The Ravens’ offensive line rebuilding effort will include a new starting right tackle.
Baltimore is trading Morgan Moses to the New York Jets, a source with direct knowledge of the deal confirmed to The Baltimore Sun. The Ravens will swap fourth-round draft picks with the Jets, going from No. 135 overall to No. 113, and also get New York’s sixth-round compensatory pick (No. 218 overall), according to ESPN, which first reported the deal.
The move gives Baltimore additional draft capital while clearing $5.5 million in salary cap space.
It also means that the Ravens’ offensive line, which helped clear the way for the NFL’s top rushing attack and helped quarterback Lamar Jackson to a career-high 3,678 passing yards in earning his second NFL Most Valuable Player Award, will look significantly different next season, with center Tyler Linderbaum and left tackle Ronnie Stanley the only returning starters as of now.
Earlier this week, free agent guard John Simpson agreed to sign with the Jets, while Baltimore’s other starting guard, Kevin Zeitler, remains a free agent.
The trade clears the way for Patrick Mekari, Daniel Faalele or a newcomer to take over at right tackle.
“The offensive line is where it starts,” coach John Harbaugh said at the NFL scouting combine two weeks ago. “We talked about that in 2008. It’s been true forever. You win in the trenches first. So we think we’re offensive-line-centric in our philosophy. And we’ve got some question marks in our offensive line, so there’s going to be some rebuilding that’s going to have to be done in there, and we’re getting to it already.
“It’s going to be really probably the most important thing we do on offense.”
Moses, 33, struggled with injuries during the second half of last season but has been one of the game’s best pass blockers the past two seasons, a strong run blocker and a leader in the locker room. In joining the Jets, he reunites with Simpson and the team he played for in 2021 after seven seasons in Washington.
Meanwhile, the Ravens will have nine picks in next month’s NFL draft, including the 30th overall selection and six more in the top 218. It’s widely projected to be a deep class of offensive linemen, with as many as nine potentially being picked in the first round.
