The last time a team started rookies at left tackle and left guard in the first week of the regular season was in 1995 when the Panthers did it in their first game as an NFL franchise.
The Baltimore Ravens didn’t exist at that point, but they may be going the all-rookie route this season. First-round pick Ronnie Stanley is definitely starting at left tackle and fourth-round pick Alex Lewis may be next to him at guard. John Urschel looked like the choice for that position, but he’s been out with a contusion since the first preseason game.
Coach John Harbaugh said that he has been “really impressed” by Lewis’ play and that going young on the left side is a real consideration.
“That is a great question,” Harbaugh said, via ESPN.com. “We probably are considering that right now, but we haven’t had that discussion yet, just because John hasn’t been out there. That is something we have to consider.”
If the Ravens do go the rookie route up front, they’ll hope for better results than the nine sacks the Panthers allowed in the 1995 opener and that the Stanley-Lewis pairing can be foundation pieces on the line for a long run.
