Finding a solution for the starting left guard spot remains near the top of the to-do list for the Baltimore Ravens this offseason, and it’s been taken for granted Andrew Vorhees is the next man up, but the former seventh-round draft pick could miss out to a forgotten veteran, based on the early pecking order at OTAs.
The session on Wednesday, May 28 left Ravens.com Editorial Director Ryan Mink urging people not to “rule out Ben Cleveland as a potential starter at left guard. While Andrew Vorhees has been considered the front-runner for the open job, it looks like Cleveland will get a chance this offseason. The offensive line did get shuffled a bit Wednesday with the absence of Daniel Faalele, who Harbaugh said is working through some physical issues.”
Cleveland had become a forgotten name after being left out in the cold last season. He couldn’t supplant Patrick Mekari, but the latter jumping ship to the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2025 NFL free agency has offered Cleveland a path back to the starting lineup.
Competition will be intense, though, with Vorhees likely to stay in the mix to make a key spot in front of franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson his own.
Ben Cleveland Still Has Value for Ravens
Cleveland hardly won over his head coach last season, when John Harbaugh was blunt about why the 2021 NFL draft third-round pick wasn’t starting. Harbaugh was talking about Cleveland being supplanted by Daniel Faalele at the right guard spot.
Ironically, Cleveland’s versatility actually gives him an excellent chance to get back into a prominent position. So does Cleveland’s imposing physical profile.
The 6-foot-6 360-pounder fits the massive, power-heavy template the Ravens prefer in the trenches. That wasn’t enough to get him starting reps up front last season, but Cleveland kept himself busy with work on special teams, memorably blocking a field goal during a win over the Washington Commanders in Week 6.
Staying healthy has to be the priority for Cleveland, who spent time on injured reserve with a knee problem in 2021 and missed games a year later with foot issues. He was also arrested and charged for DUI in Milledgeville, Georgia by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office (h/t Adam Thompson of CBS and WJZ News) on February 12.
Using the rest of the offseason to get onto the field and stay there, while impressing his coaches, can help Cleveland win a stiff competition.
Ravens Have Options at Left Guard
Vorhees is a popular name to replace Mekari because he’s a 6-foot-6, 320-pounder with underrated move skills. The ex-USC standout is also somebody who lost his rookie season to a torn ACL in 2023.
Fortunately, Vorhees isn’t the only viable option to take over at left guard. There’s also a pair of rookies, Emery Jones Jr. and Carson Vinson.
As Kyle Crabbs of AtoZ Sports noted, “the team clearly has big intentions” for this year’s third-round pick Jones. He played right tackle at LSU, but Jones will transition better to guard in the pros once he returns from the shoulder injury that Harbaugh believes might leave him inactive until training camp, per Mink’s colleague Clifton Brown.
Add in veteran Joseph Noteboom, and the Ravens will exhaust all options to find the best new starter next to All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley.
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