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Ravens Lose Breakout Safety For 2025 Season
Baltimore Ravens safety Ar'Darius Washington breaks up a pass intended for Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy. Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Baltimore Ravens safety Ar'Darius Washington tore his Achilles tendon during conditioning and will miss most, if not all, of the 2025 season, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.

Washington's injury is a major blow for not just the Ravens' defense, but also a tragic turn for him personally.

Last season, Washington, a former undrafted free agent from TCU, was a surprising revelation in the secondary. With Marcus Williams and Eddie Jackson both struggling mightily, the Ravens inserted Washington into the starting lineup around Week 8, and the difference was immediately obvious. Baltimore's pass defense went from being the worst in the league by a significant margin during the first half of the season, to being one of best in the league during the second half.

In 17 games, including 10 starts, the 25-year-old recorded 64 tackles, eight passes defended, two interceptions and a forced fumble.

From a personal perspective, Washington worked incredibly hard to get to this point. He only played eight games during his first three seasons due to injury and being on the practice squad, but finally showed what he can do in a larger role last season. Now, he suffers another major setback in his NFL journey.

Last month, Washington re-signed with the Ravens on a one-year tender worth roughly $3.3 million.

With Washington likely done for the entire year, the Ravens will be counting on first-round rookie Malaki Starks to step into a starting role right away.

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

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