Free agent offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva has agreed to a two-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens. Villanueva spent the first seven seasons of his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Baltimore is giving former Steelers’ Alejandro Villanueva a two-year, $14 million deal that includes $8M fully guaranteed, per source. https://t.co/8lIWLsTVLL
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 4, 2021
Alejandro Villanueva Signs With Baltimore Ravens
Villanueva is a two-time Pro Bowl selection, earning the honor in 2017 and 2018. While Villanueva had his ups and downs as a player in Pittsburgh, perhaps his biggest strength was his dependability. After he took over as a full-time starter at left tackle in 2016, Villanueva started all 16 games in each of the next five seasons. In four of the five seasons, he played 100% of offensive snaps for Pittsburgh. 2017 was the only year that he missed 100%, but he still logged 97% of total snaps that season, according to Pro Football Reference.
Only 32, Villanueva still has some quality football in him. While he struggled down the stretch of the 2020 season, he was Pittsburgh’s best offensive lineman early in the year. His run blocking slacked, but that was never his strong strength. Pass blocking is where Villanueva is more successful, and that was the case for the first 10-12 weeks of last season. Towards the end of the year, Villanueva fell off in the passing game, though.
The big issue for Alejandro Villanueva during his time in Pittsburgh was his performance against elite pass rushers. He’s solid, but players like Myles Garrett, Carl Lawson, and other top tier edge rushers have given him fits over the years. That’s what held Villanueva back from being an elite offensive tackle when he was at his best. He was always steady, but could never take that next step against the best competition. Regardless, he brings steady play and dependable pass blocking, coupled with great leadership and a high football IQ. While his years are likely limited, he still brings enough to the table to make him a quality signing.
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