Pundit Says Ravens' Offseason Moves Have Transformed Pass Rush Into a Strength
After the Ravens uncharacteristically struggled to get to the quarterback last year, improving the pass rush was a top priority for them this offseason.
The Ravens aggressively addressed the issue in free agency and the draft, and Baltimore's sack attack appears poised to bounce back.
NFL.com’s Matt Okada included the Ravens among seven teams who made the necessary moves to turn a weakness into a strength.
"Baltimore attacked the problem head-on this offseason," Okada wrote. "General Manager Eric DeCosta added 10 Pro Bowls of pass rusher between Trey Hendrickson and Calais Campbell, then drafted Zion Young 45th overall. With an elite 18.6% pressure rate and 74.5 sacks over the last six years, Hendrickson could probably turn this unit around single-handedly. Add in the other notables, and the Baltimore pass rush could shift from a weakness to a strength – and maybe even catapult the Ravens to the Super Bowl."
FOX Sports’ Greg Auman ranked the Ravens signing Hendrickson as the second-biggest move of the offseason, surpassed only by the Los Angeles Rams acquiring edge rusher Myles Garrett in a blockbuster trade with the Cleveland Browns.
"One of the biggest moves of the 2026 offseason was ultimately one that wasn't made. It was a blockbuster deal, with Maxx Crosby finally leaving Las Vegas and going to Baltimore for two first-round picks, only to have the Ravens void the deal due to concerns over his surgically repaired knee," Auman wrote. "The Ravens were able to successfully pivot the morning after they ripped up the Crosby trade. They signed edge rusher Trey Hendrickson from the Bengals, essentially getting an elite pass-rusher without having to surrender any draft picks.
"Can Hendrickson help get quarterback Lamar Jackson to the deep playoff run they've largely lacked in Baltimore? If so, we'll be talking about the deal that wasn't and how the Ravens still got what they needed on defense."
While Hendrickson is a force coming off the edge, the ageless Campbell is also force on the interior. Defensive tackle Travis Jones has developed into an impact player, and if defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike returns from a serious neck injury, the Ravens could have one of the best defensive lines in the league.
The Ravens are also excited about the potential of young outside linebackers in Young and Mike Green. Green flashed as a rookie last season, and both he and Young have stood out at OTAs.
The hiring of Head Coach Jesse Minter inspires optimism for the pass rush as well.
The Los Angeles Chargers finished in the top 10 in sacks in both of Minter's two seasons as the Chargers' defensive coordinator. Former Ravens outside linebacker Odafe Oweh flourished in Minter's system, recording 7.5 sacks in 12 games last season.
Jeff Zrebiec Says Returning Players Are Key to Defensive Turnaround
The Ravens' inability to generate consistent pressure last season wasn't the only issue on a defense that was No. 30 against the pass and No. 24 in total yards allowed.
The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec said that, while the additions of Hendrickson, Campbell, Young, and safety Jaylinn Hawkins are cited as the main reasons for the expectation of a defensive turnaround, "it's going to largely be on the backs of returning players."
"In some cases, like with middle linebacker Roquan Smith and cornerback Marlon Humphrey, that means rebounding from a 2025 season that fell below their high standards and fueled talk that they are on the downside of their careers," Zrebiec wrote. "In other cases, as with Green, 2025 first-round safety Malaki Starks and 2024 first-round cornerback Nate Wiggins, it means taking a major step forward after a rookie season that featured really nice moments, but enough inconsistencies to expect more impact out of them this year."
While Smith, a three-time first-team All-Pro, didn't make as many impact plays last season as he typically does, he made the Pro Bowl for the third consecutive year. Humphrey, a four-time Pro Bowler, was a first-team All-Pro in 2024.
New Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver is confident Smith and Humphrey will play at a high level this season.
"[Roquan Smith] communicates, he captains our defense, gets guys aligned and is playing at an elite level [and] speed," Weaver said Tuesday at OTAs. "There's some guys, when they operate, it almost looks like the game is in slow motion. When he's out there right now, I feel that way. So, I look forward to him shutting up some doubters."
Regarding Humphrey, who hasn't attended voluntary OTAs, Weaver wasn't concerned.
"Even though he's not here, I have no doubt that he's doing the things required to make that jump from his play a year ago," Weaver said. "Admittedly, I know there's been some disappointment there with how he played for himself, but I know we can help him reach whatever standard he wants to hold for himself."
Jackson Falls From No. 1 Spot in Chris Simms' Annual Quarterback Rankings
It wasn't hard to figure out who the top four quarterbacks would be in NBC Sports' Chris Simms annual quarterback rankings. The only question was the order.
Jackson, last year's No. 1, came in at No. 3. The Buffalo Bills' Josh Allen took the top spot, followed by the Cincinnati Bengals' Joe Burrow. The Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes was No. 4.
Simms said he had a tough time deciding whether Jackson or Burrow should be No. 2.
"Two and three couldn't have been tighter, and I went back and forth here," Simms said on the “Chris Simms Unbuttoned” podcast.
Simms ultimately decided to place Jackson third because the two-time MVP fell below his high standard in an injury-hampered 2025 season in which he missed four games.
"We are spoiled with the two years before last year of just unbelievable play from the pocket, unbelievable play with his legs and his feet. Decisions were great," Simms said. "Last year, that fell off a little bit. … I think the injury definitely had something to do with that and derailed him to a degree."
Burrow had his own injury issues, as he was limited to eight games last season due to turf toe. He went 5-3 and threw 17 touchdown passes and five interceptions.
Ravens Land in Second Tier of Pundit's Contenders Hierarchy
The Ravens have the second-best odds to win the Super Bowl, but they were not one of the three teams in the top tier of FOX Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano’s NFL contenders.
The top tier was comprised of the Super Bowl favorite Rams, Seattle Seahawks, and Denver Broncos. The Ravens landed in Tier 2 with the New England Patriots, Bills, and Philadelphia Eagles.
"The Ravens are dangerous again, as long as QB Lamar Jackson and RB Derrick Henry are healthy," Vacchiano wrote. "But belief in them requires a lot of faith in a first-year head coach (Jesse Minter)."
Quick Hits
- An interesting component of the Garrett trade is that the conditional 2029 third-round pick that was part of the Browns' compensation will become a first-round pick if the Rams trade Garrett to the AFC North, according to Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot.
