The Baltimore Ravens completed their first organized team activity of the offseason last week.
Here are three under-the-radar players very much in the mix for starting jobs (listed alphabetically):
Ryan Jensen, right tackle
Jensen was a sixth-round pick of the Ravens last year. He broke his foot early in training camp and did not play as a rookie, but Baltimore is enthusiastic about his potential, and he will compete with fellow second-year player Rick Wagner for the right to replace Michael Oher as the Ravens’ starting right tackle.
Jensen practiced primarily at guard and center last year, but Baltimore has him focusing on tackle now, the position he played in college.
Darian Stewart, free safety
The Ravens drafted free safety Terrence Brooks in the third round of this year’s NFL draft, but Stewart will compete with Brooks for the job at free safety.
Stewart started just six games the last two years for the St. Louis Rams, but he started 13 games in 2011 under Baltimore secondary coach Steve Spagnuolo, who was the Rams’ head coach at that point.
Stewart is not a big name and has had just the one semi-productive season in the NFL, but the Ravens believe he is capable of holding up and doing a respectable job as a starter if need be.
To Baltimore, the main thing that has held Stewart back to this point has been injuries. He missed three games last year with a hamstring injury and also missed four games due to injury in 2012.
DeAngelo Tyson, defensive tackle
Tyson has been primarily a reserve for the Ravens the last two years, but he will part of a group competing to replace Arthur Jones as Baltimore’s starting defensive tackle.
Brandon Williams and Timmy Jernigan are probably the two early favorites to win the job. Williams was a third-round pick last year. Jernigan was a second-round pick in April. But Tyson, a seventh-round pick in 2012, has made some plays when called upon the last two seasons.
For more on starting hopefuls, click over to The Carroll County Times…
