschel has more game action but does anyone think that's actually a good idea?

[RaineV1]

If we lose KO, I think it's more likely that Urschel becomes the new starting G rather than starting C.

[terrynjulia03]

If we lose KO, I think it's more likely that Urschel becomes the new starting G rather than starting C.

Ive been saying this. It makes the most sense, money wise and skill wise.

Honestly KO hasnt played a full season in his career. Thats who you want as your starting LT, who wasnt even projected coming into the draft of being a LT to begin with? Sorry but Im gonna go with the experts that said he's a decent starting RT but even better suited for G. And hes had a banged up rookie contract not even playing every game. Its just a big NO. If you think Monroe is a bum than OK draft Tunsil or Stanley. We could move back up a few spots and still land one. And move on from there.

[GrimCoconut]

KO really struggled today at LT. He was getting beat both inside and outside at times today. A lot of times Jensen had to help him out and double team #95 because he kept getting beat by him. I wasn't watching him every snap but the snaps I did he just didn't do well.

[Winchester]

I would normally agree that Zuttah could go but I don't see a reason to do it if we truly intend on letting Monroe go. That would be significant change on the OL. I think we'd rather keep Zuttah another year and use him at center or LG depending on our plans for Urschel.

Cutting Monroe and Zuttah and letting KO walk in free agency would mean we'd have three new starters to start next season. Urschel has more game action but does anyone think that's actually a good idea?

Tunsil isn't realistic now. Another timely win by a sorry Ravens team. Right there with the win that costed them Charles Woodson in the draft and dropped Starks on the doorstep. So KO remains the left tackle. Zuttah is cut or traded and Monroe is thrown overboard like useless weight on a sinking ship!! Urschel is the new center. He is stronger and gets movement off the ball. Jensen showed well today!! He is a tough and strong and showed well today!! He stoned some power rushers in their tracks. He is a tough dude!! KO Jensen Urschel Yanda Wagner gives the ravens their best and strongest most nasty OLine players on the field. Ravens OLine stoned a formidable DLine. Should be glad Zuttah and Monroe was not on the field. Those guys could not have contended as well against Heyward Tuitt Dupree and Harrison. Urschel KO and Jensen stoned'em today!! Monroe and Zuttah would of struggled against athletic power rushers. Jensen and Urschel punched the bullies in the mouth today!! He and Urschel are better options than Zuttah in my opinion. Both are strong and nasty

[GrimCoconut]

Tunsil isn't realistic now. Another timely win by a sorry Ravens team. Right there with the win that costed them Charles Woodson in the draft and dropped Starks on the doorstep. So KO remains the left tackle. Zuttah is cut or traded and Monroe is thrown overboard like useless weight on a sinking ship!! Urschel is the new center. He is stronger and gets movement off the ball. Jensen showed well today!! He is a tough and strong and showed well today!! He stoned some power rushers in their tracks. He is a tough dude!! KO Jensen Urschel Yanda Wagner gives the ravens their best and strongest most nasty OLine players on the field. Ravens OLine stoned a formidable DLine. Should be glad Zuttah and Monroe was not on the field. Those guys could not have contended as well against Heyward Tuitt Dupree and Harrison. Urschel KO and Jensen stoned'em today!! Monroe and Zuttah would of struggled against athletic power rushers. Jensen and Urschel punched the bullies in the mouth today!! He and Urschel are better options than Zuttah in my opinion. Both are strong and nasty

I think Stanley and Tunsil are still both realistic options. One should make it to us.

[The Raven]

KO really struggled today at LT. He was getting beat both inside and outside at times today. A lot of times Jensen had to help him out and double team #95 because he kept getting beat by him. I wasn't watching him every snap but the snaps I did he just didn't do well.

 

Going to completely disagree with you and say that KO's price got even bigger after today. He could have done better on some pass plays, but KO did anything but struggle today. He played a good game overall. His run blocking is something we haven't seen from a left tackle since Mike Oher's only good season. His footwork in pass protection is getting better every day.

[ALSKAN RAVEN FAN]

If Oz can afford it I like it KO is a solid O-line guy that can play multiple O-line positions.

[GrimCoconut]

Going to completely disagree with you and say that KO's price got even bigger after today. He could have done better on some pass plays, but KO did anything but struggle today. He played a good game overall. His run blocking is something we haven't seen from a left tackle since Mike Oher's only good season. His footwork in pass protection is getting better every day.

I didn't watch him on every play and I was actually at the game, but was in the endzone, so it was tough to consistently see how he was. Still, I recall several moments where I saw him getting beat and Jensen sliding over to help him. He definitely played well in the run game, though. I agree there. I just didn't see him winning like I hoped as a pass protector when I did watch him. 

Edited December 28, 2015 by GrimCoconut

[ellicottraven]

I think Stanley and Tunsil are still both realistic options. One should make it to us.

I seriously doubt either will be available when we pick. I don't think we are top 5 anymore with this win. We may be top 10 however. I think we can either pick up Hargreaves III or Ramsey then.

[GrimCoconut]

I seriously doubt either will be available when we pick. I don't think we are top 5 anymore with this win. We may be top 10 however. I think we can either pick up Hargreaves III or Ramsey then.

I think one of them will be there. There's always a guy who is a late-riser in the draft, and teams ahead of us could use a QB. Re-signing KO is a bit iffy for me, IMO. Re-signing him doesn't really affect whether or not we draft a LT high, however, as I think it would just mean we would put him or the new draft pick at LG and have the other as a swing LT in the event of injury. Cowboys are unlikely to take a LT, same goes for the Niners. Dolphins could take a LT, but I just don't see it yet but it's possible. Jaguars may, but then again, they have Joeckel so that's also up in the air.

 

The real question is KO and what we do with him and whether we see him as a LT and if we re-sign him. Re-signing KO would reduce our need to draft a LT high, and would also mean we could take a guy a little later. I think we'd take Stanley or Tunsil if they're  there, however, and put KO back at LG. 

[757RavensFan]

After seeing how versatile KO is, I think Ozzie does his best to keep him.  Having two starting guards that can play tackle pretty well is rare and something you want to hold on to. 

Edited December 28, 2015 by 757RavensFan

[Filmstudy]

I rewatched the game and scored the OL on Monday night. Here are the raw numbers and score:

Osemele vs. Steelers:

73 Plays, 64 blocks, 5 Missed, 1 penetration, 1 (2 X half charges) pressure, 1 QH, 1 false start, 54 points (.74 per play). With an adjustment for Harrison/Jarvis Jones, that's a high C.

He had 3 highlight blocks. The best of those was his cave in of Harrison to open a gaping hole on 3rd and 2 (Q4, 3:46). However, Tuitt beat Yanda badly to the inside to take down West before he could turn towards the great wide open

[rmw10]

I don't think it'll be too terribly hard salary cap wise to keep him, assuming he wants to stay and doesn't get to the open market of course. The Ravens are notorious for back loading and will do what they have to in order to get/keep certain players. If they think he's a realistic LT option, I think they'll find a way to get it done. Remember that we'll likely be talking $1M base salary + the prorated portion of the signing bonus.

I'm by no means confident that it will happen, but I think the move to LT actually improves the odds of him staying, despite the price increase probability.

[PurpleCity5]

I don't think it'll be too terribly hard salary cap wise to keep him, assuming he wants to stay and doesn't get to the open market of course. The Ravens are notorious for back loading and will do what they have to in order to get/keep certain players. If they think he's a realistic LT option, I think they'll find a way to get it done. Remember that we'll likely be talking $1M base salary + the prorated portion of the signing bonus.

I'm by no means confident that it will happen, but I think the move to LT actually improves the odds of him staying, despite the price increase probability.

I think what also factors into it is our FAs for 2017, Will Hill, Brandon Williams and Ricky Wagner. Assuming Wagner regains his form it would be tough to not keep him here, same can be said for Brandon Williams who has been a rock on our Dline. Resigning K.O would make it tough to extend either of them over the summer. I think we need to keep at least one of those three guys here. I would prefer to keep 2 out of 3 of them, but I would definitely understand if we can only keep one. It would honestly hurt us to lose all three. 

 

On the other hand, we do need a LT badly if Monroe is truly gone and K.O could be our best option. In the event that Tunsil or Stanley fall to us, then we move K.O back to LG, and if one of the rookie LTs go down to injury, then you move K.O back to LT. 

 

I trust Ozzie to make the best decision, but its surely a tough predicament. 

[rmw10]

I think what also factors into it is our FAs for 2017, Will Hill, Brandon Williams and Ricky Wagner. Assuming Wagner regains his form it would be tough to not keep him here, same can be said for Brandon Williams who has been a rock on our Dline. Resigning K.O would make it tough to extend either of them over the summer. I think we need to keep at least one of those three guys here. I would prefer to keep 2 out of 3 of them, but I would definitely understand if we can only keep one. It would honestly hurt us to lose all three.

On the other hand, we do need a LT badly if Monroe is truly gone and K.O could be our best option. In the event that Tunsil or Stanley fall to us, then we move K.O back to LG, and if one of the rookie LTs go down to injury, then you move K.O back to LT.

I trust Ozzie to make the best decision, but its surely a tough predicament.

That is absolutely true. I'm definitely not saying it's a sure thing, but if history is any indication, we'll find a way to make it work if it's a guy we really want. Assuming the stuff about Monroe is true and he's on his way out, then we're going to need a LT. We can't necessarily afford to wait until the draft and hope a guy makes it to us. We're going to have to pony up and pay someone if we want a quality LT. If that's the case, KO seems like the best bet. The only other real option would be to find an older guy that we can sign to a relatively cheap deal and hope we get a guy in th draft/revisit next offseason.

[The Raven]

That is absolutely true. I'm definitely not saying it's a sure thing, but if history is any indication, we'll find a way to make it work if it's a guy we really want. Assuming the stuff about Monroe is true and he's on his way out, then we're going to need a LT. We can't necessarily afford to wait until the draft and hope a guy makes it to us. We're going to have to pony up and pay someone if we want a quality LT. If that's the case, KO seems like the best bet. The only other real option would be to find an older guy that we can sign to a relatively cheap deal and hope we get a guy in th draft/revisit next offseason.

 

Personally, I love what I've seen from KO at LT, and I think he has franchise LT potential. He brings a nastiness to the position that Monroe never had.

[edthehead]

I do not know if it has been said,but KO versatility at LT and LG equates to a 3rd round comp pick from the NFL,,

at best we draft a LT and let them play LG until 2017 when we can afford to cut/trade monroe. We have money tied up at that position.Purple city had some good info pertaining to Hill,Williams and Wagner. I like KO and would love to keep KO, he will get big money and he has a history of missing games,2 things we can not afford. 

[PurpleCity5]

That is absolutely true. I'm definitely not saying it's a sure thing, but if history is any indication, we'll find a way to make it work if it's a guy we really want. Assuming the stuff about Monroe is true and he's on his way out, then we're going to need a LT. We can't necessarily afford to wait until the draft and hope a guy makes it to us. We're going to have to pony up and pay someone if we want a quality LT. If that's the case, KO seems like the best bet. The only other real option would be to find an older guy that we can sign to a relatively cheap deal and hope we get a guy in th draft/revisit next offseason.

Yeah its a big risk to wait for someone to fall to us. I would hate to see us without K.O and nothing at LT and forced to put Hurst there....*Cringes*. I think we'll have someone at LT before the draft regardless. IF someone falls to us then we can take him. K.O offers us insurance and just like you said, if Ozzie really wants to keep a guy, he will try his hardest to keep him. I also consider LT to be a spot aggressively filled along the likes of cornerbacks. It's a shame Monroe has not worked out for us because we have a lot of needs to filll. 

[CalvinSmoke]

Osemele-Jensen-Zuttah-Yanda-Wagner

That lineup right there has some road graters! If only zutgah and Wagner were a tad bit stringer!

[rmcjacket23]

I do not know if it has been said,but KO versatility at LT and LG equates to a 3rd round comp pick from the NFL,,

at best we draft a LT and let them play LG until 2017 when we can afford to cut/trade monroe. We have money tied up at that position.Purple city had some good info pertaining to Hill,Williams and Wagner. I like KO and would love to keep KO, he will get big money and he has a history of missing games,2 things we can not afford. 

Contract is what typically dictates the comp pick round, not versatility or even performance that much.

 

Considering we are likely only going to get a 4th for McPhee, who projects to get a bigger contract than KO, I wouldn't bank on getting a 3rd for him. A 4th is more realistic.