Ravens sign veteran offensive lineman

Josh Jones has signed with Baltimore, the team announced Thursday. The 26-year-old has seen time at both guard and tackle spots between his time in Arizona and Houston. That positional versatility could could lead to him seeing at least depth usage on the inside or outside with the Ravens.

A third-round pick in 2020, Jones made 47 appearances during his three-year Cardinals tenure. That stretch included 21 starts, most of which came in 2021 when he played primarily at right guard. Arizona then used him on the blindside the following year, and Jones drew strong PFF reviews. He earned a 75.8 grade on the back of strong play both in the run game and with respect to pass protection.

Jones was traded to the Texans last offseason as Houston aimed to find quality depth amid multiple injuries up front. He wound up starting three games in 2023, splitting time at left tackle, left guard and right tackle. The Houston alum surrendered one sack and nine QB pressures in that limited action, which led to his PFF evaluation (49.3) landing in line with that of his first two seasons. This Ravens agreement will likely represent a short-term, low-cost investment as a result.

Still, Jones could find himself occupying a notable role in 2024. The Ravens have lost both starting guards from last season (Kevin Zeitler and John Simpson) to free agency. The team also traded away right tackle Morgan Moses in a cost-shedding move. None of those developments came as much of surprise, but they have added urgency to the need on Baltimore’s part to bring in replacements.

Adding another blocker early in April will remain a priority even with Jones’ arrival. The latter will nevertheless likely have the chance to compete for the swing tackle role or playing time on the inside. At a minimum, Jones will be capable of serving as depth and a spot-starter at multiple positions up front. Considering the turnover Baltimore has experienced on the O-line, that could make this second-wave free agent addition an effective one.