After their Week 1 loss to the Buffalo Bills, one of the Baltimore Ravens’ most glaring issues is their pass rush. The unit sacked Josh Allen just once, and despite numerous pressures, they failed to get home each time. Much of that can be attributed to their inability to contain the quarterback, which ultimately proved to be a backbreaker on Sunday night.
In Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns, they are likely to avoid the same issue, as Joe Flacco, at age 40, may not be able to navigate the pocket as well as he used to. However, it is a great opportunity for the defensive front to find a rhythm heading into the rest of the 2025 campaign. The player who can change it all may just be an under-the-radar rookie who is quickly finding his footing in the NFL.
2025 sixth-round selection Aeneas Peebles made an impact against the Bills in Week 1. While he did not fill up the stat sheet with any sacks, he made Allen feel uncomfortable in the pocket at times. The unit as a whole must be more disciplined when getting after the quarterback, and Peebles can be a massive contributor in that area, rushing the passer from the interior.
Aeneas Peebles could quietly solve Baltimore's biggest problem
In Week 1, Peebles played just 12 snaps. He was impressive in those chances, though. On nine pass rush opportunities, he generated two hurries and also batted down a pass at the line of scrimmage, per Pro Football Focus (PFF). That helped earn him a 62.2 PFF grade, including a 68.9 pass rush grade.
It can be tough for rookies to carve out substantial roles in Baltimore, especially late-round selections like Peebles. He is already starting to be a factor in Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr’s group, though. Although he had just a 54.3 run defense grade on Sunday, per PFF, the Ravens know what they have in the 24-year-old: a potential game-wrecker on passing downs.
Against the Browns, Peebles will be matched up against one of the best interior offensive lines in the NFL. Center Ethan Pocic and guards Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio have long been above-average to elite players at their respective positions. Peebles’ work will be cut out for him. If the game ends up being a blowout like many expect, then the rookie defensive tackle should get plenty of opportunities to prove himself. However, you can never underrate a division rival.
With the current state of Baltimore’s pass rush, Peebles could ultimately be a game-changer. If his penetration can push quarterbacks back deep in the pocket, it should let the trio at outside linebacker, Kyle Van Noy, Odafe Oweh, and Mike Green, feast coming off the edge.
The Ravens have a deep interior defensive line, but with what Peebles showed against an elite offensive line in Week 1, it would be coaching malpractice if he does not see more snaps in the coming weeks.