Ravens' late-summer signing paying massive dividends

The Ravens built one of the best rosters in the league this offseason, but one of their last signings before the start of the season seems to be paying off the most.

Linebacker Jadeveon Clowney, who joined Baltimore on a one-year deal in August, is having a dominant 2023 campaign. But assistant head coach/DL coach Anthony Weaver isn't surprised at all.

"He plays the game violently. Sometimes that doesn't always show up on the stat sheet, but that doesn't mean he isn't being impactful," Weaver told reporters. "It's really not surprising at all because what you see from him every Sunday so far this year, is what I've seen from him for a number of years now."

Clowney has been highly criticized after not living up to the expectations of being the No. 1 pick in 2014. However, his impact is finally showing up on the stat sheet as he's on pace to have a career year in his 10th season in the NFL.

The 30-year-old veteran has 7.5 sacks, which is the second most on the team, through 12 games this year. That puts him on pace to finish the season with about 10.5 sacks, which would be a new career best.

The addition of Clowney this offseason has turned out to be even more important after head coach John Harbaugh revealed that LB David Ojabo, the Ravens' second-round pick in 2022, had surgery last week to repair a partially torn ACL and is out for the rest of the season.

Clowney has been stepping up in Ojabo's absence and now it looks like he'll be the starter the rest of the way. 

Why it has taken Clowney's production so long to show up on the stat sheet is certainly a head-scratcher, but his fifth team since entering the league may just be his last, especially if he helps Baltimore reach its Super Bowl aspirations this year.