2023 Ravens Positional Previews: Linebackers

If you had to pick one position that exemplifies what playing like a Raven means, there’s a good chance you’d pick linebacker. 

From Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs to Daryl Smith and now Roquan Smith, the Ravens have always seemed to have true difference-makers at the position. What’s more, the guys who came after Lewis and Suggs knew they had a massive reputation to uphold. Unleashed by brilliant defensive coordinators, Baltimore’s linebackers, speaking of upholding reputations, have surely done Mike Curtis and Don Shinnick proud. 

What about these linebackers? Who are they, what do they offer, and how good can they make the defense? 

Roquan Smith is the clear leader. Maybe the best at his position in the game, he joined Baltimore in the middle of last season. It’s a testament to his football IQ and rare talent that he was able to integrate so quickly. In nine games, he made 86 combined tackles including 7 tackles for loss. He commanded instant respect from his teammates and opponents. He’s in his prime and under contract for the next four years. 

Patrick Queen is Smith’s partner on the inside. For all the flack he’s gotten, Queen has started every single game since he’s been a Raven. No missed action in three years—most NFL players can’t claim that. As has been noted, he wasn’t playing in his best position early on in his career, but last year(the first year Mike Macdonald was defensive coordinator), Queen had his best season by a long shot. Couple that with the fact that he’s in a contract year, and you can comfortably see Queen having a career year in 2023. 

Next up is my favorite draft pick from this year’s class: Trenton Simpson. While we don’t know exactly how Macdonald will deploy him in this defense, Simpson’s dynamic ability figures to fit right in, causing him to affect the game early upon his debut. As of now, it looks like Simpson will be the primary backup for Smith or Queen on the inside, but I’m sure he’ll get plenty of work on multiple special teams units as well. That will only cause him to get up to speed from a tempo standpoint, another built-in bonus of how the Ravens structure their program. 

The current leaders in the clubhouse to round out the starting linebackers are Odafe Oweh and Tyus Bowser (who’s coming back from a knee injury). David Ojabo is the wildcard in this conversation, because if he’s “right,” he will inject exactly what the Ravens need with the departure of Justin Houston—rapid edge pressure. 

Ojabo played 23 snaps in three games last year (postseason included). With his sack at Cincinnati, he recorded a sack on 4.35 percent of his defensive snaps. As a reference, Oweh, who started every game in 2022, recorded a sack on 1.35 percent of his defensive snaps. While that’s not exactly a like-for-like comparison in terms of sample size, it does give you an idea of what Ojabo is capable of when he’s healthy. Don’t forget, Macdonald coached Ojabo at Michigan as well, so presumably the learning curve has been flattened by now. You have to think Ojabo will open a lot of eyes across the league this season. 

Other linebackers currently on the roster include: 

• Malik Hamm, Kelle Sanders (RUSH) 
• Malik Harrison, Del’Shawn Phillips (WILL) 
• Kristian Welch, Josh Ross (MIKE) 
• Tavius Robinson, Jeremiah Moon (SAM) 

Fourteen linebackers is a lot but remember the team has yet to play its first preseason game. By the time the final roster is complete, I expect that number to be cut in half. Harrison and Welch have the veteran advantage, and Robinson was just drafted this year. If no one sustains a considerable injury, I think this position is more than sufficient for what Macdonald wants to do to get the team to where it wants to go. 

How good will they be? Collectively, I see their best attributes as pursuit, blitzing, tackling, and gap integrity. I’d like to see improvement in pass defense. That’s likely a continual goal for linebackers, and Baltimore is trending in the right direction, but there’s still plenty of work to do.  

In 2022, the Ravens pass defense ranked 13th against 3rd, 4th, or 5th receivers and 8th against tight ends. Most of the time, the players that linebackers will defend on passing plays are 3rd receivers or tight ends. One way to neutralize complicated offensive schemes is to fool the quarterback. Thankfully, Macdonald is adept at deceiving offenses, showing them one thing pre-snap and another thing post-snap. “According to Pro Football Focus, the Ravens had 35 different defensive players rush the passer at least once.” (Spencer Schultz, Baltimore Beatdown) 

With reward comes risk, as the player adjacent to the blitzer must be ready to cover more ground. Inevitably, there will be lapses from time to time, but on the whole it’s a worthwhile effort. Baltimore plays too many talented quarterbacks to just sit back and try to defend without rushing the passer. Pressure is a non-negotiable. 

When forecasting success from this group, think of it like this: You move to a new city for an amazing opportunity, but still need to get acclimated to the community (2022). Now, the mental energy you were expending trying to get settled can be allocated to the actual work, and thus, allow you to perform at a much higher level (2023). 

We get our first look at how good this unit is and can be this Saturday night versus the Eagles, as the Ravens go for their 24th-consecutive preseason win. 

As a former Ravens linebacker would say, “Can’t wait!”