When NFL teams are consistently successful, fans and analysts tend to forget their biggest mistakes. The San Francisco 49ers traded up for Trey Lance, the Philadelphia Eagles drafted Jalen Reagor over Justin Jefferson, and the Baltimore Ravens whiffed on David Ojabo.
Sure, it's not as egregious as the mistakes made by some other teams, but imagine what could have been if Ojabo lived up to his potential. Opposite Odafe Oweh, Ojabo would help form one of the best young pass-rushing duos in the NFL. This would be a unit Baltimore could truly lean on in the playoffs.
Instead, Ojabo is fighting for a spot on the roster in training camp. If he doesn't prove himself now, he might not get any more chances.
David Ojabo is on the brink of being cut by the Ravens
When the Ravens spent a second-round pick on Ojabo back in 2022, they knew he wasn't a finished product yet. Ojabo had played just one full season at Michigan. His play showed incredible athleticism but very little refinement. He was expected to slowly develop into a star edge rusher in Baltimore.
But that development never came. In three seasons, he's played under 400 total defensive snaps and amassed four sacks. Ojabo has consistently struggled to stay healthy, playing in just 18 games so far.
He's a liability in run defense, but he doesn't bring enough as a pass rusher to make himself valuable. Ojabo still hasn't developed the arsenal of pass-rushing moves you'd expect after three years.
Now the Ravens look ready to move on from Ojabo. Baltimore took Mike Green in the second round of this year's draft. Green, like Ojabo, is an explosive edge rusher with room to grow on the technical side. He's basically a direct replacement for Ojabo.
The message? The Ravens are done waiting for Ojabo to develop into a contributor.
With plenty of capable players ahead of him on the depth chart, Ojabo may be on the chopping block in training camp. He's heading into the last year of his rookie deal, and the Ravens can save almost $2 million by releasing him. It would be a clean break, allowing Ojabo to continue his development with another team while the Ravens focus on Green's progression.
But Ojabo still has one chance to prove that he belongs on the Ravens' roster. With a fully healthy offseason, Ojabo has had time to develop the pass-rushing refinement that fans desperately want to see from him. If he can show some of it in training camp, it may be enough to keep him around.
If not, Ojabo's time in Baltimore is likely over.