On the eve of the NFL trade deadline, the Baltimore Ravens attacked an area fans have wanted to see improve in a big way over the course of this season.
The Ravens went out and dealt for Tennessee Titans edge rusher Dre'Mont Jones by sending a conditional fifth-round pick in exchange. As of right now, the Ravens are tied for second-to-last in the NFL in sacks with just 11 through Week 9.
Now, while that's a much-needed addition, it also might be somewhat of an indictment on rookie Mike Green. That's not all bad, though. The overall message: Green isn't ready to shoulder the load. Some thought he might be, especially after the Odafe Oweh deal, but it hasn't happened.
Mike Green's inconsistencies paved the way for the Ravens to acquire Dre'Mont Jones
Over his last two contests, Green has finally gotten on the board with 1.5 sacks. Prior to Week 8, he hadn't tallied a single sack on the year. And, while it was good to see him finally break through in that regard, Green has still not been good enough to warrant playing 64 percent of defensive snaps as he has.
Green's inability to get to the quarterback consistently isn't his biggest hiccup, though. Against the run, Pro Football Focus has Green at a miserable 43.8 grade. Jones, meanwhile, is much better at 59.8.
Jones excels even more as a pass rusher, too, as evidenced by his 19 pressures on the season. Green, meanwhile, has mustered 10.
On the season, Jones has tallied 5.0 sacks including two in his most recent game. Even more interesting, all five sacks have come in Jones' last four games. He is hitting his stride at just the right time, which is good news for the Ravens.
At this point, he is pacing for a career-high in that area, originally set back in 2022 with 7.0, per PFF. Just three more and he'll surpass that number -- and we believe it's coming.
With Jones aboard, that means Green's snap count will likely go down a little bit. But, it's not all bad. So far, Green simply isn't ready to be a starter at this level. Playing behind Jones as a rotational type pass rusher is actually going to benefit him in the long run.
Adding talent to the room should only fuel Green. If it doesn't, then the Ravens will find out quickly they made a mistake. For right now, let's assume the best and plan for Green's play to only improve thanks to another veteran beside him.