Chances to Start Slipping for Ravens Lineman

Baltimore Ravens guard Ben Cleveland may be facing an uphill battle to start this season.

Aug 11, 2022; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens guard Ben Cleveland (66) walks the sidelines during the first half against the Tennessee Titans at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

With the Baltimore Ravens having to bring in three new starting offensive linemen this season, it's a great chance for those previously lower on the depth chart to take that next step.

Chief among those players is guard Ben Cleveland, a 2021 third-round pick who has started just seven of 37 games over three seasons. The 6-6, 360-pound behemoth was considered the favorite to earn the starting right guard job earlier in the offseason, but now, the conversation has shifted.

In his Week 1 stock report, The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec noted how Cleveland's stock has fallen through the early days of training camp, and that his chances of starting look much more bleak.

"Andrew Vorhees entered camp as the favorite to start at left guard, and nothing happened in the first week to change that," Zrebiec writes. " [Daniel] Faalele is getting the first opportunity to win the right guard job. Where does that leave Cleveland, who was once perceived as the favorite to start at right guard? There’s still time for Cleveland to get a shot as a starter, but that the Ravens are auditioning a converted tackle inside rather than giving him the early first-team reps probably doesn’t bode well."

Conversely, Faalele, Cleveland's top competition at right guard, has been far more impressive early in camp, with Zrebiec listing him among players whose stock has risen.

"It’s significant that Faalele is getting the first opportunity to win the starting right guard job. That was not the expectation a few months ago, but it’s clear that John Harbaugh and the coaching staff want to get a good look at him in that spot. At this point, he probably has to be considered the favorite — albeit a slight one — over the likes of Ben Cleveland, Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu and Josh Jones."

Cleveland hasn't been particularly great in the games he's played, but one would figure that experience would give him an edge in this competition. However, the fact that he's been passed over for first-team reps is a damning indictment.

If Cleveland doesn't win the starting job, it's fair to wonder how much longer he'll last in Baltimore.

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