Ravens Key Defender Could Miss Lions Game

Being able to generate pressure and collapse the pocket up the middle is the best and quickest way to disrupt any quarterback, but it is especially true when going up against traditional pocket passers such as Jared Goff, who the Ravens will be facing in Week 3.

"You talk about [with] any quarterback, if you let them sit back there, set their feet and get comfortable, they'll make you pay. Jared Goff is one of the best at that," Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr said this week. "He's one of the most accurate quarterbacks when he has a clear picture, and he can set his feet and throw the football. So, we definitely have to generate pressure on him, whether that's with a four-man rush, or whether that's sending extra guys at him. We definitely cannot let him get comfortable, sit back there and pick us apart."

While the Lions have an elite tackle pairing with Pro Bowlers Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker, they're much younger and less formidable along the interior of their offensive line with a pair of first-year starters at guard with rookie Tate Ratledge and second-year pro Christian Mahogany.

Madubuike hasn't missed a game since Week 16 of the 2021 season in his second year in the league. He has been one of the most disruptive interior defensive linemen since his breakout 2023 campaign. That year, he led the Ravens and all players at his position with a career-high 13 sacks. Although his sack production was cut in half last year with 6.5, a couple of reasons could explain the dip. He faced a lot more double and sometimes triple teams than he's used to. In addition, fellow starter Travis Jones was battling an ankle injury in his absence.

If the Ravens' third-highest paid player and leader of their defensive line group can't play against the Lions, it will likely lead to an uptick in playing time for fellow sixth-year pro Broderick Washington and sixth-round rookie. His absence would almost certainly result in 12th-year veteran defensive end Brent Urban being elevated from the practice squad for the first time this season.

In addition to Madubuike being absent from the first two days of practice, joining as nonparticipants were a pair of fellow Pro Bowl starters. Outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy left the Browns game early with a hamstring injury and is expected to miss multiple weeks, while five-time Pro Bowl fullback Patrick Ricard, who has yet to appear in a game or practice since the regular season got underway.

The Ravens' young edge rushers are prepared to step up and fill the void left by Van Noy, and the team elevated fourth-year tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden from the practice squad to fill in for Ricard for the first two games of the season.

One major positive update for the Ravens on the injury front was the return of starting cornerback Nate Wiggins to practice as a limited participant after previously sitting out with a groin injury. The second-year pro is coming off one of the best games of his young career, where he allowed just 4 catches on 9 targets for a meager 15 yards, an opposing quarterback rating of 12.0 per PFF and nearly recorded his second pick-six on his second career interception.

"He had a great game on Sunday," Orr said. "He was locked in on his technique [and] his coverage. The interception was great to see, but all the other plays throughout the game, he was great as well. So, that's the expectation we have for him because of the player that he is, the player that he's shown. Now, he has to be consistent and stack another one Monday night."