Ravens edge rusher jobs ‘up for grabs’ this summer
By Justin Fried
The Baltimore Ravens don’t have many starting spots “up for grabs” this offseason. But perhaps the biggest question mark will come at the edge rusher position.
Bleacher Report’s Maurice Moton recently released a list of one spot on every team that is “up for grabs” this summer. And for the Ravens, he identified the team’s edge rusher jobs as the positions with the most competition.
It’s hard to argue that notion too.
The likes of Tyus Bowser, Pernell McPhee, Odafe Oweh, Daelin Hayes, and Jaylon Ferguson will all be competing for playing time in an unproven outside linebacker corps.
The Ravens have a number of players competing for snaps at edge rusher.
Moton highlighted the losses of Matt Judon and Yannick Ngakoue in the offseason as the primary reason behind the team’s lack of sure things at the position.
Bowser and McPhee are the two returning veterans of the bunch. Bowser could be set to take on a sizable role in 2021 after primarily serving as a rotational player throughout his career.
While not the most accomplished pass rusher, Bowser’s versatility should allow him to continue finding success in defensive coordinator Wink Martindale’s system.
McPhee is the elder statesman of the group, and while the 32-year-old still has something left in the tank, he’s clearly best suited for a rotational role at this stage.
There’s also 2019 third-round pick Jaylon Ferguson who has underwhelmed through the first two years of his career. 2021 will be an important season for Ferguson as he looks to finally secure a consistent role in the pass rush rotation.
Baltimore did attempt to address the position in the offseason adding both Odafe Oweh and Daelin Hayes in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Oweh is the more intriguing prospect as the 31st overall pick possesses the raw athleticism to be a future star pass rusher. He’s still unrefined, but the Ravens will be counting on him to play a significant role in his rookie season.
Hayes is really the wild card of the bunch. The fifth-round rookie impressed this spring and will look to solidify a role in the defense with a strong showing in training camp.
The Ravens have potential with their outside linebackers, but we should have a much clearer picture of what the pass rush rotation will look like after the summer.
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As for now, the position is very much up for grabs.