Ravens defensive game-wrecker could flip the script in 2025 (and the league should be terrified)

The Baltimore Ravens' defense sputtered in 2024. The secondary struggled for most of the season, and the pass had its moments, but also had times of inconsistency. Defensive coordinator Zach Orr’s unit was able to turn the ship around by the year’s end, but that did not change the group's overall campaign. They will be looking to change that script in 2025.

Defensive lineman Nnamdi Madubuike could be at the forefront of the turnaround. The two-time Pro Bowler turned in another disruptive season, racking up 6.5 sacks and consistently pressuring the quarterback week-to-week. However, that did not compare to his 2023 showing, where he totaled 13 sacks and was a second-team All-Pro. It earned him a four-year $98 million deal following that year, and he will look to live up to that value in 2025.

Nnamdi Madubuike should bring Ravens' pass rush back to form in 2025

Madubuike was still among the most feared interior pass rushers last year. He ranked seventh in sacks among players at his position and had the third most hurries with 40 per Pro Football Focus (PFF). However, his overall grade was a 68.3, which, while above average, was just 36th out of all qualified defensive linemen. There is reason to believe he will return to his 2023 self in 2025, though.

In 2024, Madubuike saw his introduction to the treatment that the best pass rushers see. He faced 233 double teams according to NFL Next Gen Stats, which put him in company with Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones for the most double-teamed players. Still, he was an effective cog in the Ravens’ defensive line.

The 27-year-old picked up 1.5 sacks in the team’s final three regular-season games and was also a monster in the playoffs. In the Wild Card Round against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Madubuike tallied two sacks, and in the Divisional Round against the Buffalo Bills, he added another half sack. He is still the same player, and with another year of developing and learning how to take on those double teams, Madubuike should be back to the same player. He is also getting some help along the defensive line.

Eric DeCosta added a reinforcement with rookie pass rusher Mike Green in the 2025 NFL Draft. Green led the college ranks with 17 sacks, and many scouts believed he was one of the more refined rookies on the edge. Baltimore’s coaching staff has also been raving about outside linebacker Tavius Robinson over the offseason. If he can break out this year, everyone should benefit.

Madubuike should be back in All-Pro consideration this season, and it will help the defense return to elite form. He has all the traits to morph into a top-tier interior defensive lineman in the NFL, and he seems primed for another double-digit sack season in 2025.

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