There isn’t a team in the NFL that has been as snake-bitten as the Baltimore Ravens when it comes to injuries. This has been the case for a few years, as it feels as if Baltimore loses more players to significant injuries than any other franchise in the NFL.
This season already they lost running back J.K. Dobbins for the season because of an Achilles injury. Safety Marcus Williams is also going to be sidelined for a while because of a pectoral injury. Now, the season of edge rusher David Ojabo is in jeopardy.
Ojabo was placed on injured reserve ahead of the Ravens’ game against the Cleveland Browns this weekend. He has to miss at least four games before he is eligible to return to the team, which means the earliest he can come back is Week 8, October 29th against the Arizona Cardinals.
However, there are legitimate concerns about Ojabo returning at all this season. While speaking to reporters on Monday, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh did not sugarcoat things. When asked whether the injuries Ojabo is dealing with could be season-ending, he said correct.
Ojabo is dealing with ankle and knee injuries and every option will be explored in regards to his availability this season. This would be a huge blow to an already under-manned pass rush as there were some high expectations for Ojabo coming into the season.
However, the Ravens knew the injury risks involved when they selected him in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. A first-round talent, Ojabo missed all but three games of his rookie season after tearing his Achilles at Michigan’s Pro Day preparing for the draft.
“He’s still being evaluated. There are some decisions that have to be made, that he has to make, in terms of how he wants to approach the knee injury issues that he has,” Harbaugh said, via the team’s website. “I think that’s still private, his concerns are. We’ll just say that is up in the air now.”
With Ojabo sidelined, the Ravens will be relying on veteran free agent additions Jadeveon Clowney and Kyle Van Noy to provide some pass-rushing pressure. In three games this season, Ojabo recorded six tackles, one sack and one forced fumble.
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