A recent Pro Bowl comparison from a Ravens star may ignite some breakout buzz for defensive tackle Travis Jones
It’s one of those unspoken rules: we should avoid comparing young NFL stars to the game’s greats and legends. Such comparisons create unnecessary pressure for no reason. If a linebacker has talent, we will recognize it without needing to label them as the ‘next Ray Lewis.’
Why place a target on your young Baltimore Ravens and do so unnecessarily?
Players just want to let their teammates know they see them, that they respect them. The message is, ‘We see the same traits that made those guys great when we see you.’ So, player comparisons won’t go away, and veterans will continue to draw parallels involving All-Pros and up-and-coming players. Take Kyle Van Noy, for instance.
Van Noy joined the Ravens‘ practice squad in September 2023 and was added to the active roster three days later. He signed a two-year extension in April 2024. He earned his first Pro Bowl nod with Baltimore this season.
Ravens training camp is underway, and Baltimore media members caught up with Van Noy this past Thursday. When the topic of conversation turned to fourth-year pro Travis Jones, the longtime vet offered an elite comparison for his young teammate.
“Travis Jones and Nnamdi (Madubuike) are special. They’re a special duo to me. I think they’re the best duo in the league. They’re not talked about enough. If you go watch the first couple (of) games, when ‘Trav’ was healthy, you could argue he was just as dominant as Dexter Lawrence out there. If you really watched the film, he was that dominant. Hopefully, he’s learned from what he can do to stay healthy. I know he got nicked up there and kind of battled through a whole season and still played really good.”
Dexter Lawrence is no joke. Taken by the New York Giants 17th overall during the 2019 NFL Draft, he earned a spot on the 2019 PFWA All-Rookie Team. He has since been named a Second-Team All-Pro twice (2022, 2023). He has also been voted onto the three most recent Pro Bowl rosters.
If that level of player rests somewhere in Travis Jones, no Ravens enthusiast will complain. The postseason accolades haven’t come yet, but there is talent in that six-foot-four, 338-pound frame of his.
Baltimore’s roster is loaded. There are stars everywhere, but with a difficult schedule, wins and losses may, at times, come down to plays made by some of the role players. Jones will have his opportunities, and if he makes the most of them, a strong contract season will likely lead to an extension. We’re pulling for him. Kyle Van Noy knows talent when he sees it. Let’s hope he’s spot on in his Travis Jones/Dexter Lawrence theory.