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Ravens Make Roster Move After Placing Star Defender on Injured Reserve

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paul White | Last updated Sep 28, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The Baltimore Ravens are one of the few teams in the NFL that seems to have a culture that permeates through different eras of the roster. The Ravens usually have a strong running game to pair with one of the best defenses in the league.

They currently have one of the best rushers of this generation in Derrick Henry, but the defense is where they are lacking.

Former defensive coordinator Mike MacDonald accepted a head coaching job with the Seattle Seahawks last year and Baltimore’s unit has taken a massive hit as a result.

The Ravens’ defense has struggled mightily to start the season, giving up at least 38 points in two of their three games so far.

Unfortunately, stopping opposing offenses is about to get even tougher as the team placed star defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike on injured reserve.

We have placed Nnamdi Madubuike and Broderick Washington on injured reserve.

We have signed DE Brent Urban and TE Zaire Mitchell-Paden to the 53-man roster. We have also elevated DT C.J. Okoye and NT Josh Tupou from the practice squad for tomorrow’s game.
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 27, 2025

Baltimore faces the Kansas City Chiefs later today and will be at a disadvantage without one of the most versatile defenders in the league.

Madubuike injured his neck in the team’s Week 2 game against the Cleveland Browns, and while it seemed unlikely he would play against the Chiefs, it comes as a shock that he got placed on injured reserve nearly two weeks later.

To offset the loss, the Ravens elevated defensive tackle C.J. Okoye and nose tackle Josh Tuppu from the practice squad to give themselves some depth.

An injured reserve designation requires a player to miss at least four games, so the team knows they’ll need some replacements to bolster the defense.

The matchup against Kansas City will be a rare, early must-win game for the Ravens, sitting at 1-2 with a team that’s been to three Super Bowls in a row staring them in the face.

The consequences could be massive if Baltimore loses this game because they’ve already put themselves in an early hole.

The defense will attempt to get back on track without one of their best players manning the middle.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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