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At times in the past, when the Ravens have needed to fill a hole at right tackle, they've turned to Marshal Yanda.
Despite working primarily as the Ravens' right guard over his three-plus years in the NFL, Yanda has starting experience at right tackle, and can do a more than serviceable job when called upon to fill that role.
With Jared Gaither's status for the start of the regular season uncertain, Yanda has been floated as a possible replacement for the Maryland product.
But offensive coordinator Cam Cameron said today that Ravens' best option would be to have third-year tackle Oniel Cousins fill in for Gaither, with Yanda staying at his right guard spot.
"That would be the logical choice, because that's the way we did it last year," Cameron said. "We want competition all the way up until the final cut, and then it'll be pretty obvious what direction we'll go. But that would be the logical direction."
Would Yanda still be considered as a possibility at right tackle?
"Absolutely, but you can move guys around too much," Cameron said. "I think Marshal Yanda can be as good a right guard as there is in the league. I believe that. And if you keep bouncing him around from guard to tackle, guard to tackle, it really doesn't help him."
Cousins missed the first eight days of training camp after having a cyst removed from his throat this offseason. The surgery caused him to miss a good amount of practice time, but the UTEP product has worked his way back into playing shape, and has been getting the reps at right tackle with the first-team for the last week.
The coaches have been pleased with the progress Cousins has made both over the course of his two-plus years in the league and since his surgery.
"He's back on track," Cameron said. "He missed a significant amount of time, which was unfortunate, but that's kind of in the past at this point. But he's back on track, and I think he's working through [the injury]. He's not 100 percent yet, but his effort's 100 percent.
"One thing I like about Cous - you know exactly what you're getting. He's not one guy one day and another guy the next day. He shows up, he's there every day, he's where he's supposed to be, he gives you his best effort. Sometimes, he doesn't execute the play like he would like or we would like, but his effort is consistent. And pretty much, a play-caller can deal with a guy like that. To me, it's easy to call plays when he's in there, because I know I'm going to get a great effort."
