The young and talented offensive line of the Ravens is one of the big reasons for optimism entering 2010.  I wanted to do a recap of their 2009 season and a synopsis of each of the lineman with significant playing time.

I’ve given each player 3 grades:

• The 2009 grade is a pure representation of how well he played vs. his positional peers last season.  It is not a representation of value relative to salary.
• The 2009 developmental grade is an indication of how much the player improved relative to expectation.  The primary reason to expect growth (or decline) is age, but injuries (particularly changes to prospective durability), leadership, position changes, etc. were all lumped in this category.
• The future expectations grade is an indication of the level of performance we can expect from the player over the next 3 seasons.   

I have specifically avoided discussion of value relative to salary going forward because we don’t have a complete picture of what the cap rules and salary climate will be over the next few years.

If you are interested to see how my scoring system works, please check out this link:

Jared Gaither

The play that defined Jared’s season came in week 4 at New England.  Jared suffered a neck injury and was carried from the field.  He would go on to miss 5 ½ games for the season.  When he played, he played very well, but he was on the field for approximately 250 less snaps than most of the healthy starters in the league.

·        Matchup he most dominated:  Wilfork in the Wild Card (“WC”) game or Freeney at home in week 11.  Take your pick.

·        Was most overmatched by:  Clay Matthews in week 13 at Green Bay.

·        2009 Grade:  B. Jared played well, but it could be argued he caused 2 replacement level players in the game when he was hurt.  He can only be charged for 1.

·        2009 Development Grade:  C+.  He essentially replicated his fine 2008 season, but at age 23, the Ravens could have hoped for more.

·        Future Expectations Grade:  B+.  Durability is the only concern.

·        What makes him special:  Ability to dominate big, physical pass rushers; extremely physical in the run game and stays with his blocks well.

·        What he needs to work on:  Avoiding penalties, finding techniques to counter edge rushers that get small.

·        What we learned about him in 2009:  The Ravens can’t do without him.

Ben Grubbs

·        Matchup he most dominated:  Keisel and Hampton in week 16 at Pittsburgh.  He missed just 1 block as I have it scored.

·        Was most overmatched by:  Kevin Williams (primarily) in week 6 at Minnesota.  He surrendered 2.5 QHs, a sack, and a penetration in that game.

·        2009 Grade:  B. Ben had a good pass-blocking year and improved his run blocking from well below average to slightly below average. 

·        2009 Development Grade:  B+.  He played much better in the last few weeks and playoffs.  If additional improvement relative to his age can be projected in 2010, he will justify his 29^th selection status.

·        Future Expectations Grade:  B+.  Based on his age, current status with the voters, and dearth of talent at left guard in the AFC, Ben has better than 50% chance to make the Pro Bowl in 1 of the next 2 seasons.  If he signs his next contract with the Ravens, he’ll be a contender for the Ring of Honor.

·        What makes him special:  Pass blocking technique, mobility to pull and connect in level 2.

·        What he needs to work on:  Being shed or deeked too easily at the LoS, judgment on when to move to level 2.

·        What we learned about him in 2009:  Iron man?  His next start will make 50 in a row.  He was the only Ravens’ lineman to play every snap in 2009.

Matt Birk

·        Matchup he most dominated:  He had a number of fine games, but we knew the Ravens had something special when he connected on 83 of 85 blocks in the opener against the Chiefs.  Tank Tyler and Corey Mays were his primary victims that day.

·        Was most overmatched by:  Mike Wright, who beat him for a sack and a half in week 4 at New England.

·        2009 Grade:  A. He was the Ravens best off-season move for 2009 value.

·        Development Grade:  A. Matt was a 33-year old, 6-time pro bowler when he got here, so I’m basing this development grade on 2 factors.  First, he significantly outplayed his own expected decline by improving on his 2008 campaign at Minnesota.  Additionally, I’d have to give him some credit for the solidification of the line as a whole.  When healthy and in position, they were a dominant unit.

·        Future Expectations Grade:  B. I would certainly expect some personal decline in 2010.  However, Matt should continue to be a positive influence on the remainder of the offensive line. 

·        What makes him special:  The ability, desire, and judgment to find blocks in level 2, pad level, first step, and leverage when run blocking.  Without knowing the locker room dynamic, I ascribe him leadership value based on the improvement of Grubbs.

·        What he needs to work on:  What can you expect a 34-year old to work on?  Conditioning perhaps?

·        What we learned about him in 2009:  He was a tremendous value.  Brown was good in 2008, but Birk was better at half the price.

Marshal Yanda

Marshal may not have been fully healed when the season began and though he was used as a 6th linemen, his only significant pre-bye play came at RT when he replaced Michael Oher.  In week 12 he was reinstated as the starting RG.

·        Matchup he most dominated:  Kirschke, Hampton, and Farrior vs. Pittsburgh in week 12.  Reviewing that game, Marshal was pushing those 3 around all game.

·        Was most overmatched by:  Whoever the Vikings put up against him in week 6.  The whole line was terrible that day and despite the Ravens’ game effort in Q4, they may have suffered their biggest injury of the season when Flacco’s ankle was rolled.

·        2009 Grade:  B. Had he played all season at RG, he would have been an A and had a good chance to make the Pro Bowl.  When playing guard, he picked up at the same high level he had played through the first 5 games of 2008.  It’s now clear the coaches waited too long to reinsert him as the starter. 

·        Development Grade:  A-.  Played extremely well down the stretch.  As a pass blocker, I have him for just 1.5 sacks, 3 QHs, and 2 holding penalties in his 8 games (including the playoffs) at guard.  That’s solid for half a season.

·        Future Expectations Grade:  A-.  He’s got the skills to be a Pro Bowler and has outplayed Grubbs each of the last 2 seasons when healthy.

·        What makes him special:  Nasty mauler able to win 1-on-1 battles at the point of attack; devastating pull blocker when he connects; he pulled a season high (for any Raven) 19 of 49 running plays (excludes 3 kneels) versus the Pats in the playoffs and connected on 15 to open some big holes.   

·        What he needs to work on:  Field vision.  He trips more when in traffic than the other linemen.  While effective when he finds a block, in the aforementioned WC game, he allowed a penetration and missed 3 times on his pulls.  Based on his size, I’d guess it’s correctable.

·        What we learned about him in 2009:  He’s not a swingman, he’s a guard.  Would you play Larry Little at RT to fill in for an injury?

Michael Oher

·        Matchup he most dominated:  He played well in the opener, frustrating Mike Vrabel and Tyson Jackson.  I have him missing 4 blocks plus 1 other penetration that game for a .91 score against good individual opposition.

·        Was most overmatched by:  Jared Allen in week 6 or Harrison in week 16 versus the Steelers, both at LT.  The Ravens were so collectively overmatched by the Vikings line it was hard to single out Michael, but he registered the lowest score I had ever recorded to that point.  When he was getting beat by Harrison in week 16, Oniel Cousins was in his usual spot at RT chiseling a Hall of Fame bust for Woodley.  Cousins set a new standard for failure that day.

·        2009 Grade:  B. He played very well at RT, so his grade is similar to Yanda.  PFF has his overall season at +4.5, but that works out as +13.6 in 13 games at RT and -9.1 in 5 games at LT. 

·         Development Grade:  B+.  He’s certainly ahead of the game with his play at RT, but I’m at a loss to see a reason why he should be moved to LT.

·        Future Expectations Grade:  A. He has outplayed the other 1^st round selections so far and he’s playing with a talented group of line mates who should accentuate his positives.   

·        What makes him special:  Brutal run blocker who stays with blocks as long as I have ever seen.  One Raven commented that “there is always someone mad at him” for blocking to the whistle.  He’ll probably draw a few penalties over the course of his career (the Ravens’ version of Heinz Ward) for that unless he can learn to avoid retaliating.  I know of no one better once he gets to the body.  As a rookie, Oher got away with beating the snap more than I’ve ever seen.  Give him the old Tivo test and watch to see how many clicks it is between his first movement and the initial movement of the ball.  You’ll see he’s often 1 to 4 clicks (pause and FF) early and he’s rarely called for a false start on those plays.  It has a card sharp’s quality about it as a furiously moving right hand may be covering his early body movement.  That’s a calculated gamble which is allowing him to get better set to pass block, but he can’t use the technique to run block since he’d be crossing the line of scrimmage.

·        What he needs to work on:  Needs to learn to punch effectively and read his opponent’s move better when pass blocking.  The latter fault is costing him some misses when run blocking as well.  Like Gaither, he needs to reduce penalties.

·        What we learned about him in 2009:  He has the tools and talent to play RT at a very high level.  He allowed just 3 sacks in 13 games at RT, but 3 sacks in 5 games at LT.

Chris Chester

·        Matchup he most dominated:  He played effectively as the 6^th lineman in Jumbo packages in the WC game at New England.  In that game he registered 26 of 27 blocks.  He went out for a pass once, which I believe was the only time all season he was not used as a set blocker.

·        Was most overmatched by:  Assorted Bengals pass rushers in week 9.  I scored him allowing parts of 3 sacks (1 + ½ + 1/3) to Geathers and Brandon Johnson.

·        2009 Value Grade:  C. He’s a good reserve inside lineman who is well above the replacement level, but not good enough to play regularly for this team.

·        Development Grade:  D+.  He’s now 27, but played better in 2008.  The RG job was his to lose, and that’s what he did.

·        Future Expectations Grade:  C. I’d love for the Ravens to keep him at the right price, but I expect some team will want to pay him veteran starter money by 2011.  I think it’s unlikely anyone will match a 2^nd round tender for him.   

·        What makes him special:  Versatility, mobility, good run blocker

·        What he needs to work on:  Physically beaten when pass blocking.  Some of it may be technique, but he may not be big enough.

·        What we learned about him in 2009:  He is who he is.  That’s not a bad player, but I don’t see a reason to project future improvement.

Oniel Cousins

·        Matchup he most dominated:  He played effectively versus the Lions when he avoided any pass blocking errors and missed just 4 blocks for a .94 score.  His primary assignment that day was Jason Hunter.  Ever heard of him before?  Me neither.

·        Was most overmatched by:  Lamar Woodley in week 16.  Anything that ugly should be made into a VD film.  It was by far the worst game I’ve ever scored for a Ravens lineman (.31 points per play).

·        2009 Value Grade:  D-. He nearly got the Ravens’ QB’s killed in the preseason, was forced into service for 3 games late in the season, yet somehow kept Tony Moll off the field.

·        Development Grade:  F. He’ll be 26 before the 2010 season begins.  It’s not apparent why he won’t be challenged by either Moll or a late-round draftee.

·        Future Expectations Grade:  D. Since he’s a better run blocker than pass blocker, he might be effective at guard where he won’t need to block in as much space.  That might give him some future value, but the Ravens already have 3 guards who can play.

·        What makes him special:  Physical run blocker.

·        What he needs to work on:  He’s allegedly athletic, but very poor in space.