When it’s the Baltimore Ravens’ turn to select in the NFL Draft, they’re usually pretty darn good at adding effective talent...at least in the first two rounds. After that, they’ve struggled with consistency.
In the past five years, the third round has been a bit of a stain on Baltimore’s draft success. Out of six selections from that range in that stretch, just one has become a reliable starter: Travis Jones. The others, at least so far, have struggled to even carve out roles as rotational options.
Among those who have been disappointing in their Baltimore tenures is Trenton Simpson. He is entering the final year of his rookie deal, and after seeing his starting role taken by a rookie in Teddye Buchanan last year, the clock is ticking fast on his future in Charm City.
Baltimore Ravens’ Trenton Simpson entering pivotal 2026 season
Simpson is facing a challenging 2026 campaign. Not only did he lose out on significant reps to a newcomer in 2025, but now it’s a whole different ballgame where he has to impress a new coaching staff. Sure, it may be a win for him since he has a chance at escaping John Harbaugh’s doghouse, but he’s also starting at ground zero. This new coaching staff wasn’t the one that drafted him out of Clemson.
The 24-year-old flashed late in his rookie season, when he put together an impressive showing against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 18 back in 2023. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to put the pieces of the puzzle together since.
Simpson hasn’t developed very good instincts against the run throughout his NFL career, and his play in coverage hasn’t looked good either. It feels like he’s always a step behind. His athleticism helps keep him in plays, but he quickly gets engulfed by blockers when his reaction quickness sputters. It’s what has kept him on the backend of the linebacker rotation.
Under new head coach Jesse Minter, life may not get much easier for him. Minter, being a former defensive coordinator and calling the defense in 2026, will obviously be a stickler for how his unit runs. If he sees Simpson continue to make rookie mistakes, that could be all she wrote for the former third-round pick.
Ultimately, the expectations are incredibly low for Simpson heading into next season. And that could honestly be a good thing. With his back against the wall, he could play with an all-or-nothing mentality and finally turn that corner that the front office was expecting him to. However, the outlook isn't great, and fans have already started to give up on the Clemson product.