The Ravens have reportedly released center Jeremy Zuttah.
Ravens tried to trade Zuttah, but couldn't find a deal. Thus, today's decision to release him.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) March 15, 2017
RSR Staff react to the roster move here:
Brian Bower
The release of Zuttah comes as no surprise really given the state of his play over the past season and Ozzie’s 80/20 rule. The move also clears needed cap space and could mean the signing of Morris Claiborne or another veteran free agent is imminent.
Ryan Jones
Not much of a surprise here but you have to wonder what the corresponding move is to fill the void at center. John Harbaugh and Ozzie Newsome have publicly stressed the importance of bolstering the offensive line this offseason, but up to this point all that has happened is they’ve lost two of last years starters.
The additions to the defense have been highly praised and they should be, but at some point the Ravens are going to need start addressing the lengthy list of needs on the other side of the ball.
Derek Arnold
I think Zuttah can still be an effective center somewhere in this league, but not in the AFC North, where gigantic interior defensive linemen pushed him around regularly. Ravens fans will be clamoring for Nick Mangold now, but his play over the past couple of seasons doesn’t inspire much confidence. Nor do in-house options like John Urschel or Ryan Jensen. Nor does any rookie who the team may draft.
Zuttah needed replacing, to be clear. But now there is just another hole on an offense that was already full of them. Let’s see what happens next.
Ken McKusick
The release is not a surprise. In the AFCN, the opposing IDLs are huge and Zuttah displayed an inability to anchor as a pass blocker and had 6 flags for 65 yards and 6 stalled drives. Can’t face Hargraves/Shelton/Atkins twice per year without an extremely stout interior.
As of now, the starting line could be Stanley/Urschel/Jensen/Yanda/Lewis. Let’s hope the Ravens have some plans to add via FA and the draft, particularly to keep Lewis at LG.
Update 5:10 PM
Per the Ravens, they have actually traded Zuttah:
The Baltimore Ravens traded C Jeremy Zuttah and a 2017 sixth round draft pick (198th overall) to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for a 2017 sixth round draft choice (186th overall), Ravens general manager/executive vice president Ozzie Newsome announced Wednesday.
