Defensive line: Calais Campbell, Brandon Williams, Derek Wolfe, Jihad Ward, Justin Madubuike, Naquan Jones
No big surprises here, as the discussion of the Ravens working on an extension for Derek Wolfe was one of the first rumors heading into the offseason. Wolfe had an incredibly solid first year in purple, and a desire to stay in town likely means he’d be willing to take a team-friendly deal to accomplish that. No brainer.
Jihad Ward is somebody who could definitely command some money on the free-agent market after a nice season of stifling opponents in the run game, but the Ravens would be smart to get something worked out with him as well. Less likely than Wolfe, but still very possible.
Keeping the core of this unit together is essential in making sure we don’t have another Derrick Henry problem during the 2021 season, especially after seeing how successful the likes of Campbell, Williams and company were in bottling him up in the Wild Card round. With top level backs like Nick Chubb, Dalvin Cook, Aaron Jones (potentially), Josh Jacobs, and more on the docket for next season, the level of the overall success of this unit will almost surely hinge on the play upfront.
Naquan Jones, out of Michigan State, is somebody the Ravens should definitely consider with one of their mid-round picks. An incredibly strong young man and a certified gap filler, Jones has also powered through tough adversity in his personal life to be where he is today. Not only would he provide instant depth on the interior line, but Calais and B-Will aren’t getting any younger. Continuing to incorporate younger options as they did with Madubuike last year will only make that eventual transition easier.