Skip to main content

Ravens sign G Kevin Zeitler to 3-year deal ahead of free agency

By Matt Weyrich

Ravens sign Zeitler to 3-year deal ahead of free agency originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

Just two days before free agency begins, the Ravens have signed guard Kevin Zeitler to a three-year, $22 million deal with $16 million guaranteed. ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport were the first to report the figures.

Zeitler, 31, is a former first-round pick who’s spent parts of nine seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals (2012-16), Cleveland Browns (2017-18) and New York Giants (2019-20). The Wisconsin product has appeared in all but nine eligible games since entering the league in 2012.

Pro Football Focus gave Zeitler a player grade of 65.9 in 2020, which ranked 32nd among all guards and represented the lowest grade of his career. He received a 76.4 in 2019 and peaked with an 89.0 in 2014. PFF considered him to be a better pass blocker (68.7) than run blocker (63.0) last season.

Baltimore will likely start Zeitler at right guard, a spot the team struggled to fill in 2020 after Ravens legend Marshal Yanda retired. The move gives the Ravens some clarity on the right side of its offensive line amid trade rumors surrounding right tackle Orlando Brown Jr. Tackle Ronnie Stanley and guard Bradley Bozeman are locked into the two starting spots on the left side.

Zeitler was permitted to sign with the Ravens early after being cut by the Giants last week.

John Harbaugh on Ravens tying all-time preseason record: ‘It’s notable’

By Kevin Brown
Why Harbaugh values Ravens' preseason win streak record originally appeared on NBC Sports WashingtonWith the Orioles mightily struggling with 18 straight losses, Baltimore can take pride in the Ravens tying the all-time NFL record with their 19th straight preseason win on Saturday night. The Ravens comfortably beat the Panthers, 20-3, to tie Green Bay's mark of 19-straight preseason wins from 1959-1962. Baltimore's last preseason loss came ahead of the 2015 season, when the Ravens lost three straight to end preseason and went 5-11 overall. Since their last preseason loss 2,179 days ago, the Ravens have lost 28 regular-season games, won two AFC North crowns, and overhauled a roster centered around fourth-year All-Pro quarterback Lamar Jackson. Aside from the pandemic-altered season last year in which teams did not play any preseason games, the Ravens now have five consecutive unblemished preseason records. For coach John Harbaugh, he believes that success shouldn't be discounted as a fluke. Entering his 14th season at the helm, Harbaugh got deeply philosophical on why exactly he cares about the streak on Saturday.“I mean, there are going to be people that say this doesn’t mean anything, and there are going to be people who look at it and say, ‘Wow, that’s something.’ So, I think everything is something," he said. "I’m of the belief that everything has meaning in life. So, I guess you can take two things; nothing has meaning, and everything has meaning. So, if we’re doing it, it’s worth doing, it matters and it’s worth doing well."Harbaugh took a step back to look at the big picture with his answer, reminiscing on the young players who made impacts to make this streak possible, pointing to people like former Ravens practice squad QB Josh Woodrum, a current free agent who took the most of his preseason opportunity in 2017. "So, I feel like the players [and] coaches that were involved all those times," said Harbaugh. "If you want to look at the big picture of it, all those young players that were out there playing, Josh Woodrum having a game-winning drive, I think. You can go back… Those guys should all take pride in that. All those guys that were part of that over those years should be proud about that tonight because it’s something that only one other team has ever done – the Vince Lombardi Green Bay Packers. I’d say that’s notable.”It's also notable that the recent trend of preseason success has correlated well with the Ravens jumping out of the gates in winning fashion to start their regular-season campaigns. Baltimore has won their first two contests in four of the last five seasons since the preseason streak began.The Ravens will get a chance to notch their 20th win when they take on Washington on Saturday. Pregame coverage starts with Washington Football Kickoff Live at 5 PM on NBC Sports Washington.
Read Next Story

Related News

John Harbaugh on Ravens tying all-time preseason record: ‘It’s notable’

Ravens tie NFL record with 19th straight preseason win, 20-3

Jackson back at practice for Ravens after COVID-19 absence