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Baltimore Ravens All-Decade Team: Defense edition

By Chris Schisler

NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 03: Ed Reed #20 of the Baltimore Ravens holds up the Vince Lombardi Trophy following their 34-31 win against the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - FEBRUARY 03: Ed Reed #20 of the Baltimore Ravens holds up the Vince Lombardi Trophy following their 34-31 win against the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LA – FEBRUARY 03: Terrell Suggs #55 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates in the locker room following their 34-31 win against the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA – FEBRUARY 03: Terrell Suggs #55 of the Baltimore Ravens celebrates in the locker room following their 34-31 win against the San Francisco 49ers during Super Bowl XLVII at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /

Outside Linebackers: Terrell Suggs, Elvis Dumervil, Za’Darius Smith, Matt Judon, Pernell McPhee

The first name here is obvious. Terrell Suggs played for the Ravens from 2003-2018. When Lewis and Reed left the team in 2012, Suggs got to step up and take ownership of the defense. Suggs was one of the best leaders the franchise ever had. Suggs racked up almost all of his 138 sacks with the Baltimore Ravens. While there have been greater pass rushers, there may have never been a more complete outside linebacker. Suggs was always a great run defender as well as a pass rusher.

Elvis Dumervil played for the Ravens from 2013-2016. In the 2014 season he tallied 17 sacks and was one of the best weapons any defense in the NFL had. Dumervil had 35.5 sacks wearing the purple and black, it’s hard to argue against his spot on the All Decade team.

Za’Darius Smith is making the Ravens miss him, playing the best football of his career with the Green Bay Packers. Smith showed off some of his flashy abilities in Baltimore. As a rookie he had 5.5 sacks in 2015. His best season with the Ravens was 2018 when he had 8.5 sacks. He took down the quarterback 18.5 times as a Raven. Matt Judon is bringing the outside linebacker position to a strong finish this decade. Judon has 8.5 sacks. After tallying four sacks in his rookie season of 2016, Judon has had at least seven sacks per season. He could be on his way to a big pay day from the Ravens.

Pernell McPhee quietly belongs in this company. McPhee has 34.5 sacks in his career and 19.5 of them came while playing for Baltimore. McPhee played for the Ravens from 2011-2014. The Ravens brought back McPhee for this season and he provided three sacks before being put on the injured reserve.

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