When asked to break down the huddle and give the final words of practice, Travis Jones felt uneasy but stepped into the center and did it.

At 6-foot-4 and 338 pounds, Jones embodies the strong, silent type. He’s typically friendly but a man of few words.

After the departure of veteran nose tackle Michael Pierce, the Ravens need more from Jones, so he’s been making a concerted effort to step out of his comfort zone.

“I’m trying to be more vocal, trying to help guys with little details, technique and stuff, just little things like that,” Jones said. “I got to get used to doing the uncomfortable things like speaking up more.”

Jones solidified his role among the starters last season when he anchored the Ravens’ No. 1 run defense. In his first seven games, he had 13 pressures, 12 defensive stops and a sack.

In Week 7, Jones dealt with an ankle injury that slowed him down. While he wasn’t as much of a game changer, accumulating just 17 pressures, seven stops and no sacks in the last 10 games, he remained consistent.

Outside of the two games following his injury, Jones remained the starter, a role Pierce passed down to him. Even with Jones’ injury, as well as injuries to Pierce and Broderick Washington, the interior defensive linemen helped the Ravens remain the premier run defense in the league.

Defensive line coach Dennis Johnson said he was proud of how Jones fought through the injury, but it definitely hindered his growth. Now, Jones is back and healthier than before — and stronger than before, too.

His run-stopping skill and pass rush ability “continue to flourish” under the hot Maryland sun at OTAs, Johnson said. But it’s was Jones’ growth as a leader that Johnson emphasized.

“He’s done an amazing job, an incredible job of coming out here, stepping up, taking more of a leadership role, being a little bit more vocal," Johnson said.

Jones has been answering younger players’ questions in the meeting rooms. He’s been walking guys through plays and drills on the sidelines.

“So just those little things are things I hadn’t really seen a great deal from him,” Johnson said. “But it’s also he’s more comfortable doing the things we ask him to do.”

Jones did not head into the offseason with the goal of becoming a leader, but it started to happen once the team returned to the field.

Timing plays a factor. He’s heading into his fourth year, the final of his rookie contract, and the room has gotten younger.

Pierce’s retirement announcement also left a hole in the room that needs to be filled. Pierce was an undrafted rookie who went on to play eight NFL seasons. He was a fun presence in the locker room who set an example by the way he worked. He was also someone who would speak for the defensive line in postgame press conferences.

There was one year left on Pierce’s contract, but he decided it was time to move on from football. His best friend and fellow veteran defensive end Brent Urban also did not return to the Ravens.

“Mike P was a great player, so I got a lot of big shoes to fill,” Jones said.

Jones is now the fourth-oldest interior defensive lineman on the team behind free agent addition John Jenkins, Nnamdi Madubuike and Washington. Madubuike hasn’t been at many of the voluntary practices, however, and Jenkins only recently finalized his contract, leaving even more of a need for Jones’ leadership.

Jones said he’s looking to take another step this year next to Madubuike, one of his closest friends.

“Just being more consistent with the pass rush,” Jones said when asked about what that looks like. “Beeks most of the time was getting most of the slides, so just got to win my one-on-ones this year.”

The Ravens also added to the room in the draft by picking Aeneas Peebles in the sixth round. Peebles is by far the shortest lineman on the roster at 6 feet tall, but Johnson said he has an “elite get off, one of the better ones here, walking in.”

More recently, they officially signed Jenkins last week, and Johnson called him “a very polished vet.”

Jenkins, who turns 36 in July, has appeared in 150 games over his career, starting 64, including 34 over the past two seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders.

“Already in the meeting rooms, you can tell his wisdom from being in the league for so long. Just talking with the guys, his ability to pick up the playbook and the way that we play our techniques fairly quickly, honestly” is impressive, Johnson said.

Brade leaves practice

Ravens safety Beau Brade left practice about 40 minutes early with an apparent lower-body injury. Brade was closing in on a deep pass to wide receiver Keith Kirkwood down the left sideline when he collided with Kirkwood and rookie cornerback Robert Longerbeam.

Longerbeam returned to practice after a brief stoppage, but Brade received treatment from two athletic trainers while lying on his back. Brade ultimately rose to his feet and limped inside the facility with the help of a trainer, though he appeared to have some flexion in both knees.

With Ar’Darius Washington expected to miss most, if not all, of the 2025 season because of a torn Achilles tendon, Brade has been in the mix for snaps as the Ravens’ third safety.

The Howard County native and former Maryland standout made the team last year as an undrafted rookie and went on to play in 11 games, contributing primarily on special teams along with fellow first-year safety Sanoussi Kane.

Cornerback Chidobe Awuzie also was sidelined late in practice after limping off the field with an apparent foot/ankle injury. Awuzie had to take his shoe off and have his ankle re-taped.

With coach John Harbaugh not speaking to reporters after Monday’s practice, there was no update on Brade’s or Awuzie’s condition.

End zone

• Quarterback Lamar Jackson and safety Kyle Hamilton remained absent at Monday’s voluntary practice. Also missing were wide receivers DeAndre Hopkins and Zay Flowers, fullback Patrick Ricard; left tackle Ronnie Stanley; rookie offensive lineman Emery Jones Jr. (shoulder); defensive linemen Madubuike and Washington; outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy; inside linebacker Jake Hummel; and cornerbacks Nate Wiggins and Jalyn Armour-Davis. The Ravens have three more practices this week ahead of next week’s two-day mandatory minicamp.
• On a day with few offensive highlights, cornerback T.J. Tampa delivered the buzziest play of the afternoon, intercepting a seam pass from quarterback Cooper Rush to tight end Charlie Kolar during an uptempo drill late in practice. Tampa later broke up a jump ball to wide receiver Devontez Walker in the red zone.
• After relatively quiet starts in OTAs, wide receivers Rashod Bateman and LaJohntay Wester were both active Monday. Wester, a sixth-round draft pick, had a nice diving catch over the middle early in practice.
• Rookie kicker Tyler Loop continued his strong start to OTAs, making all six of his field goal attempts, which ranged from 27 to 41 yards.