The Baltimore Ravens are coming off a huge win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 15. Their 24-0 victory shifted the momentum after losing two straight, and keeps them in contention to win the AFC North.
While it was likely the team’s best performance of the season, it was not all good news to come out of the afternoon. Numerous players were banged up, including cornerbacks Chidobe Awuzie and Marlon Humphrey and left tackle Ronnie Stanley. While the outlook looks mostly good for those starters, the same cannot be said for rookie linebacker Teddye Buchanan.
Buchanan went down with a non-contract left knee injury in punt coverage early in Sunday’s win. On Monday, Head Coach John Harbaugh confirmed he has a torn ACL and will be out for the season.
Harbaugh mentioned the 23-year-old should be back for training camp next year, but for now, several players will have to step up in his absence.
3 Ravens who must step up amid Buchanan's injury
Trenton Simpson
Third-year linebacker Trenton Simpson is set to step into Buchanan’s spot moving forward. He played 35 snaps in Cincinnati, and Harbaugh noted that he has a ton of faith in him. Still, it has been a disappointing tenure in Baltimore thus far, and Simpson obviously has to make strides.
Prior to coming in for Buchanan on Sunday, Simpson had not logged more than 10 snaps in a game since Week 6. During that quiet stretch, the coaching staff used him in more of a pass-rush role, but now he will be plugged back in the middle of the field.
In the limited snap share, Simpson has actually graded out well, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF). His 76.4 overall grade ranks 12th out of 88 qualifying linebackers. It has been clear that the coaching staff has not trusted him for most of the year, though. He will have the perfect chance to prove them wrong over an expanded rep count in the final three weeks.
Alohi Gilman
The Ravens are lucky to have so many versatile safeties. This is the second time their defense has taken a hit at linebacker, having dealt with an injury to All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith earlier in the year. While he will not take over Buchanan’s role, safety Alohi Gilman can help a ton by playing down in the box.
Since coming over from the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6, Gilman has played at least 19 snaps in the box on Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr’s defense. He is doing it well, too, posting a 72.9 PFF grade with Baltimore. That grade includes a 74.9 run defense grade and 70.3 coverage grade.
Simpson still needs to do his job and win his reps, but Gilman can play a major role in masking any mistakes. The versatility he and the rest of the safety room bring to the table will allow Orr to continue to draw up effective schemes in the wake of Buchanan’s injury.
Roquan Smith
Injuries are a part of football. When they occur, the leaders of the team need to step up. Roquan Smith has been terrific in 2025, but has clearly experienced his fair share of highs and lows. Without Buchanan, he needs to challenge himself and the rest of the defense to be better.
In 12 games, Smith leads the team with 114 tackles, and has tallied 10 or more tackles in eight of those. It was a rough start for Smith and the entire Baltimore defense, but he has posted an 80.2 PFF grade, ranking as the seventh-best linebacker in the NFL.
Still, the Ravens need Smith to unlock that caliber of play that made him a $100 million man. He is doing more than enough right now, but with Buchanan out for the rest of the year, he needs to tap into another level that he is more than capable of reaching. He will undoubtedly welcome that challenge.