The Baltimore Ravens offensive line isn’t as big an issue anymore. They fielded what should be a solid protection unit ahead of 2026, one that looks like a complete 180 from last year’s group.
Unfortunately, it’s not all smooth sailing. The starters look strong, but there is some uncertainty at center, and maybe even with guard John Simpson. That makes the depth along the interior critical—specifically, it’s 2025 third-round pick Emery Jones Jr. who needs to take strides.
Those strides were not taken in Baltimore’s preseason opener. They got the win, and many players performed at an exceptional level, but Jones was not one of them.
With the LSU product having the potential to be both the go-to guard off the bench and a backup tackle, the Ravens need Jones to be better.
Baltimore Ravens need Emery Jones Jr. to bounce back
When Emery Jones was drafted last year, many believed he was the future at offensive guard. He still can be. However, his career has been filled with bumps in the road.
It started with a labrum injury that held him back from rookie minicamp through Week 7 of last season. That clearly halted him from getting a fair opportunity to adjust to the NFL level, and he never saw ample offensive reps. He finally stepped foot onto the field with the offensive unit in Week 13, but only saw 48 snaps at guard.
It was infuriating to see Jones not get more of a chance with the offensive line in 2025. Having to watch that poor display of pass protection and run blocking every week was absurd—it felt like Jones deserved a better shot. However, seeing how his 2026 debut went down, maybe he wouldn’t have made things that much better.
The offensive line seemed to struggle early on Saturday, and Jones’ miscues played a part in that. One of the most notable moments was when he gave up a very bad sack on Baltimore’s first drive of the game.
Dwayne Ledford wants speed off the ball from his OL. Looks like Emery Jones was a little slow out of his stance on this sack. pic.twitter.com/yAQN1Jjqpm
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) August 15, 2026
Later in the night, he had trouble blocking Philadelphia Eagles rookie Uar Bernard, who had never played a game of organized football before. Jones was bull-rushed by Bernard in the young defensive lineman’s first-ever snap, then, on Adam Randall’s fourth-quarter touchdown rush, Bernard got the best of Jones again.
Emery Jones Jr was a top 100 pick for Baltimore, and heading into the ‘24 season was talked about as a potential first-round guy out of LSU.
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) August 16, 2026
It’s one snap, but this is an excellent rep from Uar Bernard against a guy that’s played a ton of football at a high level. Baby steps… pic.twitter.com/Lxvo0xy9SH
Not exactly the best look.
To be fair, this is Jones’ first training camp and preseason. Last year’s injury limited him from truly ramping up. Still, he’s gotten enough experience under his belt and should be talented enough to avoid the blunders he saw in the preseason opener.
Hopefully this is just a one-game thing, and Emery Jones bounces back. The Ravens need him to. You can never escape a full NFL slate without getting banged up, so Jones will have to develop and reach his ‘A’ game to be an effective backup.
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