2024 was a down year for the Baltimore Ravens defense as a whole. While some contributors had career years, the unit could not stop a nosebleed for most of the campaign. One of the issues resided in the pass rush.
Although Kyle Van Noy and Odafe Oweh enjoyed career years with double-digit sack seasons, the front seven failed to provide consistent pressure. Much of that was due to a lack of push from the interior. Defensive disruptor Nnamdi Madubuike followed up his 13-sack season in 2023 with just 6.5 in 2024. However, while the numbers do not jump off the page, he still performed at a high level.
Madubuike was introduced to the treatment that the best defensive linemen get last year. Sure, he took on doubles during his breakout campaign, but in 2024, those numbers skyrocketed. He faced 233 double teams over the year per NFL Next Gen Stats, putting him in company with three-time All-Pro Chris Jones in that category. Still, the 27-year-old knows defensive coordinator Zach Orr needs more from him this year.
Veterans arrived for Baltimore’s training camp on July 22, and the team is coming in fired up to get the new season underway. Madubuike, who has become one of the leaders of the defense, is going into the year with a full head of steam, aiming to unlock a new level. In Tuesday’s press conference, he told the media his goals following a season in which he was one of the most doubled-teamed defenders in the league.
“[The double team treatment] was frustrating at times. But I made efforts this offseason to find ways to split them, get stronger in the weight room, and even add a little bit more weight…It’s a good thing and I appreciate it, but I definitely want to keep being productive and being the player I know I can be,” Madubuike said.
Nnamdi Madubuike’s 2025 should be All-Pro caliber
It sounds like Oweh may have set a trend by adding muscle this offseason. Madubuike, who mentioned his playing weight last season was around 285 or 290 pounds, wants to add five to eight pounds. While he is already one of the most dominant forces on Baltimore’s defense, the extra weight should help him take control of those doubles and once again post double-digit sack numbers.
With the retirement of run stuffer Michael Pierce and the departure of Brent Urban in free agency, the Ravens desperately need a player in the trenches to take a step forward. Even though he is already a monster on the interior, seeing Madubuike potentially jump into first-team All-Pro consideration would significantly help the unit capture its goal of being a top unit in the NFL.
Another year of experience with countless doubles from opposing offensive lines should also benefit Madubuike’s development. Regardless, he and the rest of the defense know it is not about personal numbers, but production from the entire group, and they believe they can return to the top of the league in defensive metrics.