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Ravens Rookie Guard Olaivavega Ioane Set to Miss Time With MCL Sprain

Baltimore Ravens rookie guard Olaivavega Ioane is set to miss time after suffering an MCL sprain during Sunday's game against Cincinnati.

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Tough Blow for Baltimore

The Baltimore Ravens suffered another setback along their offensive line during Sunday's loss against the Cincinnati Bengals. Rookie guard Olaivavega Ioane sprained his MCL in the first quarter of the game and is expected to miss time.

Reports indicate that the injury is believed to be a short term issue. Still, it forces Baltimore to deal with yet another reshuffle up front as they prepare for a difficult matchup this coming weekend.

Ioane's Impressive Rookie Campaign

Ioane was taken with the 14th overall pick in this year's draft. He was brought in by Baltimore to bolster the right guard position, and he quickly established himself as one of the top performing rookies in the entire league this season.

His flexibility has already been critical for the team. Before moving back to right guard on Sunday, Ioane started three games at center after the top three options on the depth chart at that position were all placed on injured reserve. When Ioane went down against Cincinnati, Emery Jones Jr. took over at right guard and played the final three quarters.

Continuing Offensive Line Changes

The injury creates more instability for a group that has faced constant change all year. The 4-3 Ravens will now utilize their sixth different offensive line combination of the season on Sunday when they travel to face the 5-1 Buffalo Bills.

Heading into Week 8, Baltimore is down to just two offensive linemen who have managed to start every single game this season. Those two durable starters are right tackle Roger Rosengarten and left guard John Simpson.

What it means for the next game

Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills (NFL, Sun, 01 Nov): Buffalo Bills win 55%, Baltimore Ravens win 45%; projected score Buffalo Bills 27, Baltimore Ravens 25. Our safest pick: Under 60.5 points.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Baltimore Ravens (NFL, Fri, 06 Nov): Baltimore Ravens win 44%, Jacksonville Jaguars win 56%; projected score Baltimore Ravens 21, Jacksonville Jaguars 22. Our safest pick: Under 50.5 points.