Moby Grape is missing… well, actually the Ravens’ gigantic left tackle Bryant McKinnie has failed to report on time to Ravens training camp, and that’s a big deal…and a big hole to fill on the offensive line if McKinnie is going to be away for any extended period of time.
Funny, I expected Ed Reed to hold out of camp for awhile…but there he was, reporting on Day 1 with the veterans. I did not expect Haloti Ngata to be absent… but he was also missing from Day 1 with an approved excuse.
Bryant McKinnie solidified the left side of the Ravens offensive line in 2011 after being acquired as a free agent… He was expected to report on time and in shape in 2012… but is absent for reported “personal reasons”… the plot thickens.
Now Michael Oher is playing left tackle. That move is not considered an upgrade. Oher has had some difficulty mastering “the Blind Side” at the pro level.
Coach John Harbaugh made it clear after Thursday’s practice that he believes fourth-year lineman Michael Oher can be the Ravens starting left tackle.
McKinnie’s timetable for a return is unclear, and Harbaugh didn’t want to get into the specifics of his absence. “He contacted us through a representative, he’s dealing with an issue right now,” Harbaugh said. “I don’t really want to speak for him on that.”
When the Ravens drafted Oher in the first round in 2009, they selected him to ideally play on the left side. He has started every game since coming into the league, but last played left tackle in 2010. Oher has spent much of this offseason working on the left side. He took the first-team reps at left tackle during Thursday’s practice, and also played there during the Organized Team Activities and minicamp.
The 26-year-old lineman said he doesn’t have a preference in terms of which position he plays. “It’s all football and I’m just holding it down until whatever happens,” Oher said after practice. “I just do whatever they ask me to do. That’s why they brought me here, just to play football and I’m just glad to be part of the team. I’ll just play whatever they want.”
With Oher on the left side, the next question for the Ravens is who will be the starter at right tackle. Rookie Kelechi Osemele (back), second-year tackle Jah Reid (calf) and third-year tackle Ramon Harewood (ankle) would be the most likely candidates, but all three of them missed Thursday’s practice because of injuries.
Osemele and Reid are expected to return soon, but the timetable for Harewood is unknown after he rolled his ankle. When all three get back on the field, Harbaugh expects a tight battle for the job. “We have to find a right tackle and there will be a heated competition for that spot,” Harbaugh said.
Okay, Big Mike. Last time you were at LT, Flacco was ducking defenders and marching off penalties.
The general attitude of Ravens fans so far has been— either release McKinnie or get him back to Baltimore fast! But leave Big Mike at right tackle…he’s much more effective there at the NFL level.
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