Ravens: 4 players who must step up in light of COVID-19 absences
By Justin Fried
3. Broderick Washington, DT, Ravens
For as thin as the Ravens will be at outside linebacker, their defensive line depth chart is looking arguably even thinner. At the moment, the team has just three healthy defensive linemen on the roster.
Calais Campbell is the only normal starter while veteran Justin Ellis will fill in for Brandon Williams at nose tackle. But the player being given the largest opportunity in Week 3 will undoubtedly be Broderick Washington.
Aside from those three, the only other defensive lineman under contract is Kahlil McKenzie who is expected to be promoted from the practice squad for this game.
However, Washington is the player to watch in Week 3.
A fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Washington played sparingly as a rookie suiting up for eight games and playing 15 percent of defensive snaps.
He looked good this summer and earned a spot as a reserve defensive lineman playing 24 percent of defensive snaps in Week 1. However, he was a healthy scratch this past Sunday against the Chiefs.
Now, he’s set to start his first career NFL game this weekend.
Washington will fill in with both Derek Wolfe and Justin Madubuike out as he’s being handed the biggest opportunity of his brief NFL career.
If he impresses, he could force his way into a regular role in the Ravens’ defensive line rotation.