Ravens Feel Good About New-Look Pass Rush

Despite some losses, the Baltimore Ravens remain confident in their defensive front.

Nov 5, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens linebacker Odafe Oweh (99) celebrates after making a defensive play against the Seattle Seahawks during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jessica Rapfogel-USA TODAY Sports / Jessica Rapfogel-USA TODAY Sports

After leading the league with 60 sacks last season, the Baltimore Ravens' pass rush has a tough act to follow in 2024.

Aside from the expected regression, the loss of Jadeveon Clowney, who finished second on the team with 9.5 sacks last season, looms large. That said, pass rush coach Chuck Smith remains very confident in his group.

"I really don't even care what people think [to be] honest with you, because at the end of the day, we're going to go out and do our best... My goal is to really impact quarterbacks by beating them up – simple as that," Smith said after Monday's practice. "If we beat up the quarterbacks, and his ending is not always the way he wants, then we had an impact, and the numbers will come."

It's easy to get caught up in the loss of Clowney, but there's still a lot to like up front. Newly-minted defensive tackle Justin Madubuike, who led all players at his position with 13 sacks last season, returns for another go around, as does veteran edge rusher Kyle Van Noy, who posted a career-high nine sacks despite not joining the team until after Week 3.

Then there's those who are looking for a breakout seasons such as Odafe Oweh and David Ojabo, as well as other players along the interior, who may not get the sacks but are key to generating pressure all the same.

"We're in Year 2 of guys who we've developed the guys inside," Smith said. "Everybody in our unit has a skilled move. Everybody in the unit understands the language [in which] we talk. We have a specific language that we talk [with]. We [have] certain moves, how we say it, certain approaches, certain things that we wanted to kind of implement last year, where everybody on the front can be a threat at some point, whether we're in our Raven group with three bigs.

"'Mike P.' [Michael Pierce], you all watched 'Mike P.' – he was rushing last year. 'Broddy' [Broderick Washington] got sacks, Travis [Jones] got sacks, 'Urb' [Brent Urban] had three sacks last year. You want everyone to be able to do that, and that's kind a good thing, we want everyone to be a threat."

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