As the Ravens sat for days under the assumption that defensive end Maxx Crosby was going to be on their books, while simultaneously pursuing free agent pass rusher Trey Hendrickson, the rest of the roster got decimated in free agency. As the team watched key contributors like tight end Isaiah Likely, fullback Patrick Ricard, safeties Ar’Darius Washington and Alohi Gilman, and even punter Jordan Stout exit left and right, the biggest hit came in the middle, when the Raiders — whom Baltimore would soon spurn — drew first blood, signing center Tyler Linderbaum to a market-setting deal.

The Ravens already had work to do along the offensive line as the perception entering the offseason was that improvements were needed at the interior guard spots. Baltimore spent most of the season starting Daniel Faalele and Andrew Vorhees at offensive guard, and by the end of the season, Pro Football Focus (subscription required) graded them out as the 52nd- and 59th-best guards, respectively, out of 79 players graded at the position. Vorhees is still under contract for another season, but Faalele’s contract expired alongside Linderbaum’s.

So far, the Ravens have responded to the losses by reuniting with veteran guard John Simpson and little-used, rotational interior lineman Jovaughn Gwyn. As it stands right now, Simpson could slip into the guard spot opposite Vorhees while Ronnie Stanley and Roger Rosengarten man the bookend tackle roles. Per PFF, Simpson is only a slight upgrade over Faalele, graded as the 51st-best guard. Second-year third-round pick Emery Jones Jr. could also compete for a starting role along the interior. At center, though, without Linderbaum, the team currently only has Corey Bullock, an undrafted signee from two years ago.

Clearly, more additions are needed to build a full offensive line. Unfortunately, the market for effective interior lineman has risen to a point of stagnation, where no one is making any moves. According to Jeff Zrebiec, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta relayed plans to bring a few offensive linemen in over the next couple of weeks. He followed up that comment a couple days later by telling the media that the team “won’t make any huge moves in the weeks ahead.” DeCosta felt more opportunities to improve the roster could surface over time, though the team might be slowing down their processes a bit so that any more free agent signings won’t be attributed to the team’s compensatory draft formula.

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