Ravens OLB Odafe Oweh Looks Healthy, Dominant

Oweh looking to boost pass rush

OWINGS MILLS, Md.— Ravens outside linebacker Odafe Oweh played through a shoulder injury for much of last season.

He underwent offseason surgery, and so far, the result has been impressive.

“I don’t want to say it held me back, but it was something that I was feeling," Oweh said about the injured shoulder. "It got progressively worse as I was playing. But I’m a competitor, I want to compete. I know as a football player, you’ve got to play through things like that. Next season, I’m going to be ready though.” 

Oweh finished second on the Ravens with five sacks, along with 15 quarterback hits and three forced fumbles. He also had five turnovers caused by pressure in 2021, which was tied for the most in the NFL, according to Next Generation Stats. 

Now, he's ready to take another step forward in his second year. 

“When I first got here, I was kind of jittery. I was just trying to make every single play," Oweh said. But now, I’m just trying to make the right play. I’m not necessarily trying to jump out of gaps and try to force plays. [I’m] being patient. And obviously, in pass rushing, being calmer, reading everything, taking what I see, bending the edge, and all the stuff like that. So, you’ll see a different Odafe this year, for sure.”

Oweh has been dominant coming off the edge and is consistently in the backfield during training camp. He kept consistent pressure on Lamar Jackson throughout the first day of the team practicing in pads.

He also created matchup problems for the offensive linemen. 

His goal is to maintain that high level of play throughout the season.

"I feel like my legs are stronger so I can get out after I make that third step and I’m dipping," Oweh said. "I made a nice move yesterday, and I felt it in my legs – using all that work and everything. I’m happy with the work I did in the offseason, and it’s paying off.”