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They made the trade to acquire Dre’Mont Jones from the Tennessee Titans primarily to add some oomph to their rotation at edge-rusher, but the Baltimore Ravens and defensive coordinator Zach Orr also have something new planned for their versatile recruit. Orr revealed his plans for Jones when speaking to reporters on Thursday, November 6. The under-fire play-caller discussed how he expects Jones to “line up more on the interior than he did at Tennessee,” per ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. It’s an intriguing plan for a useful athlete with the range and talent to puncture the pass pocket from multiple spots. The former top-75 pick in the 2019 NFL draft has a solid pedigree for getting after quarterbacks, so Jones could prove a bargain in exchange for the conditional 2026 fifth-round pick Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta sent to the AFC South. Jones has already expressed his enthusiasm about joining the Ravens, promising to be a player “who is physical as hell [and] attacks every play like it’s my last,” per Hensley. The arrival of Jones can continue the recent defensive revival Orr has made possible by changing the role of another dynamic, roving athlete. Zach Orr’s Plans Suit Dre’Mont Jones Sliding inside fits the skill-set of a sturdy edge defender who stands 6-foot-3 and tips the scales at 281 pounds. Jones is also used to moving all along the line of scrimmage from his days with the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos. Having Jones work from the interior more often will provide the Ravens with a much-needed new wrinkle for what’s been a vanilla and tame pass rush this season. Orr’s unit has collected a mere 11 sacks through eight games, so any reinforcements will be welcome. The welcome committee can be rolled out as early as Week 10’s game against the Minnesota Vikings. That’s according to head coach John Harbaugh, who has already confirmed Jones will “be playing on Sunday,” according to Carita Parks of Double Take Sports. Putting Jones inside, bracketed by veteran Pro Bowler Kyle Van Noy, developing rookie Mike Green, or a former $45 million edge-rusher recently added to the roster, will give the Ravens greater weaponry to worry offensive linemen. This quartet can also afford Orr and his staff extra flexibility to get creative with pressure packages. A more creative approach has already improved the overall defense by putting the group’s star player into a new spot. Ravens’ Defense Changing for the Better Orr was under a ton of pressure for the generosity of his defense earlier this season, but the Ravens have now gone three-straight games holding opponents to 17 points or less. The key to the turnaround has been changing the remit for All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton. He’s gone from playing in the deep half of the field to a role “almost exclusively as a box/slot force player,” per Doug Farrar of Athlon Sports. Farrar argues there isn’t “a more valuable/versatile defender in the NFL today.”
