Pro Football Rumors
As the injuries begin to tally up for the Ravens, a bit of good news comes their way. Third-round rookie offensive lineman Emery Jones has returned to practice in Baltimore, opening his 21-day practice window to be activated off the reserve/non-football injury list, per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley.
Jones underwent surgery a week after the NFL Scouting Combine for a shoulder injury he endured at LSU. The Ravens were aware of the recovery timeline when they drafted him, so they were able to make a plan for his eventual return.
After Jones was drafted to Baltimore, there was plenty of speculation around just how he might contribute to the offense as a rookie. There was some hope that he may develop early into a role as a swing tackle or compete for a starting guard spot. He started solely at right tackle for the Tigers but had some left tackle experience from high school.
As a recruit, he was projected to be an interior lineman at the collegiate level, but he became the starting right tackle at LSU only two games into his true freshman season. As a draft prospect, Jones was, once again, projected for a likely move to the interior of the offensive line, but in Baltimore, it appeared that he would be given a chance to prove his worth at multiple spots.
He was originally expected to return sometime during training camp, but by early August, it became clear that it would be difficult for him to be ready for the regular season, closing any case for him to nab a starting job. It was a decision made by Jones, who opted to wait until he is “fully right” instead of choosing an abbreviated recovery in order to compete for a starting role.
So far, the Ravens seem to be keeping their word in letting him work to earn different roles. Head coach John Harbaugh told the media that they’ll look at Jones at both guard and tackle, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. The timing couldn’t be better left tackle Ronnie Stanley missed practice today after being knocked out of Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs early with an ankle injury.
A look at guard could make just as much sense, considering how left guard Andrew Vorhees currently rates as the Ravens’ worst offensive starter, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required) and how right guard Daniel Faalele is often caught on the wrong end of some defensive highlight reels. As Jones ramps up for a return to the active roster, the Ravens will have no shortage of options to see where they may be able to improve most.
