The Ravens have some starting jobs up for grabs on their defensive line.
Allowing defensive end Lawrence Guy to walk in free agency and trading defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan to the Philadelphia Eagles has created opportunities for young players waiting to get on the field. And those moves were an indication that the Ravens like the options they have in the bullpen.
A candidate to move into the starting defensive end spot is last year's third-round pick Bronson Kaufusi, who missed his entire rookie campaign because of a broken ankle suffered in training camp. Kaufusi spent the entire year rehabbing from the injury, and he has been one of the few consistent faces at the Under Armour Performance Center throughout the offseason months.
"Bronson has been in here with the rehabbing and the training right on through, and I can tell you, he looks good," Head Coach John Harbaugh said during the pre-draft press conference.
Kaufusi, 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds, went down with the injury before the Ravens even had a chance to really see what he could do. The injury happened before the preseason and Kaufusi also missed most of last year's offseason practices because of a back problem.
The Ravens had high expectations for the BYU product when they took him with the No. 70 pick last year, and the upcoming offseason program will be critical in getting him ready for his first real NFL action.
"He looks big, really working on his lower half because he had the broken leg, and the trainers are doing a great job with him there," Harbaugh said. "But when you see him, physically, you're going to like the way he looks."
Kaufusi will compete with Brent Urban for the defensive end job. Both players have big bodies who have the physical makeup to cause disruption in the trenches.
Kaufusi also brings some pass-rush ability, as he totaled 11 sacks his senior year at BYU and 26.5 over his career. If the Ravens can get anywhere close to that kind of pass-rush production from Kaufusi, they'll be thrilled.
"[Kaufusi is] coming in and adding to us, and they can be a big boost for us," Harbaugh said.
