Alabama finally gets some positive, last-second injury news ahead of season opener against Florida State
After dealing with multiple injuries to key players in recent weeks, Alabama finally got positive injury news on Friday ahead of the season opener against Florida State.
The Alabama Crimson Tide have been dealing with multiple injuries in recent weeks, including to starters Jam Miller and Tim Keenan III. Veteran Jaeden Roberts had also been a part of that unfortunate run, but on Friday, Yea Alabama announced that the multi-year starter had cleared concussion protocol and would be available to play against Florida State in the season opener on Saturday.
“News: Jaeden Roberts is officially cleared to play and will be available on Saturday in Tallahassee.”
Roberts had been dealing with a concussion for multiple weeks.
“He’s been practicing,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said of Roberts on Wednesday via the SEC Coaches Teleconference. “Very limited, very limited. I mean, he’s making progress but it’s slow and steady. I know this has been going on for a couple weeks. A lot of the same, nothing more than that, really.”
At this point, most were assuming that Roberts would be unavailable, but his return couldn’t come at a better time. One of Alabama’s advantages going into Saturday’s game is the continuity along the offensive line. While Florida State is attempting to break in four new starters from the transfer portal, the Crimson Tide were already expecting to field four players who have started at least two games under DeBoer and company.
Obviously, the two most obvious are left tackle Kadyn Proctor and center Parker Brailsford. Proctor has been a multi-year starter at Alabama while Brailsford has been a multi-year starter under DeBoer. Then you’ve got right tackle Wilkin Formby, who played 291 snaps and started the first two games last season, and the versatile interior option in Geno VanDeMark, who also started a couple of games in 2024 while playing 409 snaps.
VanDeMark was expected to man right guard with Texas A&M transfer Kam Dewberry taking over for the departed Tyler Booker at left guard. It’s possible that could change with Roberts assuming his regular spot in the lineup, but with this being a last-second announcement, it’s more likely that the former Michigan State transfer will continue to serve as the first-team right guard with Roberts being a key depth piece — at least against Florida State.
We’ll have to see what happens from there, but it’d probably be a wise decision to keep the guys together who have plenty playing alongside one another throughout fall camp. It’s possible Roberts rotates in some, but that’s a tough ask coming off the injury. Maybe make him an emergency option who can come off the bench if anything happens to any of the three interior starters. In that instance, VanDeMark could slide to left guard or center with Roberts coming in at right guard.
Either way, it’s good to have the fifth-year senior back. That now makes a fifth offensive lineman who has started multiple games for Alabama.
