Could Villanueva replace Brown for Ravens?

Alejandro Villanueva Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Could Alejandro Villanueva replace Orlando Brown for Ravens?

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 4/19/21

Reports emerged in February that Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Orlando Brown requested a trade so he could play left tackle without losing the role to Ronnie Stanley or any other proven commodity.

The Ravens haven't yet dealt Brown but could have a replacement in mind.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport (h/t Kevin Patra) reports that former Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Alejandro Villanueva will visit the Ravens this week. League insider Josina Anderson added:

I'm told that the #Ravens are currently targeting Wednesday, for a visit with free agent OT Alejandro Villanueva--at this time, per source.

Regardless, Villanueva is currently in Maryland, thus his proximity will further ease any travel in.
— IG: JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) April 19, 2021

Villanueva earned a pair of Pro Bowl nods during his seven-year tenure with the Steelers but was allowed to hit free agency last month with the club facing salary-cap challenges for 2021. Baltimore adding the 32-year-old to the roster later this week could make it easier to trade Brown either before or during the NFL Draft that opens April 29.

"He ranks in the 74th percentile at avoiding negatively graded plays but just the 23rd percentile in positively graded plays," Pro Football Focus notes on Villanueva. "He’s graded between 74.0 and 82.0 in each of his last five seasons; he ranks in the 54th percentile in PFF pass-blocking grade and the 46th percentile in pass-blocking grade on true pass sets during that time."

According to Noah Strackbein of SI.com, NFL reporter John Clayton said during a radio interview last week he believes Villanueva will ultimately re-sign with Pittsburgh.

"He hasn't left because he hasn't had any offers to go any place. Or, at least, we don't know of any," Clayton explained at that time.

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