Ranking Baltimore Ravens in AFC North Interior Defensive Line Rooms

The offseason gives us a great chance to look back at the Baltimore Ravens roster and see where they stack up against their AFC North foes. We ranked each position room on the offensive side of the ball, and now we are switching gears to the defensive side. This will be looking at interior linemen and will be looking at the top four from each team. Which group is the most talented from top-to-bottom?

4. Cleveland Browns: Dalvin Tomlinson, Jordan Elliot, Siaki Ika, Maurice Hurst

The Cleveland Browns were in last place by a wide margin in this group. That is why Tomlinson, Ika, and Hurst were all added into the mix. Tomlinson is a huge upgrade from what the team had and is a reliable starter, but we need to see how he fits into the unit. Ika is a rookie and will only play rotationally, and Hurst has been a solid depth player, but depth is all he should be. It is a better group than last year, but not there yet.

3. Baltimore Ravens: Justin Madubuike, Broderick Washington, Michael Pierce, Travis Jones

This group has the chance to rise, but we need to see it. Madubuike and Washington are both going to be entering contract years. Madubuike has proven to be a starter, but the question is how high the ceiling is. For Washington, he is looking to earn a deal that nets him starter money. Travis Jones is entering year two and should be taking a step as well. Pierce is aging, and injuries have held him from completing a full season since 2019. That, combined with the other three having more projection than sustained success, has them barely at number three.

2. Cincinnati Bengals: D.J. Reader, B.J. Hill, Josh Tupou, Zachary Carter

The big difference between the Bengals and Ravens lines is experience. Reader got the contract that Madubuike hopes to earn this season. Hill earned the deal that Washington would like to see. Tupou may not have the name value that Jones and Pierce do, but in the last three years, he has logged more real-life NFL snaps than either. Carter does not add much, but there is good reason to think that the Bengals are currently better than the Ravens, but also a good season from Madubuike, Washington, and Jones would see the two shift.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers: Cameron Heyward, Larry Ogunjobi, Keanu Benton, DeMarvin Leal

Of all the linemen on this list, Cameron Heyward is the best. He is at the point in the Steelers-Ravens rivalry where you look at him as someone you hate to respect, and he is borderline Hall of Fame. Ogubnjobi has played for every AFC North team but the Ravens and has always had his moments. Benton was a solid second-round pick, and Leal will enter year two. The two at the top are doing the heavy lifting, but the back end has enough pedigree that you cannot deny the Steelers first place in this specific grouping.