The Ravens completely transformed their defensive front seven in the offseason, but does that mean that they transformed their defense as well? In the first part of this two-part piece, we will examine the changes that have been made along the defensive line and what that may mean from a schematic point of view.
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One of the first big dominoes to fall in this offseason was the Ravens trading a 5th round pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars for All-Pro DE Calais Campbell. Campbell has been one of the most consistently productive defenders in the NFL for over a decade. Not only has Campbell been incredibly durable, but he also brings unique positional versatility to the Ravens defensive front. In many ways he will be the lynch pin for all of the changes along the front seven, but a lot also depends on the other pieces that Eric DeCosta and the Ravens front office brought in and the creative genius of defensive coordinator Wink Martindale.
On paper, Campbell will likely play defensive end in the Ravens 3-4 base defense, the same position that was occupied by Chris Wormley in 2019. Wormley has since been traded to Pittsburgh, a rare intra-division trade that freed up some cap room and generated a future late round draft pick for a player that likely would have been a rotational piece at best. Campbell and Wormley will ostensibly fill the same role, but Campbell’s skill as an Edge rusher brings a different dimension to the Ravens defense.
When Wormley was used on passing downs, he lined up almost entirely as the 3-technique Defensive Tackle. Campbell has plenty of experience and ability to play DT for the Ravens, but his ability to play on the Edge opens up a world of possibilities for Wink Martindale which is where the other additions along the defensive line come to play.
In recent seasons, the Ravens lack of depth and versatility along the defensive line has called for big Nose Tackles like Brandon Williams and Michael Pierce to play a considerable number of reps on passing downs. In 2019 the Ravens had 5 defensive tackles that profile as run-stuffing NTs between Williams, Pierce, Domata Peko, Justin Ellis and Daylon Mack. Heading into 2020, Peko and Pierce are gone, and the Ravens added length, athleticism and pass-rush ability with Campbell, free agent signing Derek Wolfe, 3rd round draft pick Justin Madubuike, and 5th round selection Broderick Washington. The top 6 defensive lineman on the 2019 roster average size was 6’1, 333 lbs. In 2020, the defensive line’s average size is 6’3½ and 311 lbs. This is clearly a significant shift in the type of player that will be lining up along the Ravens defensive front.
These new additions to the defensive line offer far more positional and scheme versatility. Not only are players like Campbell, Wolfe and Madubuike gifted interior pass-rushers that could all line up at 3 technique, but they have length, power and experience playing DE as well. This means the Ravens can be “big” up front with Wolfe and/or Campbell playing DE, while having Madubuike, Williams and Washington on the inside. Wink Martindale has been very creative as the Ravens defensive coordinator, so it would not surprise me at all to see more 4- man fronts, potentially with 4 defensive lineman, given the new personnel. On the flip side, the Ravens can move Campbell or Wolfe inside along with Madubuike or they can play an OLB like Jihad Ward, Jaylon Ferguson or Pernell McPhee on the interior if they want to use 3 or 4 OLBs.
Another aspect of the defense that can be expanded with these additions is the use of stunts and twists. Both Campbell and Wolfe were used frequently in these games on their previous teams, and it clear to see why that is the case – they move extremely well and are also technically proficient at occupying multiple blockers. The Ravens athletic OLBs, especially Matthew Judon and Tyus Bowser, could be the major beneficiaries of these opportunities as the defensive lineman create holes for the linebackers to rush through.
Regardless of how these players line up, the defensive line has been completely transformed and the end result should be a unit that brings a much more potent pass-rush in any package or personnel grouping. With a defensive guru like Wink Martindale pulling the strings, the sky is the limit for what we may see in this upcoming season.
Stay tuned for part 2 where we look at the changes made to the ILB group.
Ravens Analyst
Gabe is an avid fan of the NFL and Ravens football. He grew up in Westminster, MD, and attended college at Johns Hopkins University majoring in Biology. He earned his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and now works as a R&D Scientist developing Transplant Diagnostics assays. Gabe has appeared as a guest on 105.7 The Fan.