Even this late into the offseason, there are still questions surrounding the Baltimore Ravens’ pass rush.
The Ravens had 54 sacks last season, the second most in the league behind the Denver Broncos with 63. Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh combined for 22.5 of those sacks, and despite some questions surrounding both of them, age for the former and contract situation for the latter, they’re both back and ready to produce again. Baltimore’s other options on the edge – including David Ojabo, Tavius Robinson, Adisa Isaac and second-round rookie Mike Green – are all young, but have strong potential.
So while it’s a solid group overall, edge rusher is definitely one of Baltimore’s position groups with more questions than others.
In fact, FOX Sports’ Carmen Vitali believes it to be the Ravens’ biggest remaining need. She also suggested Preston Smith, who most recently played with the Pittsburgh Steelers, as a player they could sign to help address the issue.
“As electric as the Ravens’ offense is with Lamar Jackson at the helm, so much of their identity is tied up in defense,” Vitali wrote. “There’s a ton of talent on that side of the ball, too. But there’s something left to be desired in the pass rush. Kyle Van Noy is a great player. Odafe Oweh is, too. But to keep consistent pressure coming off the edge, I’d like to see a deeper rotation — especially to capitalize on the players Baltimore has on the interior. Guys like Nnamdi Madubuike and Travis Jones can wreak havoc inside, which makes things easier and mismatches more common with guys on the outside.”
Smith, 32, has 70.5 sacks over 10 NFL seasons. He had 4.5 sacks last season with the Steelers and Green Bay Packers, his lowest total since 2020. However, it’s also important to note that he only played 30 percent of defensive snaps in his eight games with the Steelers, who have two stars on the edge in T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith.
It’s possible that the Ravens could sign a veteran edge rusher, be it Smith or someone else, but they also seem happy with their current group, young as it may be.
