More than 24 hours before free agency officially opened, the Ravens have all but officially lost their best player from this year’s class.
According to NFL Network, fifth-year offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele has agreed in principle to a deal with the Oakland Raiders that’s expected to pay him more than $11 million per season. The contract will reportedly make the 2012 second-round pick one of the five highest-paid offensive linemen in the league.
The Ravens had hoped to keep Osemele and planned to permanently move him to left tackle, but it soon became apparent after they made an “aggressive” offer that interest from competing teams with more salary cap space were going to be too much to overcome. With Osemele having only started four games at left tackle in his NFL career and the Ravens already extending five-time Pro Bowl right guard Marshal Yanda last fall, it would have been too great a risk to pay Osemele lucrative money solely to play a position where he remains relatively unproven.
Much of the angst regarding Osemele’s status has stemmed from the disappointing return on the five-year, $37.5 million contract awarded to left tackle Eugene Monroe two years ago. Since signing that deal in March of 2013, the 28-year-old has started just 16 games and has fallen out of the good graces of the organization, evident from general manager Ozzie Newsome’s lukewarm endorsement this offseason.
As much as critics have pointed to Monroe’s health problems over the last two years, it’s worth noting that Osemele missed 13 games over the last three seasons and underwent major back surgery in 2013.
Monroe is scheduled to carry an $8.7 million cap figure for 2016, but cutting him prior to June 1 would create just $2.1 million in space and $6.6 million in dead money on the cap. With Osemele joining the Raiders, the Ravens would also be without a starting left tackle if they decided to cut Monroe.
While many mock drafts have linked the Ravens to Notre Dame left tackle Ronnie Stanley with the sixth overall pick in April, the organization might be better off — for cap purposes and on the field — sticking with Monroe for another season while aiming to draft an offensive tackle with some upside in the second or third round. At the very least, this could upgrade the backup plan that includes James Hurst, who played poorly filling in for Monroe in 2015 before eventually being replaced by Osemele.
Further complicating the situation is the fact that right tackle Rick Wagner is set to become an unrestricted free agent next winter.
Young offensive linemen John Urschel and Ryan Jensen are expected to compete for the starting left guard job.
