Ben Cleveland’s latest chance at a restart didn’t last long.
After the Baltimore Ravens moved on from the 2021 third-round pick on January 1, Cleveland quickly found another landing spot with the Los Angeles Chargers. That reunion with Jim Harbaugh offered what looked like a clean path to redemption, especially for a player who never carved out the role Baltimore hoped he would. But on Monday, Los Angeles cut him loose, ending that opportunity before training camp even arrived.
For Ravens fans, the outcome probably feels familiar. Cleveland was supposed to help stabilize a guard spot that has been a problem area for Baltimore, but that never happened.
He finished his Ravens run with just seven starts across 64 games, and most of his value came on special teams, where his size made him useful. As a guard, though, he never became the answer the team needed.
His 2025 season in Baltimore also ended on a sour note. A three-game suspension tied to a DUI arrest was the final blow, and the Ravens waived him as soon as that suspension was over. There was real debate about whether he had earned the deal he signed the previous offseason, and Baltimore’s decision made its stance clear.
The Chargers gave him another shot, but it barely got off the ground. Cleveland signed a futures contract this past offseason, then lasted just under seven months before being released. He never even reached training camp.
There is still a chance he catches on somewhere else during camp, and experience can still matter for a player trying to hang on. But right now, Cleveland looks more like a roster filler than someone with a real path to a 53-man spot.
At best, a practice squad job might still be out there. Even that, though, is starting to look like a long shot.
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Vita Vea would be a natural name to monitor if Baltimore decides it needs more help in the middle. The Buccaneers tackle is entering the final year of his deal and is viewed as one of the leagues top players at the position, but any pursuit would come with real hurdles, including draft compensation and a significant new contract. [Read more 🡒]