While the Ravens will return almost every key piece of their offense from last year, one is notably absent. Following the loss of Patrick Mekari in free agency, Baltimore was left with one hole to fill along the offensive line.
On Wednesday, Zachary Pereles of CBS Sports compiled a list of 50 “under-the-radar” players “who could shape the 2025 season.” Only one Ravens player – LG Andrew Vorhees – appeared on the list. But, he will play a vital role in determining their offensive success.
Ravens LG Andrew Vorhees Ready for a Much Larger Role in 2025
While offensive linemen rarely get as much shine as they deserve, the Ravens’ elite rushing attack has a way of thrusting them into the spotlight. Following an ACL tear during the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine, Vorhees dropped from an early-to-mid round pick all the way to the seventh round. That injury also cost him his entire rookie year.
Once he was able to show the Ravens his skillset, Vorhees earned the starting spot to begin the 2024 season. He started the first 3 games, playing 100% of the snaps. Unfortunately, he suffered an ankle injury that rendered him inactive for Weeks 4 and 5. His replacement, Patrick Mekari, took over from there and never gave the starting spot back.
With Mekari’s departure for the Jaguars, the Ravens will need Vorhees to reclaim his starting spot and perform more consistently.
“He produced mixed results in limited action last year,” wrote Pereles.
Numbers 16 through 31 on Pereles’ list of the most impactful “under-the-radar” players are all offensive linemen, and Vorhees slotted in at No. 26. Pereles ranked only five guards ahead of Vorhees.
But, others aren’t as confident in Vorhees’ abilities heading into this season. Glenn Erby of Ravens Wire listed him at No. 23 on his list of the 30 most important Ravens of 2025.
“In his second season, Vorhees had a 57.2 grade according to PFF and a run block grade of 56.1, which ranked 100th out of 136 qualified players,” Erby wrote.
Erby called Vorhees the “weak link” on the offensive line. But, he believes the rest of the unit puts Derrick Henry “in position for a 2,000-yard rushing season.”
Vorhees Locked Into Most “High-Profile” Position Battle This Offseason
Even though Vorhees recovered fully last season, the Ravens viewed Patrick Mekari as the better option. But, Mekari’s absence won’t leave Vorhees as the default starter.
“While Vorhees is the favorite, he has to win it,” Ravens Staff Writer Clifton Brown wrote last week.
Brown detailed the competitions brewing along the offensive line ahead of training camp. He wrote that Vorhees is locked into the team’s “most high-profile competition” at left guard.
Ravens guard Ben Cleveland has gone through a rough offseason. But, as of now, he’s still in line to compete with Vorhees for the Ravens starting left guard spot. Vorhees seems to have the upper hand, but it would benefit him greatly to win the starting job convincingly.
Elsewhere on the offensive line, the Ravens seem well-positioned for another deep playoff run. Center Tyler Linderbaum is a certified star. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley looks ready for another Pro Bowl run, following a string of injuries from 2020-2022. Rookie Roger Rosengarten served as a solid option at right tackle last season.
Among Jeff Zrebiec’s list of the 10 biggest Ravens storylines heading into training camp, the offensive line slotted in at No. 6. While he focused on their lack of depth, Zrebiec noted that the Ravens are in a much better position than they were at this time last year.
“This question was far more prominent at this time last year because the Ravens lost both their starting guards and their right tackle and had three vacancies to fill,” Zrebiec wrote. “Yet, there hasn’t been a whole lot of angst about how Baltimore will replace them.”
That certainly has to do with the lack of available free agent options. But, the Ravens may also feel like Vorhees is ready to take his starting spot back.
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