Baltimore Ravens linebacker Teddye Buchanan Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Ravens LB Named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month

Originally posted on Baltimore Ravens on SI
By Anthony Miller | Last updated Oct 30, 2025 2:26 PM ET

While it was a month to forget for the Baltimore Ravens, October is at least ending on a high note with a 30-16 win over the Chicago Bears and now an award.

The NFL announced their month awards for October as Ravens rookie fourth-round pick linebacker Teddye Buchanan was named as the Defensive Rookie of the Month. It has been quite the season for Buchanan, who was just a backup on the roster before injuries elevated him into the starting lineup in Week 2.

In their first game of the month, the Ravens were blown out by the Houston Texans 44-10, but Buchanan had a career-high 15 tackles. Buchanan then would have a combined 15 tackles in the next two games against the Los Angeles Rams and the Bears. He finished the month leading the team with 30 tackles.

Ravens have a special talent on their hands

Baltimore faced multiple injuries on defense, including those to Kyle Hamilton and Roquan Smith, as the two players missed various games. There were incidents where Buchanan was forced to have the green dot on his helmet and had to call out the plays, and he seemed to handle it well.

Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

While the experience was great for Buchanan, the Ravens are happy to have their stars on defense like Smith and Hamilton back in the lineup. What Buchanan was able to prove was that he should be in the rotation and that the team has reliable backups to lean on when injuries occur.

Buchanan has set himself up for success moving forward and should put Baltimore in a good position at linebacker in the future. He is also learning from one of the best in the NFL with Smith, so he's only going to get better with age.

The focus now for Buchanan is helping the Ravens navigate the rest of the year. Baltimore will enter November with a losing record, but at least they are in a position to take the AFC North, as they are just two games behind the Pittsburgh Steelers for first in the division.

With the team mostly healthy and back at full strength, this is a Ravens team that will be playing at a much different level than they were in October. The only good thing that came out of the month was Buchanan proving his value on the roster and setting the foundation for the future of the franchise.

This article first appeared on Baltimore Ravens on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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