Ravens labeling ‘superhuman’ Travis Jones as top breakout season candidate

minh | Baltimore Ravens
August 3, 2024

As a member of the Baltimore Ravens defensive line rotation last year, Travis Jones had a front-row seat to Justin Madubuike’s breakout campaign. The 2023 Pro Bowler and Second Team All-Pro led both the team and all interior pass rushers with a career-high 13 sacks then proceeded to receive a near-top-of-the-market deal to remain with the team this past March.

Similarly to his veteran mentor, Jones is a former third-round pick who has shown flashes of dominance and disruptive playmaking ability against both the run and pass during his first few years in the league. In 32 career games including all 17 last season, he has recorded 60 total tackles including five total tackles, 2.5 sacks, seven quarterback hits and three pass breakups.

Jones has looked up to Madubuike since his rookie year and hopes to “follow in his footsteps” by emerging as a consistently dominant player in his own right. While he didn’t share any specifics, he did admit to having a list of goals he is determined to reach in 2024 on his iPhone.

“Since I got here, [Justin] Madubuike has been a big role model for me,” Jones said Friday. “I’ve been looking up to him for the past two years and just seeing what he did last year give me more motivation.”

Heading into his third season in the league, Jones is one of several young players on the roster who are both poised and expected to take a big leap in playing time, production and overall impact on either side of the ball. On Wednesday, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh shared how he anticipates Jones’ breakout 2024 campaign will be one to remember.

“I have a big vision for Travis,” Harbaugh said. “He and I have talked about it – a really big vision. I really have high expectations for Travis Jones to have one of those years that is going to be memorable. I really believe that’s going to happen this year; I’m looking forward to it. He’s put the work in, and he continues to do work. He looks great.”

On Friday, Harbaugh doubled down on his proclamation and shared that he fully expects Jones’ next steps to be a breakout season because of how much he has been dominating in Ravens practices during training camp. He believes it is a “superhuman feat” when he actually does get blocked by one or more offensive linemen.

“He’s like a super human player,” Harbaugh said. “We’ll see if it pans out in the games. I know it’s a high tag to put on but lets go for it.”

Jones is the strongest player on the team on either side of the ball by the admission of several of his peers. Many of his most impressive plays during his career thus far often involve him shedding blocks and tossing aside opposing offensive linemen as if they were ragdolls and not 300-plus-pound grown men.

“He’s a big boy – it’s like a full-grown bull just running right at you, but you’re grateful for that,” second-year pro Andrew Vorhees said. “You want everything to be hard during practice, so when it comes time for competition, you’re prepared and ready; so, I’m just grateful for him and excited to watch him this year. I think he’s going to have a special year, and [he’s] just a tremendous person at the end of the day.”

When asked in which specific ways he believes Jones has to make significant strides this upcoming season, defensive coordinator Zach Orr outlined several aspects of his game including improving his football awareness, becoming a better student of the game and gaining a deeper understanding of the Ravens’ scheme.

“When you’re a first- [or] second-year player, a lot of stuff is still new to you, but now, [with] him going into his third year, he’s seen most of the run scheme, most of the pass protections, and he’s in here every single day working his butt off in the classroom and in the weight room,” Orr said. “I think you’re going to see a big jump in his game, in the run game and in the pass game.”

One of Jones’ mentors on the team since his rookie season in 2022 is nose tackle Michael Pierce whose return to the Ravens also happened to be the same year. The ninth-year veteran has seen and been a part of his maturation process and also believes he is destined for greatness in 2024.

“He’s made a tremendous amount of strides,” Pierce said. “I’m just trying to be what Brandon [Williams] was for me. [I want to be] a big brother to him, but Brandon gave me a lot of room to grow, figure things out and play next to him and with him. That’s something that I’ve seen a lot of growth in ‘Trav’. He’s been making a lot of plays. I don’t mind splitting reps with him; as I get older, obviously. To see him grow and make those strides; I believe he will have an amazing year this year, for sure.”

Thankfully, Jones isn’t entering the final year of his rookie deal as was the case with Madubuike in 2023 so if he does live up to the lofty praise and heightened expectations being heaped on him by his coaches and peers, the Ravens will have him for another year on an inexpensive cost-controlled contract.

However, he will be eligible to negotiate an extension with the Ravens as soon as next offseason. With Pierce getting up in age and the premium being put on interior defensive linemen who can generate consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks by collapsing the pocket up the middle, finding a way to lock up him long-term if he delivers and lives up to the hype should be a priority.

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