Baltimore Ravens: 3 players who need to step up in C.J. Mosley’s absence
With C.J. Mosley on the mend, the Ravens need men to step up for the team. Who can the Ravens expect to step up and help replace Mosley in the line-up?
C.J. Mosley, the captain of the Baltimore Ravens defense, will be missing from the starting line-up for an uncertain amount of time. A bone bruise to Mosley’s knee towards the beginning of the Ravens Thursday night clash against the Cincinnati Bengals will cripple this Ravens defense. While all hope is not yet lost, the team will undoubtedly miss his presence.
Similar to in 2017 when the Ravens lost defensive tackle Brandon Williams for four-games, the team struggled mightily without one of their team’s leaders. C.J. Mosley is absolutely suited for that role as one of the team’s leaders on defense.
So, what’s next for Baltimore? How can you replace a player known to be “Half-Man, Half-Amazing?” It’s simple: you can’t. All you can do is hope for the guys behind and around him to step up for the team. Sure, we should expect guys like Williams and Terrell Suggs to take over a prominent leadership roles, but there are other guys who need to step up and show the Ravens that C.J. Mosley’s absence won’t crush the team.
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Kenny Young:
Kenny Young hasn’t been outstanding thus far in 2018, but the rookie is second on the team in tackles with 12, only behind Tony Jefferson (more on him later). Additionally, Young has also tallied a sack and two TFLs to his resume. Not too bad for someone thought to be fighting for even a rotational spot.
Well guess what, Mr. Young, you’re now being thrown into the fire and expected to start for the Ravens defense until further notice.
Young, a 23-year old rookie out of UCLA, has great diagnosing skills and the closing speed to be a sideline-to-sideline linebacker. Without C.J. Mosley, this skill becomes a necessity. Young has great upside for the inside linebacker position and Baltimore certainly agreed enough to invest a fourth round pick into the young man (no pun intended).
Patrick Onwuasor is likely the team’s defacto no.1 inside linebacker on the current depth chart with Mosley out, but Young has very little reason not to start next to him moving forward. A strong showing over the next couple weeks without Mosley could prompt the Ravens to keep him in a starting spot on defense.