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The Competition 2017: Offensive Line

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Returning Players

OG Marshal Yanda (6-foot-3, 305 pounds, 11th season)
LT Ronnie Stanley (6-6, 320, second season)
OL Alex Lewis (6-6, 315, second season)
C/OG John Urschel (6-3, 300, fourth season)
C/OG Ryan Jensen (6-4, 310, fourth season)
OT James Hurst (6-5, 312, fourth season)
OG Jarell Broxton (6-3, 322, first season)
OG Jarrod Pughsley (6-4, 310, first season)
OT De'Ondre Wesley (6-6, 326, third season)
OT Stephane Nembot (6-6, 320, second season)

Rookies

OT Jermaine Eluemunor (6-4, 330, fourth-round pick)
OG Nico Siragusa (6-4, 320, fifth-round pick)
OT Roubbens Joseph (6-4, 312, undrafted)
G Maurquice Shakir (6-4, 308, undrafted)

Projected Starters

The Ravens are returning three starters from last year's unit – Stanley at left tackle, Lewis at left guard and Yanda at right guard. Last year's starting right tackle Rick Wagner departed in free agency for the Detroit Lions and the Ravens traded starting center Jeremy Zuttah to the San Francisco 49ers. Yanda, Stanley and Lewis will certainly be in the starting lineup, but the only uncertainty is whether the Ravens are set on keeping Lewis at left guard. He could also play right tackle or possibly even center, but the Ravens had him working at left guard throughout the offseason program.

Key Role Players

Jensen, Hurst and Urschel are all competing for starting jobs, and the Ravens also want their rookie draft picks in Siragusa and Eluemunor to develop quickly. Baltimore historically keeps about eight offensive linemen on the 53-man roster, and the five-man unit almost never stays completely intact for a full 16-game season. That means the Ravens need to have reliable depth behind the five starters, and the Ravens have a deep crop fighting for those reserve spots on the active roster.

Most Anticipated Battle

The starting jobs at center and right tackle are both open, and the Ravens want to see who stands out once the pads come on during training camp. Jensen and Urschel split the first-team reps at center throughout the offseason program, and it doesn't appear that either has a clear advantage going into camp. Right tackle seems to be a little more in Hurst's grasp, as he worked with the starters throughout the offseason. Nembot and Wesley are also into the mix at right tackle, but they were clearly behind Hurst during offseason practices. The wild-card scenario would be if the Ravens  add a veteran at either position. Owner Steve Bisciotti indicated last month that the Ravens would like to add a lineman at some point, but that move may not come until the middle of training camp. And if the Ravens like what they see in Hurst and Jensen/Urschel, then they may opt to go with the players they already have in-house.

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