Mink: The Ravens and General Manager Eric DeCosta were aggressive in trying to improve the offensive line this offseason. They signed guard John Simpson to a three-year, reported $30 million contract. They used a first-round pick on guard Vega Ioane. They tried to re-sign center Tyler Linderbaum, tried to draft a center in the early rounds, and ultimately signed three veteran centers.
The Ravens have simply had bad luck at center with Danny Pinter (knee), Jovaughn Gwyn (ankle) and Ethan Pocic (knee) all landing on injured reserve before we even got to Week 4. Left tackle Ronnie Stanley is also dealing with a toe injury that knocked him out for a game, and now, guard Andrew Vorhees is dealing with a foot injury.
Despite all that, I think the Ravens' offensive line had one of its best games yet against the Tennessee Titans. Ioane played remarkably well sliding in at center, especially given the circumstances of facing three-time All-Pro Jeffery Simmons in the rain.
With that said, I think the Ravens would eventually like Ioane to return to his natural guard position. Baltimore is getting veteran Andre James up to speed as fast as possible on the practice squad, but I also think DeCosta will continue to monitor the center market moving forward, especially as the trade deadline gets closer.
And, yes, Roger Rosengarten deserves kudos for his strong start to the season. Stanley has the Ravens' highest Pro Football Focus pass blocking grade on the offensive line (72.4) and Rosengarten is No. 2 at 65.5.
Brown: You sound eager to see Adam Randall, who has already missed the minimum four games he was required to sit out when he was placed on injured reserve prior to the season.
Randall has intriguing potential, but I think it will be challenging for him to earn a significant role as a rookie, as long as the Ravens remain healthy at running back. Even if he returns to practice soon, Randall will need a ramp up period before he's ready to play.
Derrick Henry is off to another terrific start – fourth in the league in rushing yards and leading the league in rushing attempts. Justice Hill is an experienced backup who's averaging 4.3 yards per carry. Hill has also caught five passes and is strong in pass protection, something that young backs often struggle with.
Henry and Hill are the only two Baltimore running backs who have carried the ball this season, while Rasheen Ali has played strictly on special teams. That could leave Randall inactive on game days when he returns, unless he shows in practice that he would add punch to the offense and possibly reduce Henry's workload.
The Ravens are deep at running back, which is a good thing. However, that also makes it difficult for a rookie back like Randall to find a niche, particularly after starting the season on IR.
Mink: We don't know yet, but the reports from national pundits don't sound encouraging.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said Jackson has "only an outside chance" to play Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons and later added that Jackson "could miss multiple games."
"It's a little bit of an unconventional ankle sprain," Rapoport said.
We'll see if Jackson gets on the practice field this week, and I'm sure Head Coach Jesse Minter will be asked for updates on Jackson's rehab.
My guess is Minter won't have a definitive update on how long Jackson will be sidelined because it depends on how his ankle responds to treatment. So the Ravens will know more on Friday than they do on Wednesday.
Brown: I don't expect the Ravens to sign Tyreek Hill, although his return to the NFL could happen soon.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported this week that the Kansas City Chiefs have remained in contact with Hill, and that his agent was lining up conversations with multiple teams. Hill dislocated his knee in Week 4 last season while playing for the Miami Dolphins, but he has posted videos of himself on social media running at full speed. He is reportedly targeting a return to action in November.
However, Hill is facing legal issues that could make his future availability more complicated.
Meanwhile, the Ravens have a deep wide receiver room led by Zay Flowers, and it will be deeper when Ja'Kobi Lane returns from his wrist injury. Hill has been an explosive target during his career, but the Ravens can thrive without him in the mix. At this point, I don't view him as a player who fits the model of "right player, right price."
