Ravens Rookie Emery Jones Jr. Shows Promise in Debut - And Could Be Just What This O-Line Needs
For weeks now, Ravens fans have been calling for a change up front. With Daniel Faalele and Andrew Vorhees both struggling to establish consistency, the cries grew louder for rookie guard Emery Jones Jr. to get his shot. After missing the early part of the season with a shoulder injury, the 2025 third-round pick was activated in Week 12 - but it wasn’t until Week 13’s matchup against the Bengals that he finally saw real action.
The Ravens didn’t come away with a win - they fell 32-14 to Cincinnati - but Jones’ debut was a small silver lining. He wasn’t perfect, but he brought something different to the table: power, athleticism, and a little bit of juice that this offensive line has been missing.
Head coach John Harbaugh took notice.
“I thought [Jones] played hard,” Harbaugh said after the game. “Showed some athleticism and some fight, and some gusto. Played like a rookie in a lot of ways… but you can’t really start making those improvements until you play.”
That’s the key here. Jones is raw - no one’s sugarcoating that - but he’s also a high-upside athlete with the kind of physical tools that can’t be taught. And now that he’s finally gotten his feet wet, the Ravens may be ready to let him grow into a bigger role.
A Glimpse of What Jones Brings
Jones played 16 snaps against the Bengals, accounting for 27% of the team’s offensive plays. He rotated in for Vorhees and immediately brought a different energy.
His 67.6 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus was a bright spot - not just for a rookie, but in comparison to the Ravens' current options. That number outpaces Vorhees’ season average (59.0) and Faalele’s (61.5), giving the Ravens something to think about as they evaluate the line heading into the final stretch of the season.
Was it a flawless debut? No.
He drew a holding penalty and finished with an overall PFF grade of 47.9. But that’s part of the rookie learning curve - especially for a player seeing his first real NFL action against a divisional rival with a strong defensive front.
What stood out more than the numbers was the way Jones moved. His athleticism popped on tape.
He looked comfortable in space, showed good footwork in pass protection, and didn’t shy away from physicality. For a team that’s struggled to keep Lamar Jackson upright, that kind of potential matters - a lot.
What Comes Next?
Harbaugh didn’t commit to anything long-term, but his comments suggest Jones is in line for more snaps moving forward. And that’s exactly what this team needs. At 6-6, the Ravens are still right in the thick of the playoff hunt, but they’ve got to clean things up in the trenches if they want to make a real run.
Jones probably won’t leapfrog Vorhees or Faalele into a starting role overnight, but the door is open. If he keeps stacking solid reps - even in a rotational capacity - he could play his way into a bigger role by season’s end.
This is the time of year when teams start figuring out what they have in their young players. For Baltimore, Emery Jones Jr. might just be one of those late-season surprises who helps solidify a shaky unit - and maybe even gives this offense the boost it needs to find another gear.