4 Guards the Ravens Should Target to Replace Marshal Yanda

The Baltimore Ravens took a huge blow today when long-time guard Marshal Yanda announced his retirement. The offensive lineman had an illustrious 13-year career for Baltimore, with only three seasons where he missed three games or more. Not only was Yanda durable, he was disciplined, with only 11 holding penalties throughout his entire career.

The eight-time Pro Bowler and two-time First Team All-Pro will certainly be a candidate for the Hall of Fame some day, and his absence creates an immediate hole for a Ravens franchise that has Super Bowl aspirations. Replacing a player like Yanda will be nearly impossible, but here are four candidates Baltimore could add to help fill the void.

4. Sign Graham Glasgow

The free agent guard market isn't loaded with Yanda-level talent, but Graham Glasgow is a versatile veteran who can play both center and guard. He has improved as a blocker throughout his career and could be a solid option for the Ravens. He'll likely cost less than a fellow free agent guard like Joe Thuney, who is highly coveted headed into the pandemonium.

3. Trade for Brian Winters

This is a little outside of the box, but Brian Winters is someone that the New York Jets might be looking to unload with new general manager Joe Douglas at the helm. He currently has the 11th-highest cap hit on the team, making Winters a potential candidate for a trade or release. Douglas has heavy ties to Baltimore, as he was a scout for the team from 2000 to 2014, which could help facilitate a deal. Winters isn't necessarily a top-tier guard, but he is only entering his age 29 season and allowed just one sack in nine games last season, per Pro Football Focus. If Baltimore is willing to unload a low draft pick, Winters could be a solid addition.

2. Draft Shane Lemieux

The Oregon Ducks left guard is the top player available at the position in the NFL Draft. The Ravens have other needs, but with their run game being the backbone of their offense, replacing Yanda is critical. Shane Lemieux has the size and ability to be groomed into the next great Ravens guard (even if he's a more natural fit on the left side). If he's still available at No. 28, Lemieux could make an immediate impact in Baltimore.

1. Sign Brandon Scherff

Baltimore could just choose to immediately reinvest in arguably the top guard available on the market. Brandon Scherff doesn't always receive the hype he deserves, but his personal performance has been sturdy with very little supporting help around him. Although he has had some injury issues over the past couple seasons, Scherff is a three-time Pro Bowler entering his sixth year in the league. He will be 28 years old when next season kicks off, so he should have plenty of good football ahead of him. While the Redskins will likely try to re-sign Scherff, he'd be a great fit in Baltimore if he doesn't end up back with Washington.

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Michael Obermuller is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Michael Obermuller also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username king_mizzard. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.