Alabama offensive lineman Jaeden Roberts 'fine' after injury in Saturday's scrimmage

Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer got another good look at his team on Saturday, with a scrimmage taking place in Tuscaloosa. Unfortunately, not everybody left the field completely healthy with offensive lineman Jaeden Roberts having an injury. Reports stated Roberts was on crutches but good news came from DeBoer during his press conference.

Roberts is going to be “fine” after suffering his injury. DeBoer did not give a specific diagnosis and the player may wind up missing some playing time. However, it’s not considered to be a serious issue and there is a chance Roberts is back out there before we know it.

“Jaeden’s gonna be fine,” DeBoer said. “He might be down for a little bit here but will be fine. We’ll do some follow-up evaluations, but early reports feel like it will be nothing major.”

Alabama is expected to have quite a few familiar faces starting on the offensive line this season. Roberts is one of the most important, coming back for his fourth year of college football. He started in 10 games last year, including the College Football Playoff semifinal game against Michigan.

Offensive coordinator Nick Sheridan has not worked with Roberts for too long but he raved about the guard’s ability. Not just on the field, where Sheridan raved about the strength he possesses. But the character is a plus too — a great player to have through a coaching transition.

“What a great kid, talk about a worker,” Sheridan said this spring. “Strong, extremely strong. I think he’s building on the foundation he has, with the experiences he has had, but a great kid. A joy to coach and tough and hard-working and strong. Did I mention strong? J-Rob is strong and an awesome kid. We’re glad he’s on our side.”

Right guard was where Roberts was stationed last season, playing alongside JC Latham at right tackle. However, Latham is now out of the program and will hear his name called at the 2024 NFL Draft later in the month. Roberts will have somebody new playing next to him by this fall’s season opener.

A lot of reshuffling is taking place inside the program and arguably none is more interesting than up-front on offense.

Spring practice is when the connection between offensive linemen can begin to gel. Roberts being out with an injury certainly will not help the cause. However, DeBoer’s news should avoid any kind of long-term concerns.