There’s a thin line between camp hype and that low-key panic that makes a coach just sit there, staring at the depth chart like it personally offended him. And yeah, somewhere in Baltimore right now, John Harbaugh might be doing exactly that, half-zoned out, clutching lukewarm coffee, and quietly muttering ‘you’ve got to be kidding me’ while trying not to throw a Sharpie across the room, fixing the complex roster.

A rookie lands on the injury list. A veteran’s name starts echoing a little louder than expected. And suddenly, the depth chart feels less like a plan and more like a puzzle missing a corner piece. For a team eyeing a Super Bowl run? Even the smallest roster shuffle can shift the tide. In a recent episode of The Flock Rundown, the host broke down Emery Jones Jr‘s injury situation and gave an insight into what it means for him, the team, and what the right way forward is.

“I could totally hear the argument that Emory Jones Jr could be an IR stash to free up a roster spot,” he said. Jones? IR stash? He would probably have been the only rookie to make an impact for the Ravens this season. So, he is potentially stashed? It doesn’t sit too well. The Ravens took Emery Jones Jr. at No. 91 overall for a reason. Freshman All-American, two-time Second-Team All-SEC. The vision was clear. Start him off as depth. A swing tackle or guard by midseason. And eventually, prepare him to take over for ageing vets like Ronnie Stanley or Roger Rosengarten.

Then came the shoulder injury. John Harbaugh said Jones “won’t be ready for the start of camp,” and now he’s officially on the NFI list. Torn labrum in May, sat out OTAs, missed minicamp, and now he’ll be watching the first chunk of training camp like the rest of us. The development roadmap? Not ideal.

Because of the OL depth? It’s not just some depth chart detail. It’s the foundation if Lamar’s gonna go chasing another MVP. Ronnie Stanley’s locked in, sure, but O-line health never feels guaranteed in a 17-game season. That’s where Jones comes in. He wasn’t supposed to be a Day 1 starter, but he was drafted to be a plug-and-play option if someone went down. A safety net. Now? He’s a question mark.

“They’re going to have more trust in the guys who have been there throughout the offseason, and he is missing training camp,” the host added. And that’s fair. Training camp is the most important event of the offseason. That’s where most decisions are made. And if you’re not there? That puts everything up in the air. Trust is earned with sweat, not scouting reports. And right now, he’s not even on the field to make his case. And Harbaugh? He’s being urged to look at alternatives.

Jones’ unavailability sparks veteran rumours

Cue the pickup lines, because when the veteran on the block is Brandon Scherff? It’s hard not to pay attention. Add in the Jones situation, and it makes even more sense. The host doubled down on it. “Brandon Scherff is by far the best alternate available. This guy would actually compete for the starting job. You need a really strong offensive line. The Ravens roster is completely stacked, but there will be limitations if you don’t have strong OL play,” he said.

Scherff entered free agency after the Jaguars‘ new management cleared the house. Scherff’s three-year, $49.5 million deal from 2022 left $13.8 million in dead cap on the Jags’ books this year. So, yeah. Snatching him up? Better time than any.

The guy’s 33, but he’s still playing like a wall. In 2024, Scherff didn’t give up a single sack over 500+ pass-block snaps. That is a good consistency. PFF had him ranked 19th out of 136 guards with a 74.5 pass-block grade, and honestly, that might’ve even been a little low. He had the second-lowest pressure rate allowed in the last two seasons. If you’re a team with Super Bowl hopes, this is exactly the kind of veteran you want on the line.

Baltimore’s been sneaky consistent—12–5 last year, three straight AFC North crowns, and a quietly elite QB protection game. But that O-line? It still needs insurance. And John Harbaugh won’t ignore that kind of plug-and-play stability, especially when your offense runs through Lamar. Jimmy Kempski had him pegged as one of the best available guards in the draft cycle again, and he wasn’t wrong. If Scherff’s phone rings, don’t be surprised if it’s got a 410 area code.