Tag: Josh Jones

Ravens GM Eric DeCosta is prepared for growing pains with young, retooled offensive line

Baltimore Ravens GM Eric DeCosta is prepared for growing pains with young, retooled offensive line

The Ravens saw the decline last summer, decided to let two looming free-agent offensive linemen walk, and traded Morgan Moses to the New York Jets.

During his Thursday press conference, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta acknowledged that an offensive line imploding could take place, and it would ultimately set the franchise back.

Baltimore wanted a younger offensive line, and DeCosta acknowledged that there could be growing pains.

Starting left guard John Simpson exited, and the Ravens replaced him with Andrew Vorhees, a seventh-round pick out of USC who missed his entire rookie season while rehabbing a knee injury.

Talented right guard Kevin Zeitler (34) departed, and the younger and bigger Daniel Faalele was inserted.

After Morgan Moses was traded, former Washington Huskies stud Roger Rosengarten was drafted in the second round in April, and he looks like a future All-Pro.   Next Thursday night will see the offensive line feature three first-year starters, with Vorhees, Rosengarten, and Daniel Faalele inserted in critical positions and likely to see a lot of All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones.

Baltimore is also adjusting to a new offensive line coach. George Warhop is joining John Harbaugh’s staff, replacing longtime offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris, who passed away from an “acute illness.”

Head coach John Harbaugh says he knows who the starters will be but has declined to announce them for strategic purposes.

John Harbaugh says Ravens have made a decision on starting offensive line for Week 1

John Harbaugh says Ravens have made a decision on starting offensive line for Week 1

The Ravens are about 24 hours away from trimming their roster down to a 53-man juggernaut. With the season opener at Kansas City closing in, head coach John Harbaugh has an idea about his starting offensive line in this crucial season.

Following Monday’s efficient practice, Harbaugh told the media a decision has been made, although he didn’t reveal.

Andrew Vorhees, the 2023 seventh-round pick out of Southern Cal who spent his entire rookie season on the non-football injury list as he recovered from a torn ACL, will start at left guard.  Daniel Faalele, a 2022 fourth-round pick trying to become this franchise’s Jordan Mailata, will start at right guard.

Veteran Patrick Mekari has split first-team reps with second-round rookie Roger Rosengarten throughout camp. Still, he’s probably better served being the sixth man and a guy who can play four or five positions.

Tyler Linderbaum will start at center, while Ravens rookie seventh-round pick Nick Samac should make the roster as his backup.

Josh Jones, Ben Cleveland, Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, and Tashawn Manning should make the roster and give Baltimore a solid ten-man unit.

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3 big questions for the Ravens coming out of preseason finale

We’re looking at 3 biggest questions or concerns for the Baltimore Ravens coming out of the preseason finale

The Ravens completed their preseason with a 30-7 loss to the Packers on Saturday afternoon. While the coaching staff works to trim the roster down to 53 players, we’re looking at the three biggest questions for a club searching for a Super Bowl berth.

Baltimore had the NFL’s best record in 2023 but could not defeat the Chiefs at home, suffering a 17-10 loss to Kansas City in the AFC Championship game at M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens added Derrick Henry to the running back position and have Isaiah likely ascending as one of the top young tight ends in the league.  Even with a stacked roster, there are still questions, and we’re looking at the three most significant concerns coming out of the preseason finale.

1. Ravens’ offensive line depth

Baltimore will will likely roll with a group that includes Ronnie Stanley, Andrew Vorhees, Tyler Linderbaum, Daniel Faalele, Roger Rosengarten, Patrick Mekari, Ben Cleveland, Josh Jones, Sala Aumavae-Laulu. The Ravens led the NFL in rushing last season and then added Derrick Henry during the free-agency frenzy. The team saw Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson depart via free agency, while Morgan Moses was traded to the Jets. Baltimore has the offensive talent to be explosive and dominant, but can the offensive line be physical at the point of attack while giving Lamar Jackson time to be efficient in the passing game?

2. Can Trenton Simpson develop into an All-Pro?

Simpson will replace Patrick Queen at one linebacker spot, and Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr prepared the former Clemson star linebacker.

Simpson played into the third quarter of the preseason finale to get more game reps for the second-year linebacker, and he even came away with a big interception. Simpson doesn’t have to be dominant from Day 1, but he has the athleticism and physicality of a future All-Pro.

3. Can Lamar Jackson achieve postseason success

Lamar Jackson will enter year 7 in the NFL, having never passed for over 4,000 yards in a regular season. Thanks to Derrick Henry’s arrival and Isaiah Likely’s emergence, Jackson will shatter his career-high 3,678 passing yards from 2023. That won’t matter if the Ravens flame out in the postseason. Jackson’s career playoff record is 2-4, and he has a passer rating of 75.7, 1,324 yards, six touchdowns, and six interceptions in six playoff games. Baltimore hired Todd Monken last off-season to take his talents to the next level while adding more weapons like Derrick Henry to mesh with Zay Flowers, Isaiah Likely, Mark Andrews, Rashod Bateman, Keaton Mitchell, Nelson Agholor, and more.

Ravens vs. Packers: Top photos from preseason finale at Lambeau Field

We’re looking at the top photos from the Baltimore Ravens preseason loss to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field

It’s only the preseason, but the Ravens will head towards the 53-man roster cutdown date with a sour taste after a 30-7 loss to the Packers at Lambeau Field on Saturday afternoon. Josh Johnson was 5-7 for 71 yards and one passing touchdown, while Michael Pratt led Green Bay in passing, going 8-12 for 80 yards and one touchdown. The Packers were dominant on the ground, amassing 193 rushing yards, as Ellis Merriweather led all ball carriers with 16 yards for 74 yards. The Packers held the ball for nearly ten minutes longer than the Ravens and out-gained Baltimore by 326 yards to 177 for John Harbaugh’s bunch. With Baltimore now turning its attention toward the Chiefs, here’s an instant analysis of the loss. ***

John Harbaugh says Ravens are close to naming starting offensive line for Week 1

John Harbaugh says the Baltimore Ravens are close to naming starting offensive line for Week 1 vs. the Kansas City Chiefs

The Ravens are eight days away from trimming their roster down to a 53-man juggernaut, and with the season opener at Kansas City closing in, head coach John Harbaugh has an idea about his starting offensive line in this crucial season.

Following Monday’s efficient practice, Harbaugh told the media he’s closing in on his decision, but it’s likely already been decided.

Andrew Vorhees, the 2023 seventh-round pick out of Southern Cal who spent his entire rookie season on the non-football injury list as he recovered from a torn ACL, will start at left guard.  Daniel Faalele, a 2022 fourth-round pick trying to become this franchise’s Jordan Mailata, will start at right guard.

Veteran Patrick Mekari has split first-team reps with second-round rookie Roger Rosengarten throughout camp. Still, he’s probably better served being the sixth man and a guy who can play four or five positions.

Tyler Linderbaum will start at center, while Ravens rookie seventh-round pick Nick Samac should make the roster as his backup.

Josh Jones, Ben Cleveland, Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, and Tashawn Manning should make the roster and give Baltimore a solid ten-man unit.

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Ravens vs. Falcons: Top photos from Baltimore’s 13-12 win in preseason Week 2

We’re looking at the top photos from the Baltimore Ravens 13-12 win over the Atlanta Falcons in the preseason Week 2 matchup

Backup quarterback Josh Johnson was perfect on the afternoon, and rookie Emory Jones added a 56-yard touchdown throw to Dayton Wade in the second half to lift the Baltimore Ravens to a 13-12 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium.  The Ravens snapped a three-game preseason losing streak, while Atlanta had 343 yards of total offense but was 4-13 on third downs. Baltimore had another putrid day on the ground, rushing for 71 yards on 30 attempts.  With the team set to start preparation for the preseason finale, here are the top photos from the win over Atlanta. ***

Top photos from Ravens 16-13 loss to Eagles in preseason opener

We’re looking at the top photos from the Baltimore Ravens 16-13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the preseason opener at M&T Bank Stadium

The Ravens returned to the field for live game action for the first time since their heartbreaking, 17-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC title game.

Baltimore hosted Philadelphia at M&T Bank Stadium, with both teams on similar arcs, and championship paths. Starting quarterback Lamar Jackson sat out along with key starters on both sides of the football.

Eagles kicker Jake Elliott made a 49-yard field goal with no time remaining to give the Philadelphia Eagles a 16-13 victory after Baltimore quarterback Emory Jones — who had just entered the game — was sacked and fumbled on the next play.

The recovery by Patrick Johnson gave Elliott his final opportunity of the night.

With Baltimore set to start preparation for the Falcons in the second week of the preseason, we’re looking at the top photos from Friday night.

***

Ravens OC Todd Monken talks about replacing three starters on the offensive line

Ravens OC Todd Monken talks about replacing three starters on the offensive line

The Baltimore Ravens decided to revamp their offensive line this offseason by letting both starting guards John Simpson and Kevin Zeitler go in free agency and trading right tackle Morgan Moses to the New York Jets. The Ravens will have to turn to inexperienced players to protect reigning MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Offensive coordinator Todd Monken was asked about setting the first unit of starters and how much offensive line coach Joe D’Alessandris will help dictate its appearance.

“Joe [D’Alessandris] has a big voice in that, and we’ve got talent, otherwise we wouldn’t have made the moves we did,” Monken said. “We are still in the business of winning, so the part of that, is that we think those guys can play. We just need to let them go play, and they’re going to continue to develop and get better. All of those young players that have been draft picks that eventually get that opportunity; every player at one time that happens. Whether it was Tyler [Linderbaum] at center or Ronnie [Stanley], other players, they just need the opportunity. We’re excited to let those guys go play and continue to develop. They’re only going to get better, and we’re going to get better with them.”

Andrew Vorhees, Ben Cleveland, and Daniel Faalele appear to be the main competitors for the openings at both guard spots, while veteran swingman Patrick Mekari and rookie second-round pick Roger Rosengarten compete for the starting right tackle duties. Veteran Josh Jones, who Baltimore signed this offseason, is another name to keep in mind at both tackle and guard.

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Ravens training camp: Top photos from Day 5 of practice

We’re looking at the top photos from Day 5 of Baltimore Ravens training camp practices

The Ravens had a day off from training camp on Thursday but returned to the Under Armour Performance Center on Friday and Saturday for their first two full-padded summer practices. Lamar Jackson returned to the lineup after a medical evaluation for flu-like symptoms. At the same time, the team honored the late Jacoby Jones on the day that family and friends traveled to New Orleans for his funeral services. With Sunday’s practice quickly approaching, here are takeaways and notes from Saturday’s session. ***

Ravens initial 90-man roster arranged by uniform number ahead of training camp

Baltimore Ravens’ 90-man roster at the start of 2024 training camp

The Baltimore Ravens have officially reported to the Under Armour Performance Center for the start of training camp with the first practice scheduled for Sunday morning.

There will be starting jobs and roster spots up for grabs, which should make for some intriguing position battles throughout camp and the preseason.

Currently, the Ravens have 90 players on their roster, and that will be trimmed down to 53 ahead of the start of the regular season, and by August 27.

With training camp underway, here’s an updated look at the Ravenss’ initial 90-man roster at the start of training camp, organized by jersey number.