Ravens' preseason shakeout is painting a concerning picture for Adisa Isaac

Adisa Isaac might be in trouble. The Baltimore Ravens needed to see him take strides ahead of the 2026 regular season, and while that hasn’t entirely come, they’re seeing other young pass rushers rise to the challenge.

Through two weeks, the highlight of Adisa Isaac’s preseason was a pick-six that was later ruled incomplete. He’s played over 30 preseason snaps and has yet to register a single statistic. That’s concerning.

Ethan Burke and Kaimon Rucker, on the other hand? They’re taking off. The two have emerged as preseason stars and are undoubtedly pushing Isaac to the limit with one preseason game to go.

Adisa Isaac’s Baltimore Ravens tenure could be nearing its end

As Baltimore searches for the fifth and final member of their pass-rush force, Ethan Burke and Kaimon Rucker are making it an extremely tough competition.

Burke has been blowing people away lately. His debut was solid, but Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings was his real breakout. He totaled 3 tackles, 1 sack, 2 QB hits, 1 forced fumble, and 2 passes defended. He was the arch-enemy of whichever Minnesota quarterback was lining up under center.

It’s also worth noting that Burke could be a special teams superstar. That might tip the scales in his favor in this roster battle.

Rucker’s performances have been quieter—3 total tackles and 1 QB hit through two games may seem a bit underwhelming. He’s doing everything right in limited action, though. In Week 2, he had his best game to date, registering the best defensive grade on the team with 90.4, per Pro Football Focus.

This is a nightmare trend for Isaac. Injuries have derailed the early stages of his career, and just when he’s finally healthy, he’s going radio silent at the worst possible time.

The Ravens don’t need to shoot for the upside of a former third-round pick like Isaac anymore either. They have an elite pass-rush talent in Trey Hendrickson, two outside linebackers with tons of potential in Mike Green and Zion Young, and a versatile weapon in Tavius Robinson.

Simply put, Baltimore should get more than enough production off the edge in 2026. They don’t need to bank on potential anymore. Whether it be Burke or Rucker, the front office should choose the player performing better right now, not the potential mystery prize with Isaac.

And can you trust Isaac at all? Sure, the Penn State product is healthy now, but with his unfortunate track record, it may only be a matter of time before he’s on the sidelines dealing with another health issue. It’s an unfair truth that’s tormented him across his brief NFL career.

Isaac still has a week to make his presence felt. NFL cutdown day arrives on August 30. If he can’t switch up the tone, though, Burke and Rucker will have everything going in their favor by the time the Ravens have to make their final 53-man roster decisions.

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