Ravens News 6/27: Stacking Days

Travis Jones Is Focusing on His Pass Rush Entering Year 3

Matt Ryan, BaltimoreRavens.com

That’s also the case for defensive tackle Travis Jones. After playing last season at 345 pounds, he’s down to his goal of 330, mostly by eating lean meats and staying away from carbohydrates.

“I just want to go out there and dominate and improve off the things I did last year and just keep being better, stacking days,” Jones said. “I think I want to go out there for like five, six sacks, at least. Bare minimum.”

A big season could be coming for Jones, and Defensive Line Coach Dennis Johnson was asked about the possibility of Madubuike-like breakout.

“From what I’ve seen from ‘Trav,’ he is a special human first – a special man – and then a special football player,” Johnson said. “[He’s] talented, and he wants it just as bad as anybody you’d be around.

“You want to talk about attention to detail, that’s how he approaches every day. Whether it’s football school or it’s been OTAs, in the meetings; I think he should be [able to have success]. He has to continue to work – which I know he will – but he’ll be in that type of position to have a successful season.”

“I know when ‘Buike goes out there a lot of teams will be focused on him,” Jones said. “I just got to go out there and get mine like he’s going to get his.”

Baltimore Ravens Breakout Candidates: RB Keaton Mitchell, LB Trenton Simpson and more

Gordon McGuinness, PFF

RB KEATON MITCHELL

Coming off his own ACL injury, though this one occurred late in the NFL season, Keaton Mitchell won’t be ready for the start of the 2024 season, so this is more of a potential late-season breakout option. When he does get back on the field though, his ability to create big plays will add another layer to the Ravens offense. As a rookie, he forced 15 missed tackles from just 47 carries while producing a 15-plus-yard run on 14.9% of his rushing attempts.

DI TRAVIS JONES

Jones improved from a solid rookie year in 2022 to earn a 68.1 PFF grade on a higher snap count in his second year last season. The Ravens coaching staff seemed to lean on him more as the season progressed. Only Justin Madubuike logged more snaps than Jones on the defensive interior in the six games from Week 15 through the AFC Championship game. Expect that to continue into the 2024 season if Jones can continue his upward trajectory.

CB BRANDON STEPHENS

Already a starter on the Ravens defense in 2023, Stephens has the opportunity to make a lot of money in the final year of his rookie deal. The 2021 third-round draft pick out of SMU has found a home as an outside cornerback, as he’s previously been moved around, playing at safety and in the slot. His 2023 season saw him earn a 65.5 PFF coverage grade, giving up just two touchdowns in coverage despite being targeted 118 times in the regular season and playoffs.

Sizing up the 2024 Ravens roster following mandatory minicamp

Luke Jones, Baltimore Positive

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN (16)

IN: Tyler Linderbaum, Ronnie Stanley, Roger Rosengarten, Andrew Vorhees, Patrick Mekari, Josh Jones, Daniel Faalele, Ben Cleveland

BUBBLE: Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, Nick Samac

LONG SHOT: TyKeem Doss, Tashawn Manning, Julian Pearl, Corey Bullock, Darrian Dalcourt, Darrell Simpson

Skinny: Figuring out what the starting group will look like come September is another conversation, but you at least expect the candidates to make the 53-man roster. Aumavae-Laulu, a 2023 sixth-round pick, must show marked growth from last summer when he went from being a starting candidate at left guard to not seeing a single regular-season snap as a rookie. There’s a clear path for Samac to win the backup center job, but he remained limited in spring workouts and isn’t a roster lock as a seventh-round pick.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS (8)

IN: Odafe Oweh, Kyle Van Noy, Malik Harrison, Adisa Isaac, Tavius Robinson, David Ojabo

BUBBLE: Malik Hamm

LONG SHOT: Joe Evans

Skinny: The competition for meaningful rotation snaps behind Oweh and Van Noy is wide open, but this is an unproven group headlined by Ojabo, the 2022 second-round pick who’s played in just five career games because of injuries. Though one could make an argument for any of the aforementioned names to emerge, DeCosta may find himself pondering a late signing like he did with great success last year. Replacing Clowney’s production is key to Baltimore not suffering too much of a drop-off on the edge.

Who are the NFL’s underrated and overrated teams? Why Packers, Bengals could be dangerous

Mike Jones, The Athletic

Overrated

Baltimore Ravens

After falling short in the AFC Championship Game, the Ravens crave a Super Bowl run more than ever. They still have MVP Lamar Jackson leading the way, and the addition of workhorse back Derrick Henry should help ease pressure on the quarterback. But is it realistic to expect the Ravens to just pick up where they left off considering the loss of defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald, several other top assistants, multiple linebackers and most of their secondary? Baltimore also lost three starters on the offensive line. A rigorous opening stretch plus potential growing pains could put the Ravens in an early hole.

How NFL Positional Value Has Changed In The Past 25 Years

Dan Pizzuta, 33rd Team

RUNNING BACK

In the late ‘90s, running back salaries were as high as ever. Barry Sanders was making 15.8 percent of the cap on his 1997 contract — five years for $32.7 million. Terell Davis was right behind at 14.9 percent, as were Emmitt Smith (14.2 percent signed in 1996) and Marshall Faulk (14.1 percent in 1999). Those rates would all top over $35 million on the 2024 cap.

As passing became more prevalent and the success of running the ball was found to be tied more to offensive line quality (plus the rookie wage scale), we’ve seen backs get devalued more than any other position.

WIDE RECEIVER

As the passing boom has increased, so has the number of receivers on the field. Just in the past decade, teams have gone from 50.2 percent in 11 personnel during 2013 to 62.4 percent in 2023, per TruMedia.

We also have receivers playing more and getting more reps as they work up to the NFL. Because of that, the quality and quantity have risen. The 2024 draft tied the record for most receivers taken in the first round.

That’s been the biggest shift. Star receivers were worth it. Randy Moss was making the equivalent of $34 million per year in 2001, though that was a significant outlier for the position. Marvin Harrison made a modern-day $25 million on his contract from 2000.

There are now more Moss/Harrison types and the full collection of top receivers is getting paid like it. Wide receiver is now the second-most important offensive position behind quarterback, and one could argue that the “offensive” qualifier is unnecessary.