The Baltimore Ravens are entering a marquee Week 3 matchup with the Detroit Lions, slightly banged up. While key contributors like Isaiah Likely and Jaire Alexander are progressing toward a return, their pass rush unit took a hit with the injury to Kyle Van Noy.
Van Noy injured his hamstring in Baltimore’s Week 2 blowout win over the Cleveland Browns, and he is expected to miss at least a couple of games. Without him, the team will turn to rookie second-round pick Mike Green. He should see an uptick in snaps on Monday night, and the 22-year-old will quickly need to prove he is ready for the NFL level in a game against a tough Detroit team.
Green is coming off the largest snap count of his career thus far. After Van Noy went down in the second quarter, Green went on to play 45 snaps against the Browns after playing 26 in Week 1. It was among the most of Ravens’ edge defenders that week, ranking second to Tavius Robinson, who saw 48. While it was not a strong showing, he is getting the opportunity to speed up the learning curve, and it should pay off.
Mike Green primed for game-changing performance vs. Lions
Through two weeks, Green has registered a 46.1 overall grade, per Pro Football Focus. It has not been pretty for the rookie, but the traits are there. He tallied two hurries and a quarterback hit versus Cleveland, and showed some development against the run.
So far, his main issue has been containing the quarterback and getting home. He tends to bend the edge too much, allowing enough space for opposing quarterbacks to step up and evade pressure. His outstanding bend helps him take leverage against offensive tackles, but he needs to be a more disciplined rusher and reach another gear in pursuit.
The Marshall product will have his work cut out for him. The Lions’ tackle duo of Penei Sewell and Taylor Decker is up there with the best in the league. Decker has long been an elite pass protector, and Sewell might be the best offensive lineman in the NFL.
The expectations will be unfairly high for Green as he is thrust into heavy action against a top-tier offensive line. He was one of the most coveted prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft, though, and while he has yet to have a standout game, that is expected from a rookie. He may struggle to find success in Week 3, but it is the perfect chance to sharpen his skills against some of the league’s best.
With such an elite skillset, you never know what could be in the cards for Green this week, and maybe fans are treated to a breakout performance.