Travis Jones Re-Signs with Ravens, Closing a Door the Giants Badly Needed Open
If you're a Giants fan, this season has probably felt like déjà vu with a side of despair. Another year, another 2-11 start, another round of firings - this time the head coach and defensive coordinator.
Interim head coach Mike Kafka is likely a short-term placeholder, and general manager Joe Schoen’s seat is heating up fast. The Giants aren’t just rebuilding - they’re stuck in a loop, and the exits are hard to find.
But even in a lost season, the offseason always dangles a little hope. A new draft class, a fresh crop of free agents - it’s the time of year when teams can start reshaping their identity. And for the Giants, who desperately need help stopping the run, Baltimore’s Travis Jones looked like a dream fit.
That dream ended today.
The Ravens locked up the 26-year-old defensive tackle with a three-year, $40.5 million extension, including $25 million guaranteed. A pending free agent no more, Jones is staying in Baltimore - and the Giants just lost out on a player who checked every box for what they need up front.
Let’s be clear: New York could’ve made this work financially. With $17 million in cap space before any restructures or roster trimming, the Giants had the flexibility to make a competitive offer. Jones wasn’t just a luxury target - he was a potential cornerstone for a defense that’s been getting gashed week after week.
At 6-foot-4 and 340 pounds, Jones is a force in the trenches. According to Pro Football Focus, he ranks sixth out of 128 qualified defensive tackles in run defense with a 76.2 grade. That’s elite territory - and it’s night-and-day from what the Giants are getting out of their current rotation.
Rakeem Nuñez-Roches, D.J. Davidson, Roy Robertson-Harris - none of them are moving the needle.
And while rookie Darius Alexander has shown flashes, he’s still unproven and not far behind Jones in age. Dexter Lawrence is doing everything he can, but he’s being double-teamed into oblivion on nearly every snap.
Without a legitimate running mate next to him, his impact is getting smothered, and the ripple effect is dragging down the entire front seven.
That’s why Jones made so much sense. He’s not just a stat-sheet guy - he’s a tone-setter.
A player who could’ve helped flip the Giants’ identity in the trenches. And now he’s off the board.
So where does that leave New York?
There are still options, but none quite as clean a fit. John Franklin-Myers could be in play if the Broncos let him walk.
And come draft night, Clemson’s Peter Woods might be a name to watch. But those are maybes.
Jones was a sure thing - a proven run-stopper entering his prime, available at a price the Giants could afford.
Instead, he’s staying in purple and black, and the Giants are back to the drawing board. One more potential solution crossed off the list for a roster that needs a lot more than just one.
The offseason hasn’t even officially started, and Big Blue is already taking losses.