Baltimore Ravens: Travis Jones is an Emerging Star in 2024

While the Baltimore Ravens are coming off an offseason paying Justin, now Nnamdi, Madubuike, their other defensive tackle is making waves. Former-round pick Travis Jones is a beast up in the middle of the defense as their run-stopping nose tackle.

However, he offers pass-rushing upside, creating havoc in the face of opposing quarterbacks. Although they have other defensive linemen like Broderick Washington and Michael Pierce, along with Brent Urban, Jones has been an impactful tone-setter so far for the Baltimore Ravens.

Travis Jones is a Star in the Making for Baltimore

Against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night Football from Week 4, Travis Jones for the Baltimore Ravens had just 4 combined tackles. But he was felt in the middle of the defense, as James Cook couldn’t find any holes in the run game and Josh Allen took a shot from the 6’4″, 338-pound nose tackle.

The former UConn Husky hasn’t notched his first sack this season, but the pass rush production should eventually come to fruition throughout the season. He has 13 combined tackles and a tackle for loss in the first 4 games of the year. However, Jones has been a penetrating nightmare for opposing offensive linemen ever since the Thursday Night Week 1 opener against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Ravens 3rd Round Pick is an Impactful Nose Tackle

The 24-year-old was drafted in 2022 and as a starter in 2024, should be considered a great value pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Although he didn’t start any games in 2023, Jones started 3 games for the Baltimore Ravens as a rookie. Travis Jones has had a great mentor for the past few seasons, mostly playing with veteran Michael Pierce, who has been impactful in his own right as a nose tackle.

The duo is one of the main reasons why they have been number 1 in the league against the run by a wide margin and have let up the least amount of yards on the ground. While their pass defense has been susceptible, their run defense is at the top of the pack this year and affects opposing offense gameplans.

Final Thoughts

The trio of Travis Jones, Nnamdi Madubuike, and Michael Pierce make up the best run-stopping defensive line. Along with defensive coordinator Zach Orr’s scheme, the Baltimore Ravens run defense is one where teams have to abandon the run and just attack through the air.

Making opposing offenses one-dimensional is a great problem and is a way to beat teams when you consistently maintain a lead. Travis Jones is a big reason why the Ravens’ defense can do diverse coverage schemes in Baltimore.

Madubuike and Pierce both notched half a sack so far this year, along with edge rushers Kyle Van Noy with 6 and Odafe Oweh with 3.5. In this environment, Travis Jones and his pass-rush potential will eventually pay dividends, making their defense even more formidable heading into Week 5 and beyond.