Trenton Simpson is taking off in 2026. He’s been flying to the ball early on and is becoming a real building block for the Baltimore Ravens. It’s not just an early-season breakout; he’s proving he’s the real deal.
Coming into the year, countless questions surrounded Simpson. He was drafted as an athletic freak with versatility to make noise everywhere on defense, but in his first three seasons he hadn’t ironed out a real role.
Luckily for Simpson, Jesse Minter was hired as the head coach, and after talking about the impact Minter would have on his game in the offseason, it looks like he called his shot.
In Week 6, Simpson had possibly the best game of his career. He posted an incredible 90.2 overall grade, per Pro Football Focus, and was excellent in coverage, allowing just 1 catch for 4 yards.
Simply put, Simpson is making statement after statement. The 25-year-old looks like an absolute force.
Trenton Simpson keeps raising his game on the Baltimore Ravens’ defense
Trenton Simpson is one of the guys Baltimore can constantly rely on right now. They haven’t had much of that on the defense thus far. The unit has dealt with coverage breakdowns, pass-rush inconsistency, and tackling mistakes, but Simpson always comes to play.
He’s right up there with some of the best linebackers in the NFL this season, too. His overall grade per PFF sits at a tremendous 79.9, ranking 4th among 75 qualifying linebackers. That’s just behind Fred Warner, and ahead of former All-Pros like Quincy Williams and Zack Baun.
Yeah, pretty good company to be in.
You know who’s even better company? Kyle Hamilton.
Only two players have recorded 40+ tackles, 5+ tackles for loss, and an interception this year. One is Trenton Simpson. The other is Kyle Hamilton. The Ravens are extremely lucky to have two versatile, game-wrecking defenders like them patrolling the defense.
And Simpson truly does it all. His coverage has taken a monstrous step forward; he looks far more comfortable dissecting the run; and as always, he’s been a tremendous pass rusher from his linebacker spot.
In total, Simpson has 41 combined tackles, 6 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 interception, and 2 QB hits in 2026. Game in and game out, he’s everywhere on defense.
The Clemson product is doing all this with fewer snaps than your typical starting linebacker, as well. Sure, he’s getting his fair share of opportunities alongside Roquan Smith, but he’s only getting about 38 snaps per game. In comparison, the full workload is usually about 60+ snaps.
Simpson’s production deserves more reps. I understand it’s hard to get everyone out there, especially with all the three-safety looks and Kyle Hamilton eating into snaps in the box; however, Simpson has the versatility to be more involved. Giving him even more chances in simulated pressures or hybrid roles could maximize his usage and the rest of the defense.
Regardless of whether his role expands, this is only the start for Trenton Simpson. With Minter’s help, he’s bursting onto the scene, and with his traits, the sky is the limit if he keeps piecing his game together. He’s playing inspiring football.
Add us as a preferred source on Google