John Harbaugh knows the starting offensive line for the Baltimore Ravens will remain fluid, so the head coach doesn’t want any of last season’s starters getting complacent. Particularly not a “make-or-break” player in the trenches.
Speaking to reporters at Ravens minicamp on Wednesday, June 18, Harbaugh said Daniel Faalele and Andrew Vorhees are “in the lead” to start at the guard spots in 2025. Yet, Harbaugh also cautioned “they know they have to play well,” per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.
Harbaugh said that Vorhees and Faalele are “in the lead” for starting guard jobs “but they know they have to play well.”
The coach has struck an ominous tone, particularly for right guard Faalele, who might’ve thought he’d done enough last season to be unchallenged headed into a new campaign. Harbaugh’s comments are a timely reminder nothing is set in stone up front for the Ravens.
A note of caution makes sense when Faalele is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and “his potential improvement will be crucial for his career and Baltimore’s chances to win the Super Bowl this season,” according to Dalton Wasserman of Pro Football Focus.
Wasserman named Faalele as the make-or-break player for the Ravens in 2025, while chiding him for posting a “mediocre 61.8 PFF overall grade.” The number belies some of the impressive reps Faalele put on tape during his first year along the interior.
Daniel Faalele Played Above Expectations Last Season
Opinion appears divided among statistics gatherers about how well Faalele performed last season. His efforts didn’t impress the PFF graders, but The 33rd Team credited No. 77 as “the only OL that started both weeks of the playoffs and allowed just 1 Pressure.”
The same source also included Faalele on a list of offensive linemen who “played 1,000+ snaps and allowed 1 or 0 sacks in 2024.” Those are impressive stats for a fourth-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft who played guard for the first time in the pros.
A fairer assessment of Faalele’s campaign is to admit he flashed moments of the physical dominance that make him an asset for the Ravens up front. Like when the 6-foot-8, 380-pounder knocked open a huge cutback lane for Derrick Henry to exploit against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the postseason, highlighted by Ravens.com Editorial Director Ryan Mink.
Asked about Derrick Henry’s long touchdown run, Patrick Queen said, “I don’t want to talk about it.”
Daniel Faalele cleared a wide lane, allowing Tyler Linderbaum to quickly climb to Queen and it was all over.
Queen opted not to dive at Henry’s legs and got stiff-armed instead.
Faalele’s mass and aggressive playing style fit the smash-mouth identity of Baltimore’s offense perfectly. Yet, the primary responsibility of any Ravens blocker is fast becoming keeping two-time NFL MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson upright long enough to target a growing group of talented receivers.
The Ravens aren’t short of alternatives if Faalele can’t get the job done, including a “dark horse” candidate.
Ravens Still Looking for Security at Both Guard Spots
Most of the focus this offseason has been on replacing last season’s starting left guard Patrick Mekari. He joined the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency, but the Ravens have been content to let in-house alternatives do battle, with Vorhees leading the way.
Harbaugh confirmed as much, but Mink believes there are still questions veteran Ben Cleveland could answer: “I would consider Cleveland to be a dark horse, but he has a chance to claim that job.”
Cleveland remains in the mix to start, but the 26-year-old could also slide over to the right side, if needed. So could 2025 draft picks Emery Jones Jr., Carson Vinson and Garrett Dellinger.
The Ravens love to stockpile O-linemen in the middle and later rounds then reshape them into new positions in the pros. It’s worked for Faalele, but the ongoing process means he can’t get complacent.
