Ravens need young stars to break out or 2025 could painfully echo 2024

The Baltimore Ravens' biggest struggle shockingly came on the defensive side of the football in 2024. However, while the unit bounced back towards the end of the season, the one aspect that remained constant was the lack of consistency on the defensive line. 

The Ravens ranked second in the league in total sacks last season with 54, nine behind the first-place Denver Broncos with 63. The numbers might tell the story of one of the most feared pass rush groups, but the pressure rate of 33% was nowhere near the top of the NFL. Going into 2025, it remains one of the pivotal question marks facing the Ravens. 

Baltimore’s pass rush is too talented not to wreck games in 2025

Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman of Pro Football Focus ranked each NFL roster and identified the biggest strengths and weaknesses of each team from 2024. The Ravens were ranked second in overall roster composition, but the pass rush group was seen as their biggest weakness they needed to address.

As OTAs kick off, Baltimore’s top duo along the edge remains the same–Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh. The position group got deeper, though, with the addition of Mike Green in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Based on the name value, the depth sounds dangerous. Van Noy and Oweh amassed 10 or more sacks in 2024, and Green, David Ojabo, and Adisa Isaac were highly-praised names coming out of college. But they need to take a step forward.

Baltimore knows what they are getting out of Van Noy. The 34-year-old is aging like a fine wine. He had a career-high 12.5 sacks last year, but almost half of that came in just three games. Many are wondering if age will finally start to catch up to him. That makes the production of Baltimore’s younger sack artists crucial. 

Oweh will be suiting up for his fifth campaign in 2025 and coming off a career season. He doubled his previous career-high with 10 sacks in 2024. However, like Van Noy, his sack production came in spurts. Half of Oweh’s sacks came in two games. He’ll need to provide more consistency throughout the season, especially with it being a contract year.

That contract year may have been the catalyst for Oweh’s new look at OTAs. After adding 20 pounds of muscle in the offseason, the former first-round pick looks like a new man. As a player praised for his speed since college, the added weight should allow Oweh to unlock a new level to his bull rush. 

While Van Noy and Oweh offer speed and versatility to the line, Green brings exactly what the Ravens are missing–a blend of twitch and technique. The second-round pick dominated offensive lines at Marshall in 2024 with 17 sacks and 23 tackles for loss. He had some of the best tape of 2025 rookies, showcasing his quick hands and unbelievable twitch. Off-the-field concerns forced Green to slip to the 59th pick, where Baltimore finally took a chance on him.

Rounding out the edge rushing room is the trio of Tavius Robinson, Ojabo, and Isaac. Robinson showed promise in 2024, but the three need to separate themselves in 2025 and prove to be key contributors if they want to strike fear into offensive lines this upcoming year.

Baltimore’s entire pass rush needs to become more dependable to find success in 2025. If the youth can earn their stripes this season, it should unlock the production of the team's top defensive linemen. The talent is there, but they must find a consistent rhythm.

More Balti