New DL signing Brent Urban gets his second chance on the Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens’ defensive line just got stronger with the addition of Brent Urban, who will hopefully flourish in his second stint with his former team.

Baltimore selected Urban in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft and Urban spent the first four years of his career as a Raven, going from a rotational piece to a regular starter in his final season.

Urban spent unsuccessful stints at a few other teams before landing on the Dallas Cowboys in 2021, where he played six games before suffering a season-ending injury.

While Urban’s numbers don’t paint the picture of an uber-impressive sack artist, Urban has proved himself to be an elite run defender in his seven years in the league.

The Ravens signed Urban to a one-year deal worth the veteran’s minimum, and Urban will join a defensive line that has received much-needed reinforcements so far this offseason.

Baltimore Ravens make a smart signing and boost their D-line with Brent Urban

Baltimore has since dipped in both the free agent pool and the draft to address its previously weak defensive line; now, the Ravens have Calais Campbell, Michael Pierce, Justin Madubuike, Broderick Washington, Derek Wolfe, and rookie Travis Jones.

Of all the members in the unit, Wolfe’s job may be in jeopardy the most given Wolfe’s recurring injury issues.

Regardless, the 31-year-old Urban adds crucial depth to the Ravens’ defensive unit and should make a decent-sized impact in his homecoming. He worked his way up to a starting position in his first stint in Baltimore, and though he’s on the wrong side of 30, he may still have a few sacks and plenty of tackles left in him.

Urban was part of an incredibly productive Dallas run defense that allowed just 86.1 rushing yards per game, and Baltimore hope he can maximize his efficiency on Mike Macdonald’s new-look defense in 2022.

Expect the Ravens to continue making smart moves to boost their roster before the start of the season.